February/March 2025

Spring has officially arrived!  No matter the season, it is always fun to transition from one into another.  With each seasonal change, there is something fun to look forward to, and for us right now in West Michigan, it is the prospect of warmer temperatures and the return of the leaves to the trees (among other things)!

In the same way that our calendar divides into months and seasons, so it is with the pattern of ministry here at LSM.  This time of year marks the transition from our school-year ministries (released-time classes and community book clubs) to our summer programs.  Just as new seasons of the year bring freshness and change, the winding down of the school year brings the excitement and fun of summer camp and summer book clubs!

Here's a brief summary of our different facets of the ministry and the changes that are afoot...

Released Time

Our Released Time classes wrap up in April!  We are ending the year with an Easter lesson in early April, and a closing pizza party and review in late April.  It has been rewarding to get to know the kids in our classes and to build relationships with them over this past year. Each lesson has been an opportunity to share the gospel with the students and point them to Jesus.  We look forward to seeing many of them next year, along with some other new faces!

Book Clubs

Our two community book clubs are joining together and meeting one last time this school year in April. We read a total of 6 books this year around our theme "a balanced diet".  We selected books from a number of different genres - adventure, mystery, biography, historical fiction, fantasy and even poetry!  In addition to the biblical applications we discussed from each book, we talked with our students about how the Bible itself is a collection of different types of writing (history, poetry, law, letters, prophecy, etc.), and how God uses each form in its own way.

God has been opening doors for the expansion of the book club program, and we are excited about two opportunities in particular that he has directed us towards.  

The first is Summer Book Clubs.  These will meet in a park in Grand Haven three Saturdays during the summer.  The format will be the same as our community book clubs except that it will be shortened to only be 3 meetings.  Our hope is to move the students from these summer clubs into one of our community clubs OR into our after school clubs.

After school clubs are another door we see opening, and we are making arrangements now with a few schools in our area to rent space after school once a month for these clubs.  We believe students (or parents) who may feel uncomfortable with Released Time classes during school at a church may have fewer reservations about an after-school book club held right at the school. 

Please pray for us as we continue to seek out wholesome children's books that provide opportunities to discuss biblical topics and steer conversations to Christ.  Pray also for wisdom as we explore these new formats of reaching kids with the gospel.

CAMP

With the summer "pause" of Released Time and our community Book Clubs in April, most of our attention has been shifting towards summer camp preparations.  Registration has been open for almost two months now, and we are seeing some new (and returning) campers signing up!  We are also building our team of volunteers for all three events - reach out to us if you'd like to be involved or would just like some more information.  Here's what we have cooking...

Adventure Camp

Adventure camp this year is June 30th - July 3rd.  We will be using the same property we used last year, and are really excited about the possibilities that will open up with lengthening the adventure to 4 days.  Its a little early to reveal too many details (and we don't want to spoil any surprises we have in store), but suffice to say we are taking what we learned from last year and making the entire experience even better!

Day Camp

This year, we are running TWO different day camp options.  We will again offer a Spring Lake day camp from July 21 to 25.  This camp will be held at Nortonville Gospel Chapel just like last year.   On Aug 11-15 our 2nd day camp will be held at Grand Haven Community Baptist.  Both camps will feature different lessons and elective offerings so that students can attend both with minimal overlap.

To register your students for one of our camps,  just click one of the buttons below, or visit www.cbmwmi.org  

Mailbox Lessons

Mailbox lessons are a unique ministry because they operate all year long, and they have the ability to reach students outside our own area.  In fact, our most faithful student actually lives in Indiana!  Our new mail-based curriculum from Bible Educational Services has been a blessing and is also being used for our Released Time Classes.  Please pray for the students in this program - that they would remain faithful to complete their lessons, and that the camp rewards they earn would be an incentive for them to attend summer camp!

Personal

God has been SO GOOD to us, and we have so much to be thankful for!  Here's a short list, but we could fill a whole page...

• We are inching closer to the arrival of grandchild #3! 
• All four of our children are walking with the Lord and have godly spouses.
• The Lord has blessed us with good health and the stamina needed for minsitry to youth.

We covet your prayers as we make some needed adjustments to our support level.  Although we have some extra funds tucked away in our reserves, we are in need of some additional support to get us back on track and cover some basic cost of living increases.  Perhaps you could help meet this need?

We need YOU!

It is a JOY to serve the Lord, and we so appreciate when others are able to link arms with us in our desire to see kids come to know Christ.  Here are a few practical ways you can join with us:

Prayer

Each of our newsletters contains a list of prayer requests and a list of upcoming events.  Faithful prayer warriors are a vital piece of the ministry, and we greatly appreciate their commitment to uphold us before God's throne!

Volunteering

We have many opportunities for people to plug in!  Whether its a week of day camp, 4 days of adventure camp, teaching or helping with a released time class twice a month, helping with a book club each month, or helping with occasional office work, we have plenty of opportunities to get involved.  Please contact us and we'd be happy to plug you in!

Giving

There are many different costs that are necessary to keep the ministry operating.  To give you some ideas of how your gifts could help us, here are a few practical items we regularly need assistance with.  See the end of this newsletter for ways in which you can direct your giving to the ministry.

Monthly

$12 / month supplies one student from our book clubs with their free book.

$30 / month pays for the subscription to our donor management, accounting and communication software.

$50 / month covers fuel, maintenance and insurance for our van.

$50 / month covers promotion for our programs and events

Yearly

$150 Covers the average yearly cost for volunteer background checks

$200 Covers a year's worth of  ink for our printer

$215 Covers our PO Box fee

$220 Covers our web hosting and domain fees

$250 Covers the yearly room rental costs of book clubs in one school

Camp Scholarships

$25 covers the cost of day camp for one student

$50 covers the cost of adventure camp for one student.

Event Calendar

Please pray for our upcoming events!

April 17 : Community Book Clubs combined year-end wrap-up

April 28 : Last Released Time class of the school year

May 4-10 :  Gitche Gumme Bible Camp work week

June 10 : Grandchild #3 is due!!! ❤️

June 14: Kick-off Summer Book Club in the park

June 30 - July 3 : Adventure Camp in Nunica

July 12 : Summer Book Club in the park

July 21-25 : Day Camp in Spring Lake

August 11-15 : Day Camp in Grand Haven

August 23 : Summer Book Club in the park 

Sept 11-14 : CBM National Conference

Mid-September : Community Book Clubs and After-School Book Clubs begin.

October : Released Time starts back up

Looking forward

We hope to soon start the process of working towards becomming a CBM "area".  We are currently operating as a "project" of CBM, receiving support and leadership from our global office.  As we become own area, we will eventually have our own board, bylaws, financial structures, liability insurance, 501c3 status, and eventually, our own property.  Most of these things we already have indirectly through CBM Global, but as we grow, it is CBM's goal to release projects to be a self supporting area so they can develop more ministries through out the world.  

Another initiative we are beginning in April is the assembly of a local advisory committee. This committee will give support and advice as we continue to grow and expand the ministry, in addition to keeping us accountable to maintaining our stated mission and purpose. The formation of this committee will provide the discipline and foundation for a future board, and will provide advice and guidance as we navigate the transition to a CBM area.

Please pray for us and for the committee as we move forward.

Prayer Requests

Would you take a few minutes right now to celebrate and intercede for us?

Praises

Grandchild #3 is due June 10th

God is growing the ministry and kids are hearing the gospel!

Our advisory committee has been assembled and meets for the first time in April.

Requests

Pray for our ability to spread the word about our camps and book clubs this summer

Pray for volunteers to round out our staffing for summer camps

Pray for wisdom as we plan and execute summer ministry

Closing Thoughts

Seasons change, and so do the cycles of minsitry to youth.  As we enter the summer months, please pray with and for us.  Pray for students with open hearts, and volunteers who love the Lord and desire to make him known.  Pray that we would all faithfully plant and water the seeds of the gospel, and that GOD would provide the increase!

Links and other information