By Rev. Alice J. Shirley and Rev. Jeff Rasche
QUINCY -- There’s never been math like this before!!
(IGRC Youth + Extreme Generosity) x 3 years = $150,000 = A new classroom at Chaddock!
This fall the youth ministry of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, in partnership with Chaddock in Quincy, will begin an ambitious campaign to raise $150,000 over three years to build a classroom in the new education facility at Chaddock.
Chaddock is a Golden Cross Ministry of the IGRC and an internationally recognized leader transforming the lives of children and youth through residential treatment of severe abuse, neglect, or other trauma in their early years of development. The new school will be fitted for the children’s special sensory and therapeutic needs and will double the space of Chaddock’s growing ministry in the specialized educational program.
In the “Let’s Do Math 4 Chaddock” campaign, youth are challenged to raise funds for the new classroom in bold and creative ways. The Youth Annual Retreats (YARs) and other conference events for youth will serve as playful collection points for these funds. Churches with no youth groups attending these conference events can still participate by sending donations to the CRM Office (to be entered into contests at YAR events) or more directly through the Conference Advance Special for Chaddock #0043. To give the youth credit make sure to mark the check with “Math 4 Chaddock.”
Donation contests at YAR and other youth events will look a lot like the old “Penny Wars.” Offerings will be collected in categories such as heaviest offering, the most quarters, the greatest amount in paper currency, and the biggest check. There will also be categories for church/charge groups presenting the largest offering at YAR check-in, the church/charge with highest per capita giving, district with the most churches contributing, and most creative fund-raiser.
Special recognitions will be given for the largest youth group present at YAR presenting $1,000 or more, as well as an offering of any amount for the largest new or “come-back” youth group (back after at least 5 year’s absence).
To raise $150,000 in the three-year time-frame means collections need to average $50,000 annually, or $25,000 per YAR event. The numbers are daunting but the formula for solving the problem is easy: everyone working together!
In the new classroom at Chaddock children who have had few, if any, advantages in life will be stretched academically, quite possibly receive their very first “A,” and overcome damaging self-concepts that stunt growth and steal hope for the future. Their lives will be transformed by the vision, mission, and generosity of United Methodist youth answering the call of Christ to solve the problem of hopelessness together.
Youth Annual Retreat (YAR) for junior high/middle school youth will be held Oct. 10-12 at Lake Williamson Retreat Center in Carlinville. Senior High YAR will be Feb. 20-22, 2015, also in Carlinville. For registration forms and information, visit: www.igrc.org/jrhighYAR, or phone 217-529-3007. For more information on Chaddock, visit: www.chaddock.org.