Dear Friends and Family,
Over the past four and half years you have been a part of our journey here in Ambridge. You have prayed, supported, volunteered and sacrificed for us and for our ministry with the youth of Ambridge. Shea and I are extremely grateful for you! We hope you have someone who can do the same for you as you press into God’s calling on your lives. It is with this thankfulness that I need to tell you of my resignation from the staff of Ambridge Youth Ignite and Rock the World. I will be resigning July 31st.
It was 8 years ago that Shea and I participated in Josiah Project, Rock the World’s college leadership training program. At the end of the program we decided to create the Ambridge Sports Camp. I know that we had no idea how much that decision would change our lives. The camp has grown beyond anything that Shea and I could have imagined. The leaders of Ambridge Youth Ignite have had the opportunity to minister to hundreds of children and their families through the camps. We have seen campers become leaders who have come back to serve the children in their community. We created several arts outreaches including a drama class, a guitar class and a hand drumming class. We have had the opportunity to create the first boys lacrosse team in Beaver County. We have seen high school students be discipled and desire to love God and their neighbors. We saw the youth create a mural for all of the community to see. We saw an Ambridge youth go to Peru and serve the Peruvian youth through the creation of a sports and arts camp at San Mateo Church in Lima. Most importantly, we have had the opportunity to introduce youth to Christ and we have seen them walk with Him.
Praise God with us, as all of this has been made possible through Him. You, as well, have partnered with us to help us create something that did not exist 8 years ago. Thank you so much for helping make all of this happen.
A new director for Ambridge Youth Ignite has yet to be named but we hope to name someone soon. Please pray as the ministry selects its new director and follows the vision that God has for it. If you would like to stay connected to the new ministry please let us know and we will keep you on the mailing list.
As for the Geisberts: beyond feeling called to step down from this position, we are unsure of where God is directing us next. We would appreciate your prayers as we continue to listen for God’s guidance.
We hope that you know how much we appreciate everything that you have given for us and this ministry.
May God’s grace and peace be upon each of you,
Eric and Shea
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Study on the Lord's prayer
Well, lacrosse didn't work out this spring, which is a bit disappointing. However, during the past few months our Discipleship group has been studying the Lord's prayer. We used this music album by Derek Webb and it was awesome.
What Derek did was create an instramental song for each line in the prayer. Such as "Give us this day our daily bread." It was a fantastic study because along with the music the album came with abstract photos and paintings that went with each line of the prayer. The study pushed the youth and the leaders to look at the Lord's prayer in a new way and really consider the words we are saying when we pray the prayer. At the end of the study we each created our own art work to display what the Lord's prayer means to us now. Here is some of our work...
What Derek did was create an instramental song for each line in the prayer. Such as "Give us this day our daily bread." It was a fantastic study because along with the music the album came with abstract photos and paintings that went with each line of the prayer. The study pushed the youth and the leaders to look at the Lord's prayer in a new way and really consider the words we are saying when we pray the prayer. At the end of the study we each created our own art work to display what the Lord's prayer means to us now. Here is some of our work...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Ambridge Area Lacrosse Registration
Ambridge Youth Ignite, the organization that created the Ambridge Sports & Arts Camp will begin its 2nd season of lacrosse this spring. There will be two boys teams, one for 5th-6th graders and one for 7th-8th graders. The season will begin in mid-March and end in late May, containing approximately 3 practices a week as well as games.
Here are the details...
What: Youth Lacrosse Sign Up
When: February 19th, 2011
Where: 1013 Merchant Street, Rock the World, across from the Post Office
Time: 10 am - 2 pm
Cost: $ 25.00
Info: For more information or to sign up over the phone please contact
Eric @ 724 266-8876 ext: 103
ericgeisbert@rocktheworld.org
www.ambridgeyouthignite.org
***Not Affliated with AASD***
Here are the details...
What: Youth Lacrosse Sign Up
When: February 19th, 2011
Where: 1013 Merchant Street, Rock the World, across from the Post Office
Time: 10 am - 2 pm
Cost: $ 25.00
Info: For more information or to sign up over the phone please contact
Eric @ 724 266-8876 ext: 103
ericgeisbert@rocktheworld.org
www.ambridgeyouthignite.org
***Not Affliated with AASD***
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Pixar and Jesus
Over the past few weeks our discipleship group has been watching the Pixar movies and discussing the spiritual ramifications of each film. Its been a lot of fun so far we've watched Wall-e, The Incredibles and Up! My favorite part so far has been a discussion we had about The Incredibles.
The Incredibles is about a family who all has superpowers. Unfortunately for them, society has forced them to live lives where they do not use their superpowers. This causes many difficulties for the family as they try to go about life as a normal ordinary family while hiding their identities as superheroes.
In connection with the movie, we spoke about Romans 8, where the apostle Paul writes about our identity in Christ. "Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
The Incredibles desired to live into their identities just as we desire to live into our identities as co-heirs with Christ. Just as the world told the Incredibles that they couldn't be superheroes anymore the world is yelling at us that we are not co-heirs with Christ, that we are not princes and princesses of God (that's what a co-heir is!).
So, know this that you are a princess or a prince of the Living God, with Jesus Christ and the world cannot take that away from you. Pretty fun stuff
Much thanks to Mockingbird Ministries and their book The Gospel According to Pixar.
The Incredibles is about a family who all has superpowers. Unfortunately for them, society has forced them to live lives where they do not use their superpowers. This causes many difficulties for the family as they try to go about life as a normal ordinary family while hiding their identities as superheroes.
In connection with the movie, we spoke about Romans 8, where the apostle Paul writes about our identity in Christ. "Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
The Incredibles desired to live into their identities just as we desire to live into our identities as co-heirs with Christ. Just as the world told the Incredibles that they couldn't be superheroes anymore the world is yelling at us that we are not co-heirs with Christ, that we are not princes and princesses of God (that's what a co-heir is!).
So, know this that you are a princess or a prince of the Living God, with Jesus Christ and the world cannot take that away from you. Pretty fun stuff
Much thanks to Mockingbird Ministries and their book The Gospel According to Pixar.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Summer of 2010
Well the summer seems to be getting away from us. This week Ambridge Area students headed back to school and with that another summer comes to an end. This summer the Ambridge Sports & Arts Camp ran for the 7th time. The camp continues to attract youth as we had an average of 25 - 30 youth at Arts Camp and 35 - 40 youth at Sports Camp.
This summer the Arts Camp team took on a difficult challenge of creating a movie with the youth. During the summer the team and the youth wrote, directed, starred in their own movie. The film was shown on the last day of camp. It was wonderful to see the youth watch themselves and smile and laugh at the film. Where else do youth get to experience that? And for Free?
We are excited about how God is moving in Ambridge and so glad that we get to be a part of it.
This summer the Arts Camp team took on a difficult challenge of creating a movie with the youth. During the summer the team and the youth wrote, directed, starred in their own movie. The film was shown on the last day of camp. It was wonderful to see the youth watch themselves and smile and laugh at the film. Where else do youth get to experience that? And for Free?
We are excited about how God is moving in Ambridge and so glad that we get to be a part of it.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Crazy Spring Part III - Lacrosse
Ambridge Area Lacrosse started this spring. It has been a fun spring as 14 middle school aged boys have had the chance to learn lacrosse. The Ambridge Area team is the first boys team in Beaver County and played its first game against Moon on April 20th. We have yet to get our first win but our youth are having a great time and are seeing God glorified in sports. Here are some pictures from our first season...thanks Christina
Before the start of our game at Sewickley Academy
A Saturday Practice
We are the team in blue
Before the start of our game at Sewickley Academy
A Saturday Practice
We are the team in blue
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Crazy Spring Part II - Youth Alpha
Alpha is a program developed by Nicky Gumbel, in which basic Christianity is broken down into 14 or so sessions. In Alpha, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are discussed as well as faith, the church, the Bible and the devil. The program has been used all over the world and I have personally have participated in it several times. Church of the Savior where Shea and I attend decided to start a Alpha program this spring and in it a youth Alpha program as well.
Our leadership team has worked with youth who come from all different backgrounds this spring. We have had youth who attended church or church related activities several times a week to youth who don't attend church at all. My favorite story from the past several months is this one...
For one of our sessions we were going to talk about the Holy Spirit, what it is, where it came from etc. We (the leaders) met right before the session and we were a bit concerned that the youth did not know who exactly Jesus was and know Him as their Savior. So, instead of talking to the youth about the Holy Spirit, we spent the whole session talking to the youth about Jesus and answering questions about Him. We talked about Jesus' life and why He had to come, why we needed Him and how He can be a part of our lives. It was an awesome experience and I hope that one day when the youth look back on that day they will remember the things we talked about and how their relationship with Jesus started that day or was accelerated.
Our leadership team has worked with youth who come from all different backgrounds this spring. We have had youth who attended church or church related activities several times a week to youth who don't attend church at all. My favorite story from the past several months is this one...
For one of our sessions we were going to talk about the Holy Spirit, what it is, where it came from etc. We (the leaders) met right before the session and we were a bit concerned that the youth did not know who exactly Jesus was and know Him as their Savior. So, instead of talking to the youth about the Holy Spirit, we spent the whole session talking to the youth about Jesus and answering questions about Him. We talked about Jesus' life and why He had to come, why we needed Him and how He can be a part of our lives. It was an awesome experience and I hope that one day when the youth look back on that day they will remember the things we talked about and how their relationship with Jesus started that day or was accelerated.
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