The Stop & Shop on Allen & Cooley St. presented a check for $1,174.80 to the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center! We are excited to create safe places for youth and are encouraged by the help provided by others. Since 2001 the Lion’s Den has offered its self as a haven for youth in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield. From that time to this, the Den has not only provided a safe place for youth, but food for their body, mind and spirit. The “body” food takes $ and cents to make happen. We are so encouraged by the different groups that have donated food or and money for the young people of the years of ministry at the Lion’s Den. If you get a moment, stop by the Stop & Shop and tell then “thank you” for impacting the community.

And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:33-35 (ESV)

Jason Speaks From His Heart

Humbled by God

I’d like you to meet Jason Alston. Jason is a Springfield native and a committed follower of Jesus Christ. He is a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church, in Hampden, MA, where he is on the Men’s Ministry leadership team. For the past year, Jason has been serving youth in the city of Springfield at the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center (Indian Orchard). The teens at the Center are comfortable talking to and confiding in Jason because he is their confidant and role model. Jason’s love and commitment to serve Christ and his gift for working with youth has made a huge difference in the lives of youth at the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center and the city of Springfield.

Last Night, the Lion’s Den traveled to downtown Springfield to be present at the 2009 Key Players Ambassadors Award Banquet. This year, The Lion’s Den’s own, Jason Alston, was honored as a Key Player Ambassador for the difference he is making in the lives of the youth in Springfield.

The night was filled with powerful testimony about and from the 8 selected Key Players. The Key Players award is an award given by the Isenburg Institute of the University of Massachusetts. Those honored are recognized for their positive impact in the lives of youth in the city of Springfield.

Jason is a humble man of God and shared a few thoughts upon receiving the award. The first statement from his mouth “I just want to give all the glory and honor to God…” Jason proceeded to share a brief testimony of the Lord’s work in his life and how he connected to the Lion’s Den. Jason’s speech theme was around the following line, “I am humbled, because I feel like I have not done anything. It’s just amazing how God takes the little things (we do in service to youth) and makes them huge…”

Mark 9:33-35 is a great picture of Jason. Jason is a picture of greatness, as he is molded and made in the image of His lord, Jesus.

For more information on the Key Players Ambassadors Program, please click here:

http://www.umass.edu/keyplayers/ambassadors2009.html

Consumed by the Call,
Jeff Stappenbeck

It is clear that God calls us to teach those who are faithful so they can do the same. Please pray as we serve Christ in this way.

The Lion’s Den, in conjunction with Church in the Acres took 66 teens and 17 adults to an al night outreach called the Superbowl. 1700 teens participated on Nov 13-14 and many responsed to the call of God on thier lives! Please pray as we reach out to them to disciple them for Christ.

Just a few days away from Christmas! Take this time to focus more on Christ then on any thing or anyone else. The Advent wreaths that LD teens recently made helped them to focus on Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. May this Christmas season ignite rea passion for Christ in you. Jesus is the greatest gift of all. a

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology will be featuring an article on the Lion’s Den Celebrate Urban Birds Block Party event in their e-newsletter that goes out to 20,000 subscribers!!!

The Celebrate Urban Birds Event happened June 6th and was a great family event.

Check out the e-newsletter article here:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/community/Spotlight/2009-minigrants/lion-s-den/

Praise God for spreading the knowledge of Him everywhere!!!

Consumed by the Call,

Jeff

LD Site Mgr

Here is a copy of the article in our blog format:

Lion’s Den

An inspirational community event

• Home
• Order Educator Kits, DVDs, Posters and More
• Get Started
• Resources for Celebrating
  
• Challenges
• Enter and View Data
• Plan and Promote your Event
• Your Questions
• Sponsors
• Contact Us
• Citizen Science Website
• Take a Quiz!
• Community
  • Spotlight on Participants and Organizations
    • Featured Mini Grant Winners
    • Showcase of Past Events
    • Partner Spotlight
    • Celebrate Urban Birds in NYC!
    • Artists “Celebrate!”
    • Youth Participants
    • Quotes From Participants
    • Participant Stories
    • 2009 MiniGrants
      • 2009 MiniGrant Showcase of Events
      • Ward Museum
      • Lion’s Den
  • Ideas for Groups

News

Celebrate Urban Birds Newsletters 2009-04-29

India losing House Sparrows? 2009-04-28

Adventures of Riley! 2009-03-26

Challenge Industries 2009-01-05

Birds in Art/Art in Birds 2008-12-08

Have you ever sinned?

You have?

The Bible says Jesus took YOUR SINS to the Cross.

Do you realize YOUR SIN NAILED JESUS TO THE CROSS?

YOU NAILED JESUS TO THE CROSS!!!

Do you know that JESUS WILLINGLY let your sin nail him to a cross?

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Why, you ask?

LOVE!!!
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
BECAUSE JESUS LOVES YOU, HE LET YOU NAIL HIM TO A CROSS!!!

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

So YOU SIN?

Have you accepted Jesus’ FREE GIFT?

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

THE GIFT IS FREELY GIVEN TO YOU, OUT OF LOVE.  WILL YOU ACCEPT IT?

Consumed by the Call,

Jeff

LD Site Mgr

Acts 8:36 (ESV) And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

This weekend two Lion’s Den Teens made a public profession of their faith in Jesus through the holy sacrament of baptism!!!  Praise God for salvation and new life through Jesus Christ!!!

Consumed by the Call,

Jeff

LD Site Mgr

Psalm 19:1The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

This weekend, a select group of Lion’s Den teens began watching  Louie Giglio’s video talk series “The Heart of Passion.”  The teens will be watching a total of 5 talks on topics ranging from the majesty of God seen in all his creation, to where we find hope during the hard times of life, and even to a salvation invitation.  This week the teens’ responses to the video’s talk on God’s majesty was very encouraging!  We are looking forward to continued discipleship over the upcoming weeks!

Consumed by the Call,

Jeff

LD Site Mgr

Psalm 1:1-6 (ESV) Blessed is the man who a walks not in the counsel of the wicked,nor stands in the way of sinners,nor sits in the seat of  scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

This week, the Lion’s Den teens were blessed by receiving Quiet Time journals donated to them.  They were taught how to use them and instructed about the importance of spending personal and intimate quiet times with the Lord.  Praise God for this great encouragement to the Lion’s Den teens’ spiritual formation!

Please pray for the teens that they will desire to seek the Lord in Quiet Times and that they will have and grow in personal relationship with the God who made and saved them.

Consumed by the Call,

Jeff

Site Mgr