Young Life Cleveland West

What does the name Joe Thomas mean to you? If you’re a Cleveland sports fan, Joe Thomas is a hero. He’s a future NFL Hall-of-Famer, an 11-season Browns center who never missed a play in 10 seasons. He holds the record for  10,363 consecutive snaps--- and  he never competed in a Super Bowl. Not even close. Joe represents something our world doesn’t see enough of: faithfulness, loyalty, consistency, and commitment to something you may not see the direct results of in your seasons of play. Young Life Cleveland has been reaching out to kids for 48 seasons thanks to donors like you. Like Joe, your faithfulness and loyalty contribute to results that don’t get Super Bowl attention, because what’s eternal can’t always be seen. Let us give you a peek into the work you’ve made possible:  This fall started a new weekend camp at Camp Fitch that we hope will become a tradition for many years.  We had over 100 kids from the Metro area go and they played muddy field games, football

Thank You! In this season of Thanksgiving, we are so thankful for our faithful  Young Life supporters!  Thank you for reading, praying, laughing and rejoicing  with us as we pursue kids for Christ. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, we would love if you would consider making a donation to Young Life to support the work we are doing in our eight current ministries across the near west side of Cleveland. Your support will help our 3 full-time staff, one part-time staff, and 25 volunteers to sustain our current work with kids. Your gift will allow us to set our sights on the next group of kids and even the next community.  Today's donations will launch our Year End Giving Campaign, with a goal of raising $60,000 in new donations. This will help us raise 50% of our annual budget by January 1 and let us focus our energy more fully on meeting with and serving local teenagers in your community. Thank you again for partnering with us as we walk alongside adolescents to introduce the

For 48 years Young Life has been taking Cleveland kids to Fall Weekend.  Over the years it’s ranged from super rustic and cheap get always (back in the 70’s) to hotel weekends in the 80’s and early 2000’s.  Regardless of where we take kids, they have a ton of fun, but more importantly, they will ALWAYS here about our only hope in Jesus.  This year we had about 300 kids (about 85 locally) go to Fall Weekend at our latest camping destination of Camp Fitch (near Erie Pennsylvania).  We played in the mud, drank hot chocolate, played in more mud, did field games, and played in the mud…and it was amazing!  Kids enjoyed four Young Life clubs, sang songs, played games in skits, watched their leaders compete (shout out to Kristy Reid for representing and winning the leader title this year over the young bucks), and heard Dan Bender from Huron share the message of Jesus Christ.  Andy’s Autowash Lorain Ave in North Olmsted, sponsored our 2018 Golf Scramble with a “Bus to Fall Weekend S

A few weekends ago Alex and I got to bring 10 of our friends from Cleveland State with us to College Weekend at Rockbridge. We were a small but mighty group in a room of 500 college students from Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio.   It. Was. A. Blast.   There is something about getting away from the pressures of life and school to just be together. Of course— it helps when the space is beautiful, the food is great, and the laughter just keeps coming.   We got to hear about and discuss together who the person of Jesus is, what He has done, and how He loves us and desires a relationship with us. We had the opportunity to sit in silence for 20 minutes (under the most stars we’ve ever been able to see— incredible!) and we were invited to consider what a life with Christ would look like.   As I was driving a friend back to her apartment Sunday night I asked her what she was walking away with from the weekend and she told me, “I think this is why I am in

I've heard it said that time and energy are the two most valuable, and limited, resources in the world. That is a well-known reality among Young Life leaders. While some of their peers spend slow evenings at home watching the same episodes of their favorite Netflix series for the 4th or 5th (or 10th) time, Young Life leaders are at the big soccer game or concert, talking with and cheering on students they've been spending countless hours with and a lot of energy on, to get to know them. Keeping up with the fast-paced lives of students means that leaders are usually eager for opportunities to slow down and experience real, meaningful rest. That being said, we cherished every moment with our volunteers on our annual overnight retreat this Fall. In just 24 hours, we packed in opportunities to sing worship songs, share stories about the semester so far, and spend time reading the Bible and praying together. Not only that, but we had some fun playing a surprisingly competitive scr

"Clubble" kickoff and paint war blows everyone away! Last Monday, we had our "metro" kickoff club event, where we packed about 150 students from 7 local high schools into a giant bubble, made a mess inside with a paint war, and capped it off with a great message by Fairview volunteer leader, Madeline Nieder. With heavy rain in the forecast, we had to adapt last-minute and cram this 50 ft. long, 20 ft. wide, and 12 ft. tall bubble inside the Rock Point Church building in Westlake, which only added to the crazy experience. The only thing that matched the energy inside the bubble that night was the buzzing conversation about it in each school the following morning. This past Monday, we started local clubs in our individual communities and were thrilled with the momentum it carried as more kids are coming to experience abundant life and hear about Jesus Christ, who we believe is the primary source of the life, fun, and adventure that every kid longs for.

Alpha is a video series meant to create space for spiritual conversation as it walks through the major tenets of the Christian faith. It is often used by churches and workplaces to spark discussion around what each of us personally believes. The Lakewood leader team had the idea to run the new Alpha youth series at our weekly "campaigners" bible study and to invite their parents to go through the same content found in the adult series each week. This would allow parents to see some of the things we talk about in Young Life and possibly start conversations between parents and their kids about each topic. Four parents have already committed, and now we are opening this invitation up to you, as well! The Details : Starting on Wednesday, September 26 at 8pm , we will be going through an Alpha series in Lakewood for 8 straight weeks . Each meeting will last about one hour and is open to you and your adult friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. in town that may be interested in

This spring, we had the opportunity to dream about our area going forward, and God led us to consider hiring a full-time college director at Cleveland State University. God was also quick to provide that college director in our new hire, Elizabeth Veres, who started right before school began in August! To appropriately introduce her, we played a short game of "hot seat" rapid-fire Q&A. Here's what you need to know about our local Bay High and then Belmont University graduate: Full Name : Elizabeth Trusley Veres Favorite Color : Sapphire Birthday : March 27 (same day as Fergie) Favorite Meal : Pho/ steak Favorite Movie : Notting Hill Favorite Book : Gilead by Marilynne Robinson Bible Verse That Sticks with You : Psalm 31: 14 But I trust in you, Lord; I say, "You are my God." - Psalm 31: 14 Elizabeth said she loves Young Life because it shows the love of Christ through relationships. She experienced it in high school, shared it

Capernaum is Young Life for kids who have special needs...and it could be the most exciting ministry we get to do.  These kids are amazing!  What could be better than giving amazing kids and an amazing week at Rockbridge? Cleveland Metro took five kids this August and they had a great week!  These kids experienced horseback riding, zip lining, swimming, and all of the activities of our traditional camp weeks.  Add to that an amazing speaker sharing with them how much they are loved by the God of the universe, and you have what makes Young Life camping so special. Summer camp is where the Gospel comes together in sight and sound.  Capernaum leaders live 24/7 with their kids, eat meals with them, run, and play with them.  But what leaders live for are the talks they have with kids about Jesus, processing who He is and how relevant He is to their lives.  It's fun to blow kids away, helping them see that they were created perfectly and loved intimately by the Lord. These k

In Young Life, we're all about watching students experience the life transformation that can only come from a relationship with Jesus. Every student we meet has their own unique story, and their graduation is a natural time to reflect on how their lives have changed over the last four years. Our Lakewood team has had the privilege of spending the past two years getting to build relationships and walk through life with this group of recent graduates ( pictured above, from this year's camp trip ). This past Monday, we had one last Campaigners Bible study with our graduated seniors before they move on to the next stage of life. We gave them the opportunity to share some insights with the younger students, and it was incredible to listen as they shared the testimonies of God's work in their own lives. Some of these friends, who had little to no faith when we first met them, ended up becoming student leaders this summer at our outreach camp trip. Many of them are planning o

This year marks 48 consecutive years of kids in Cleveland going to a Young Life resort.  This year, 54 kids from Bay and Lakewood got on a sweet charter bus and made their way to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and Rockbridge!  This is a resort made for kids... racing zip lines, racing 100-foot slides, horseback riding, bubble soccer, beach volleyball, basketball… you name it and Rockbridge has it. Many kids today prioritize sports and sports camps which can help individual skills, but no place builds a team like a YL resort.  From night one, kids are blown away by what they get to do and how they build relationships with kids from their hometown.  They experience so many amazing team building and friend building activities, they come home with new friendships they never thought they could have.  Perhaps the greatest aspect of Rockbridge and any YL resort is that there is a  message of hope given.  Kids hear the greatest love story ever told of how Christ came to di

This week, Young Life clubs from Cleveland West and Lorain County are enjoying a week of camp at Rockbridge.  You may follow along this week at the Rockbridge video scrapbook... Rockbridge Video Scrapbook

I posted this last week, but forgot to provide a link to the website for online registration.  Please register for the race here... https://events.younglife.org/lorain5k Presented by Young Life SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 RACE DAY REGISTRATION: OPENS AT 7:15 AM  5K RACE/WALK STARTS AT 8:00 AM REGISTRATION /RACE LOCATION/COURSE: Race day registration will be held at the Kopf Family Reservation. 32649 Electric Blvd, Avon Lake, OH 44012. The run/walk starts behind Avon Lake Library, through the library parking lot, using surrounding trails with one water stop on course. Course is accurately measured. AWARDS: • Awards will be presented for multiple age brackets in male and female divisions. @ScottB

Our annual fundraising banquet, held Sunday April 22nd, was a rousing success!  Hosted at Lakewood High School, we enjoyed a catered dinner and heard about what is happening in the world of teens across our Westshore community, and how Young Life leaders are making an impact during these turbulent times.   Thank you to all who made this a very special banquet! We raised over $60,000 and the silent auction made $6,000! Praise God! @Scott_B

Do you like golf, or like Young Life, or both? Then the Young Life Cleveland Golf Tournament is for you! Our 18th annual event will  be held on July 12, 2018 at the brand new Valley of the Eagles ( www.valleyeagles.com ), a Nicklaus designed golf course. Shotgun start will be at 12:00 noon, followed by team prizes and a delicious dinner.   Cost is $175 a golfer or $700 for a foursome. If you register and pay by May 1, pay $600 for a foursome and save $100! Click here to register or for more information ! Your participation will contribute greatly to the annual operations of Young Life, as well as help our students participate in our yearly fellowship events (Young Life Camp, Fall Weekend, etc.) We would like to have the field set by June 29, 2018.    We would love to have you play! @Austin_Chelko

Did you miss out on ordering Hamilton tickets?  One of the premier auction items at this year's Young Life Cleveland West banquet are two premium balcony seats for the Sunday, July 22nd, 6:30 pm performance. Bidding has started now online at our auction site !  Online bidding will end at 3:00 PM Sunday April 22.  Then, live bidding for this and all auction items will start at 5:00 pm at the banquet. In short, the final online bids will become the starting bids at the banquet.  All bidding will conclude at approximately 6:30 pm. Young Life Cleveland West Banquet  Lakewood High School  Sunday, April 22, 5:30-7:30 pm  Arrival and Live EVENT bidding starts at 5:00 pm  Live auction closes at approximately 6:30 pm 'Don't throw away your shot' for an opportunity to see the much anticipated Broadway musical -- HAMILTON -- at Playhouse Square's KeyBank State Theater! Sunday, July 22nd, 6:30 pm  2 Premium Seats Valued at $435 per seat  Balcony Loge Box - Left  Row A

The Young Life Banquet Silent Auction is online and bidding has begun!  You may bid on items, such as:  Loge tickets to Disney’s Aladdin at Playhouse Square,  Front Field Box Seats at Indians vs Mariners, Autographed Browns football by Myles Garrett, Dinner and wine, Young Life swag! All proceeds benefit the Young Life Cleveland West operating budget. View our online auction here... www.32auctions.com/younglifecleveland2018

Will you take your seat at the table?” Young Life Cleveland West committee members invite you to our annual fundraising banquet. Taking place on Sunday April 22nd and hosted at Lakewood High School, this catered dinner will highlight the best and brightest of local Young Life! We invite friends and newcomers to hear about what is happening in the world of teens across our Westshore community, and how Young Life leaders are making an impact during these turbulent times. Areas of current outreach are Lakewood, Rocky River, Bay Village and Cleveland State University. Areas of proposed work are Fairview Park, Olmsted Falls and North Olmsted.  The event is free to attend.  Please click here to register online . Our goal is to raise 60% of our general operating budget through monthly donations and one-time gifts. Silent Auction will be available for online bidding mid April. Auction closes 6:30pm April 22nd.

Last weekend our Young Life College team took 15 of our friends on a spring break retreat. It was a weekend filled with fun, laughter, big cookies (a favorite dessert for all of you who have been to a YL summer camp), and meaningful conversations. We had four Bible studies throughout the weekend that walked chapter-by-chapter through the book of Philippian, and for some of our friends, it was their first time reading through an entire book of the Bible! While resting from school was a welcomed experience, I’m confident some kids started to learn to find rest for their souls (Matthew 11: 29), which only Jesus can offer. An atypical, cold, adventurous Spring Break trip with the college community.

  January 19-21 Cleveland Leaders sojourned to Sawmill Creek for a weekend of fellowship, training, worship and teaching.  Bill Paige, a Young Life leader from inner city New York spoke to us on loving Jesus and loving kids.  We had classic Young Life entertainment, informative seminars for everyone, and a good time of processing together as a Metro. Friday night leaders stayed up all night with hundreds of yearbooks from around the region and prayed for each and every name in those books.  Not one kid was missed!  This night captures the heart of a Young Life leader, as they prayed for some kids who have never have been prayed for before. Lorain County placed a new leader in Avon Wyldlife, Jacob Roe, and it has been awesome.  Cleveland will be doing placements later this spring.  Late night Applebee’s was also had by many, and some committee folks came up for the day on Saturday for some great training to grow our committee’s in Cleveland and Lorain.  We can’t wait until next ye

Every Super Bowl Sunday for the last 4 years, Young Life leaders and kids from around the area all gather at Bay's Memorial field for a friendly, relational game of football.  The rules are simple... run hard, get open, hit hard (unless you want to declare only two hand touch) and win! The year Tony Alexander's team and Alex Meyer's team squared off for the showdown of showdowns.  Although the teams were random and not just Lorain County vs. Cleveland West, the play was real.  Cale LaRiccia (all time QB this year due to a recent surgery) threw for 19 touchdowns to Alex's teams scant 17 touchdowns.  Players ages ranged from 16- 51, but many of the old guys still got it!  Our leaders play football just like they follow Jesus.  They pursue, they tackle, they huddle, they are open and available, they catch, and most importantly, they stick around after the play.  Kids around Cleveland know these characteristics to be true of their Young Life leaders, especially

Have you ever had the chance to meet the author of one of your favorite books? Until early January, I hadn't, but I heard from friends' experiences that it can add a whole new significance, as you get a personal look behind the writing of the book. I finally had the opportunity to experience it firsthand at a one-week intensive seminary course provided by Young Life, called "Introduction to the New Testament."  Mark Strauss, our professor, not only has authored several textbooks as a professor at Bethel University but was actually on the translation committee for the 2011 New International Version (NIV) Bible. It was impressive to see his handle on not just his own textbook, but on the Bible, as we dug deep into the New Testament. One of my favorite parts of the course was breaking down Paul's main missionary journeys and seeing how each influenced his writings to various churches. What really stuck out the most was that the Bible was not just an academic tex