By Jim Cole, Tri-City Ministry Area Director
In our 2021-22 ministry year through 10 ministry sites, we connected with 621 students and entered into 398 Christ-sharing relationships with 59 students saying yes to Jesus.
In 2022, the Tri-City Area started with two full-time ministry staff. A contract with the Sioux City Community School District hired an additional four staff who help students academically and develop small group ministries in the schools. We have also hired a staff for our growing City Life ministry.
However, ministry isn’t only happening during the school year… This was our second summer developing outreach ministry at Leif Erickson Park, partnering with two churches. Several kids at the park said yes to Jesus and started attending church. Additionally this summer, 21 students attended camp where 4 students from Campus Life High School said yes to Jesus for the first time.
So much has happened this past year, yet I believe 2023 will surpass 2022. In Campus Life, we plan to add new small groups. For City Life, we’re excited to utilize our new urban park to reach more neighborhood kids and raise $20,000 additional funds for the Northside ministry.
We are planning our next Be The Story in the spring of 2023 to resource a second community, Sioux City’s Eastside. The goal before this event will be to raise $20,000 prior to the See the Story/Be The Story process for the Eastside and then hire a full time staff to solidify the current ministry and develop new opportunities.
Our Juvenile Justice Ministry is in 3 care facilities and has over 50 Advocacy program matches. These advocates are paired with young people through our correctional facility partnerships to serve as mentors in their lives. In the next 2 years, we would like to raise $40,000 to start a Parent Life program to reach teen parents as well as an Advocacy program for teens in facilities aging out of the foster care system.
It is my prayer that in 2023 twice as many kids hear of God’s love, which means we’ll need to double the amount of volunteer ministry leaders. We’ll need 30-40 additional volunteers. 2-3 to serve as cooks, 8-10 small group leaders, 10-15 advocates, and 3-4 community support team members.
Needs for next 1-2 years
• $80,000 additional funding for current and new ministry
• Add ministry to the Eastside of Sioux City, Foster Kid Advocacy & Parent Life programming
• Additional 30-40 volunteers