Student Ministries Blog

It’s Gauntlet time again, and we want to keep you as informed as possible! Below are the three main ways that you can stay current with everything you need to know about the Gauntlet 2010.

Gauntlet website
For trip details and frequently asked questions, check the Gauntlet 2010 website.

Text message updates
You can sign up for TXTsignal to get the latest news as well as updates while we’re in Daytona on your phone. TXTsignal is an internet service that allows us to send mass text messages to anyone who registers. We’ll be opening TXTsignal signups in May, so check back then.

Twitter
If you want further insight into the Gauntlet 2010, you can follow the trip leaders from each campus on Twitter. Alden Ellis (Columbia), Brad Cooper (Anderson), Davey Blackburn (Greenville), or David Hall (Florence).

There are several ways to stay informed if your student is going to the Gauntlet.

1. Text signal is a service that allows us to send out a mass text to anyone who is signed up. We’ll use this to remind you of important dates/times, keep you updated on our arrival time back home, and give you general updates. Make sure to click the link appropriate to the campus your student will be joining.

2. You can also stay updated by following some of our staff twitter accounts. When notable things happen, these guys will probably let the world know.

- Brad Cooper
- Davey Blackburn
- David Hall

3. We’ll try to get some pictures posted from the week on our Gauntlet ‘09 Flickr page.

What’s up everybody! Here are the new building times for the fall:

Tuesday: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Middle and high school students

Wednesday: 4:00 PM - Fuse (6:30 - 8:00) - Middle school students only

Friday: 7:00 PM - Fuse (*8:00 - 9:30) - High school students only

*Time is subject to change based on scheduled football games. For the best way to stay informed of Fuse start times, sign up for text message updates.

Here’s a story that was sent in from Rachel Jackson about how her group is using their gift.

Genesis 1:17 - And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth. We are called as Christ followers to be a light to this world, to be disciples. We are the ones that have to think of ways to reach out to others, we have to use our Time, our Talent, and our Treasure to better the Kingdom of Heaven.

Too many times we try to make ourselves look better. We shouldn’t be focused on the things of the earth, for they will be gone one day, as will we. In the numbered days we have, we have to use them to place everything at God’s feet..to store treasures in Heaven.

Recently we were challenged to do something good for someone or our community and cross the line, and to say that we were doing it for the glory of our Savior. We each got 5$ and were told to do what we want, be creative and do something great. Our group came up with about 25$ and we knew what we were going to do…a Blanket Drive. It was the best thing we could think of to get our school involved as well.

With our money we got posters, decorated them, and hung them around our school. We made announcements also! We were so excited! All throughout our day at school we had people asking us what they were for. Great chance to share the love of Christ with people! We have received and donated a total of 28 blankets so far! This will be continued until the end of December!

Please, if you have blankets that are laying around at your house that you aren’t even using, give ‘em to me! You can contact me via email @ .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to get specifics on where to drop off your blankets! It would greatly be appreciated!

This is how we are using our Talent of creativity to advance the Kingdom of Heaven, how are you?

Jenni Hines’ 10th grade girls group used the gift they were given to minister to their teachers. Apparently, printer paper is like gold when you work in the public school system. Each teacher is given 500 sheets of paper at the beginning of the year, and if they use anything beyond that, they have to pay for it with their own money.

So our girls prayed about what they needed to do, and they decided to buy paper for teachers that they thought would need the encouragement. They wrote Bible verses on the outside of the paper packs and baked cookies to go along with them. The teachers were blown away.

Great creativity ladies. Keep serving your teachers everyday!

Chris Bradberry’s 6th grade guys got a chance to serve at the Developmental Center for Exceptional Children last week. The DCEC is a program that provides full-day services for children with special needs. The kids are anywhere from birth to five years old.

Because of recent state budget cuts, the center’s funding has been cut completely, so they’re relying totally on personal donors. Our guys took the $5 they each got from “Cross the Line” week 5—and some more of their own money—to buy $170 worth of art and cleaning supplies for the kids at DCEC.

They got to deliver their gifts on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but more importantly, they got a chance to spend time hanging out and loving on kids at the center. Great job guys!

If you or your group got a chance to put your $5 into action, I’d love to hear your story. Email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

During “Cross the Line” week 5, Brad challenged students to not waste the gifts God has given them. And a group of our 8th grade guys took him up on it. Matt Beasley and TJ Deluccia’s group of 8th graders made 2 separate trips to the Greenville Rescue Mission last week to serve.

During the first trip, the guys got to do some prep work for the Thanksgiving meal by bagging bread, mopping some floors, washing dishes, and even serving food. The quote of the day was supplied by David Fant who said, “If I was at home right now, I wouldn’t be doing anything!”

They took a second trip to the mission on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the guys got put on drink duty. They got to serve somewhere around 700 drinks, and had a great time helping people. But the best part was yet to come.

On the van ride home, Cory, a student from the group, prayed to receive Christ! It’s just another example of God being awesome. These guys showed up to serve drinks, and one of their friends accepted Christ in the process.

God’s doing some amazing things. We’ve all been given a gift. What are you doing with yours?