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Wow...the summer of 2007 is gone. The residual effects however are going to last a long time. The theme of "Rhythm" has left an impact that continues to show us we were right where God wanted us to be. I don't have a lot of room here in the newsletter so I will just get right down to a couple of things that happened that God has used to strengthen us and the people involved.
Right after one of our earlier camps, we got word that one of the churches headed back home had been in a pretty severe accident. We got to talk with them and just thank God together as He carried this group through the storm. The rhythm of His grace has been evident as this group has been healing together.
Then just a few weeks ago, a young man from Gainesville was in an accident in a friend’s pool. The situation in his life is serious but, once again, the rhythm of God’s grace has shown itself as he and his family and church family have been a shining light to the hospital and the community. Our hearts hurt as we see people from the BigStuf family go through trials, but we also get really pumped to hear stories about how the experience at BigStuf has been the catalyst to help them make it through the rough times. One of the coolest stories was to hear that when Ben, the young man who injured his neck in the pool, was brought to his first wheel chair, everyone gasped. The name of the chair, stamped right there in bold letters on the side, was "RHYTHM". The whole youth group has been seen in the hospital singing songs from BigStuf. God's light is shining in the darkness.
Thanks to you all for being a part of our camps and for allowing us to use the gifts He has entrusted to us to enter into your lives. And thank you for your stories that help us as we sometimes go through hard times ourselves.
Next year is right around the corner. I know God has some great stuff ready to show us as we begin to prepare for another summer of BigStuf.
Lanny
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In my three years on staff here in Baytown, we've gone to several camps and conferences that were huge productions and off the charts as far as being polished and excellent. But, for whatever reasons, God waited for this past week at BigStuf to make Himself known in a powerful way to our students. I want you to know that me, my leaders, and my students will never be the same after having a true encounter with a Holy God. - Dave
My group had an incredible time at BigStuf this past week. Eyes were opened to God’s Word, relationships were built and restored and several students encountered Christ for the very first time and chose to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. I wanted to thank everyone for the work that was put into camp. I have organized camps for the past 7 years in my last church and was impressed with what your team put together. - Lee
We have 4 students that get in trouble every year for pranks: 3 rededicated their lives and committed to start a movement in our student ministry and 1 confessed Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior in our room after the service tonight (when we got back to the beach/hotel we baptized 2 more students). We had something planned tonight but God had another....we saw male students one after another take the mic and tell how God showed up and changed their lives. After about the first 10 male students speak, a female student that I have been praying for said that she had never participated in worship, and that she does not like to show emotion, but tonight she worshiped for the first time. The stories go on and on. They were happy, sad, motivating and captivating. They all repeated how they could not wait to go back and change the shape of the student ministry.
We will never be the same!!! - Erica
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Registration will open on Tuesday, October 9th, so mark your calendars because it fills up fast!
The Daytona Beach Conference is:
July 28 - Aug 1, 2008
Here Are The Camp Dates in Panama City Beach:
June 1 - 5, 2008
June 6 - 10, 2008
June 11 - 15, 2008
June 16 - 20, 2008
June 22 - 26, 2008
June 29 - July 3, 2008
July 6 - 10, 2008
July 10 - 14, 2008
July 15 - 19, 2008
July 19 - 23, 2008
Register at www.bigstuf.com
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Productions has already entered into quite a busy fall. The Catalyst conference is less than a month away so Lanny and the production team are diligently getting ready for it. Other events that are approaching this fall are the Youth Specialties: National Youth Workers Conventions. Our friends at Youth Specialties have offered you a special discounted rate to the NYWC because you are a part of the BigStuf Family. When you register, enter Special Code NPBSAC7 into the Special Code field and receive a rate of $275 per person—a savings of up to $100 off the regular rate. This offer is valid for new registrations only. |
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We had an amazing team of college students this summer that took on more than any other intern team in the history of BigStuf. Our interns this summer ran a camp in Panama City Beach all on their own and rocked it! We were so proud of them and want to throw out a big THANKS and WE LOVE YOU to our 2007 BigStuf Camps Intern Team:
2007 BigStuf Camps Intern Team:
Spencer Arnold
Blake Butler
Travis Carpenter
Courtney Covey
Matthew Creekmore
Tyler Eglen
Chris Hall
Laurent Hart
Michael Jerrell
Jackson Joyner
Shane Knight
Nikki Saffell
Evan Semanco
Patrick Smith
Tindell Stanfill
Sean Wilhelm
Stephanie Yarborough |
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We are looking forward to another summer in Panama City Beach and Daytona Beach, FL in 2008. Our website will be updated with new information on the 2008 Internship Program on October 9th. An application will also be available on the website at that time. If you have any college students that are eager for a life changing, world shattering summer then please encourage them to apply!!!
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A little about the Journey Internship by Journey Intern, Hannah Gaddis:
The first week we were in Africa we were busy all day, everyday. It was so much fun! Our typical day would consist of going to the market to hang out with the people selling their products, playing games with the street kids, going to an all girls school to teach them the importance of being valued and being a beloved daughter of a perfect King, and we would finish the day off by spending some time at a children's home. If I had to say my favorite part about this week it would be the impact that we made on the street kids. You could just tell that they really did care about us and we didn't even give them anything. We just took a little bit of time each day hanging out and getting to know each other. After the first week, we went to this place called the BigStuf House. It was so cool to go there after being in Karatina with the street kids because this house was created to take kids off the streets. A guy by the name of John, gave up everything he had a few years ago to follow the call that the Lord had on his life. He was a successful business man who made a lot of money and one day he met a street kid and he wanted to help him. Well, as the days went on he kept meeting more and more kids that were living on the streets and he wanted to help. So, he quit his job sold his place and took all these kids in and he started with 4 and now he has 48 kids. That is just a little bit of my experience in Kenya. It truly was life-changing for all of us.
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So many of you participated in A Night for Africa, and it was wonderful to see you! We had over 2600 people attend the event, 170 volunteers, 40 production members, 9 band members and the countless others pitched in. It was a great evening. From the Immigration process and the live Kenyan marketplace to the program and the gallery of artwork from The 410 Bridge communities, guests came prepared to engage on all levels. The Kenyan congregation of East Cobb United Methodist Church greeted guests with songs in Swahili and traditional Kenyan food. Jeff Foxworthy made us laugh until our sides hurt, the children of Daraja African Children’s Choir led in passionate worship, and the story of African need was told with joy and dignity. We really feel like the ripple effects of this event are immeasurable on both a practical and kingdom scale. Thank you so much to those who helped make this night possible!
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What an amazing month with these 19 kids!! Never in my life have I seen this kind of life transformation in the U.S., it completely caught me off guard. The passion of the Daraja African Children's Choir and their fervor in worship, convicted audiences, healed churches, and moved hearts. I saw families grow closer to the Lord as they opened their homes in service. I saw grown men weep as the Lord blessed their hearts with the spiritual depth of mere children. I saw pastors broken and rejoicing as people in their church respond to the pull of the Lord. We even watched churches build their own bridges of racial reconciliation. It was amazing! Although the children of the Daraja African Children’s Choir have now returned to Kenya, God has used them to set into motion dreams and visions for the future and to ignite in thousands a passion to go, give or serve in Africa!
- Christi Baker, Daraja African Children’s Choir Tour Leader
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We also want to give a special thanks to Caitlyn Crawshaw & Gabrielle McClure, the Daraja Choir Interns. They both did an incredible job loving and pouring into the children. What a blessing they were, we could not have done it without them! |
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This summer, BigStuf Camp partnered with sister organization The 410 Bridge to raise money to bring relief to the water crisis in the 410 Bridge Communities in Kenya. As youth pastors, students and chaperones learned about the daily challenges that Africa faces just to acquire water for their most basic needs, many individuals and youth groups were moved to respond by participating in the H204K project. Switzerland Area County Youth in Vevay, Indiana sponsored Indiana’s Largest Water Balloon contest to raise funds for a water project in Kenya. They raised $1,200 by charging $5 per person entry fees. In addition to the water balloon contest, they shared testimonies about BigStuf and the water project and collected another $1,066 in an offering. In one weekend they raised $2,300! This is just one story of many from camp that are being creative and finding ways to make a difference in a nation thousands of miles away. For more information on how to participate in the H204K project, visit www.410bridge.org/h2o4k/ and stay tuned for updates on funds raised and water project updates on this page.
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Rhythm CD!
Missing the sounds of BigStuf? Well, check out the latest release from BigStuf Productions! Rhythm brings you all of your favorite songs from camp played by your very own BigStuf Band! Check it out on our online store for $15! |
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Lanny Donoho
Lanny is the dreamer (and head honcho) of this organization. He is always busy dreaming up creative ideas for camp, Catalyst, the 410 Bridge and much, much more. Lanny and his wife, Peggy, stay busy with their 3 boys, Landon, Andrew, and Evan in their time away from BigStuf. Those three definitely keep them on their toes!
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Brian Pirkle
Brian works hard on the production end of BigStuf to make events happen. He is always working with people at Catalyst, Youth Specialties, and many other organizations to keep their events fresh and relevant. Brian was busy as ever at camp this summer and after a short break in August he jumped right back in! When he is not on the road Brian is hanging out with his wife Amanda and their daughter Addison who is turning two in November! Addison definitely keeps them busy…she doesn’t walk anymore, she just runs. They also stay busy with their new house and yard! (Brian especially loves his riding lawn mower!!) His project for the fall is putting together a giant playground for Addison in the back yard…I don’t know about you, but I sure am excited to try out the twirly slide!
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Gwen Blythe
Gwen. Wow. She still hasn’t taken a break from the summer…she is truly a champion. I would tell you all of the things that Gwen does but it would take way too much space in the newsletter so I will just sum it up: everything. Seriously though, Gwen keeps this place going. From setting up production orders at camp, scheduling meetings, sitting through those meetings, working the fundraiser for the 410 Bridge, she really does have her hands in everything. In her “free time” Gwen loves to take pictures…and she is REALLY good at it. Gwen also loves to travel and spend time with her friends. Next time I write about Gwen I think I will just list the things she doesn’t do…that might make more sense.
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Jamie Eichler
Jamie is back at home getting all of us set back up in the office! You would think after having our computers for more than a month we wouldn’t need help anymore, but that’s not the case. Jamie is always there to save the day! (It’s really fun to tell him your hard drive got erased when it really didn’t. You should try that with your I.T. guys…I promise they will love it!) Jamie is glad to be back home near the lake so he can spend his afternoons and weekends on the boat wake boarding. He’s not ready for the cold weather to come because that means fewer days on the lake! Jamie and his awesome wife Kristin like spending their free time decorating their house, hanging out on the lake, and watching Grey’s Anatomy and Boston Legal. They also love their children, I mean…. cats Wesley and Alex…weird.
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Megan Gross
After a crazy summer in Panama City Beach, Megan is settling back into the groove in Alpharetta before she and her husband, Matt, move into their new house! In the work world Megan is staying very busy getting ready for the Catalyst Conference at the beginning of October as well as getting ready to head on the road for the Youth Specialties conferences in the fall. Megan and Matt are also getting really excited for the Gator games this fall…seriously, she talks about it daily! Megan and Matt will be hitting the road for most of the home games, so if you are ever at the Swamp look out for them…they will be the ones painted orange and blue wearing giant gator heads.
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Sheila “no longer Benton” Shouldeen
Well folks, it’s official! Our Registration Diva is MARRIED!!!! After multiple newsletters dangling her relationship with Kerry in front of your eyes, on August 5th (yes…camp ended on the 2nd…), Sheila the Registration Diva officially became Sheila Shouldeen! Sheila and Kerry went on an adventure honeymoon to Costa Rica and had an awesome time repelling down water falls, zip lining through the jungle, riding horses and 4-wheelers, laying on the beach, and doing tribal dances. It is great to have Sheila back in the office even though we all know she wishes she were still in Costa Rica! Sheila informed me that she and Kerry love cooking together. The love-birds who cook together write a book together? Is that the saying? We’ll keep you updated on the crazy shenanigans of these newlyweds in the next newsletter!
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Clete Terrell
Even though we are back from camp it is rare that you will find Clete in the office! He has a crazy travel schedule going to all of the BigStuf Productions events as well as trying to hold things down in the office! Clete stays busy with the crazy event schedule, that’s for sure! Clete is headed on an adventure this fall with some friends to Hawaii! We all look forward to seeing his awesome pictures (one of his many hobbies) and hearing the stories! Hopefully he will come back with some cool story about surfing with sharks or something awesome like that. This summer Clete was the one who graced us with the meeting of precious TMX---Tickle Me Elmo: extreme. So for those of you at camp the week Elmo made a debut, you can thank Clete for those moments of laughter!
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Leah Moreton
Leah just finished her first summer on staff with BigStuf! It was a fun summer of working with interns, keeping the store in order, and many other random tasks that needed to be done. Back in the office now, she is working to get the online store up and running and tying up some loose ends! Outside of the office Leah stays busy with school. She just started her senior year (it only took her 6 years to get there!) as a public relations and hospitality major…she is REALLY excited to graduate! In her free time you can find her rock climbing, skydiving (really just once…), or reading Karen Kingsbury (she read 15 of her books this summer…what a nerd!). |
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Kurt Kandler
When Kurt is not in Africa with teams for the 410 Bridge you can find him in the offices talking with churches and organizations to get them connected with 410 communities. Kurt is always thinking up new ways to further the growth of the communities the 410 Bridge is working with in Kenya. It’s always exciting to hear the new things he is working on! In his free time, Kurt, and his wife Erika stay busy with their 3 extremely involved kids! I also just found out today that Kurt loves to play tennis on the weekends and apparently he is quite good…according to himself.
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Ashley Fryar
Ashley joined our staff in the spring and we are SO glad to have her. Ashley joined the 410 Bridge as relationship marketing director. Her main focus is the 410 Bridge church network. Ashley has a huge heart for Africa and just recently returned from her third trip this year! Ashley is married to Matt and they have 4 children: Ellie, Dylan, Dalton, and Devin. So needless to say they keep her busy in her free time. We are so excited to have Ashley on board and getting to know her more!
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Christi Baker
Christi joined the 410 Bridge to head up the Daraja Children’s Choir and put on the benefit “A Night for Africa.” She did an incredible job planning concerts for the kids as well as finding host homes and all of the crazy details that the kids needed to feel at home here. She also spent a lot of her time planning and marketing for the fundraiser. Christi did an awesome job and we are so happy to have her in the family!
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Suzanne Barber
Suzanne Barber is the brave staff member who went to Kenya not once but twice this summer leading teams of college students. Suzanne has been heading up the Journey internship this year and did an incredible job forming the teams, planning the logistics of the trips, and leading BOTH trips. We are so proud of Suzanne and the way she made Journey happen this year, it would not be where it is without her. This is where the bad news comes…for us…and you readers…Suzanne, our fun loving, friendly, agile, spunky friend is leaving BigStuf and the 410 Bridge. This adventure has come to a close for Suzanne and she has decided to move to the backwoods of Tennessee to teach 4th grade for a while and, maybe this move to TN just might have something to do with the handsome hunk in the picture…. We are really going to miss her and her gymnastics abilities, but we are excited for what God is doing in her life.
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Jessica Gardo
Our sweet little Jessica will be leaving us soon too. We are really going to miss her! She has worked so hard and diligently on organizing all of the 410 trips during this last year and making 410 what it is today. She has been great and we can’t wait to hear about her new adventures. And, no matter how busy she is, Jessica comes in the office everyday with a smile on her face and a wonderful attitude always stopping by our desks to say hi. We just want to say THANK YOU Jessica for being a huge part of The 410 Bridge! |
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www.bigstuf.com . 800-967-7883 . 35 Old Canton Street . Alpharetta, GA 30004
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