Take a look at this great video recently taken of our acrobats! [click on the link above]

Schedule the Flipside Acrobats for birthday parties,  block parties, community events , children church, etc.

Recently, Paul sat down with Marcie from Breakthrough to talk about how gymnastics compliments their youth and family services. We love coaching gymnastics and have seen it positively influence the lives of many youth over the last 20 years. It is great to also hear from our partners that our service continues to benefit their communities. Marcie, thanks for taking the time to share your experience and partnering with Life on Life. This is what Marcie had to say:

Gymnastics benefits our program in several ways:
•    Provides a skill building program for kids
•    Provides health/wellness/self-esteem building activities
•    Provides access to new opportunities that aren’t prominent in the community
•    Builds the children’s network of healthy adult mentors (YOU)
•    Provides an excellent and safe activity that can serve as an alternative to the street and unsafe activities

What do the girls say about gymnastics?
•    ”I’m not as scared of the beam as I used to be”
•    ”Mr. Paul is nice”
•    ”I can do brave things on the bars”
•    ”It’s fun”
•    ”I like doing cartwheels and hand-stands”
•    ”I can’t wait to jump on the trampoline in the summer.”

Breakthrough has a “Behind the Scenes” tour coming up on May 2nd, before they kick off a capitol campaign later in May. More information is available on their website.  Life on Life Summer Camps’ website has more pictures, news, and information about signing-up.

You can also learn more about the team through the “Coach’s Journal” and Student “Shout Outs”, which are updated weekly on the Flipside Acrobats’ website.

Our Blessings:

• The opportunity to impact the life of a child
• The partnership with Circle Urban Ministries
• We have a good God!

Regular  needs:

• Pray for each team member , check out  member profiles
• Wisdom for  Coach Paul  to have insight into the life of each  acrobat
• Wisdom for  Coach Paul to speak hope and peace into the life of each acrobat
• That our practice times  will be safe & productive
• That our team will function as a community; encouraging , serving and motivating each other to greatness
• That our monthly  need will be met :  currently monthly  goal: $2200 current income:  $500

Celebrating 20 Years of Restoring Under-Resourced Communities

The Christian Community Development Association began 20 years ago when Dr. John Perkins, a Mississippi sharecropper’s son, and Dr. Wayne “Coach” Gordon, an inner-city Chicago transplant from Iowa, invited 150 friends to Lawndale Community Church in Chicago for a time of fellowship with like-minded people and training around best practices. These friends were people like Mary Nelson, Bob Lupton and Glen Kehrein – individuals who had committed their lives to serving the poor, but who felt isolated in the midst of it. Every fall since that first conference in 1989, CCDA has held a National Conference, traveling to a different US city each year. What began as a group of friends gathering in a church has become a movement that draws conference attendees from around the globe!

Join us September 7-11, 2010 in Chicago for a celebration of where we have been and where we are going.

Remember the Past
Rejoice in the Present
Re-Imagine the Future

Isaiah 58:12

“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

As an outcome of our time together, Life on Life will develop an Acrobatic Performance team, with 8 to 10 boys from the afterschool program and the partnering charter school.  Together we will pursue funding from as many resources as possible to buy equipment and fund the program.  Circle has the experience and maturity as a long standing urban ministry to pursue  funding  through grants and other resources, that on our own are challenging to receive.  We have  also been provided with a  much needed office space.  I can’t tell you what a huge blessing it is to be in partnership with people who have the same dream:  To see Christ glorified and the lives of young people transformed through sports, the arts, academics and the power of the Holy Spirit.

My hope is that you will pray with us as we walk through this open door.

-Paul

Click to see more!

This summer  Life on Life will be connecting with several youth serving organizations and ministries to provide acrobatic gymnastics and skills to at-risk children across the city of Chicago and the western suburbs. Our current 2010 summer partners include Breakthrough Urban Ministry and Lawndale Community  Church You can find more information about being involved on the Summer Camps website.

Many years ago, God planted within my heart a dream to impact the lives of at-risk urban children and a belief that all children are born with unlimited talent and potential! My dream is for children born in turbulent urban communities to know that they can still dream big dreams! They can have great hope; they can use their heart’s passions and talents to impact the world. As a follower of Christ, I believe we must do more than teach at-risk urban youth how to survive. Honestly, I don’t think God created anyone to just survive, to be held down by life’s challenges, or to just make it through with low expectations. If a child’s hopes and dreams have been crushed by an environment not of their choosing, it’s our responsibility to dream for them until they have the ability to dream for themselves.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that we need other people. We need people with a passion to challenge urban at-risk youth to dream big dreams. We need people who are gifted teachers, mentors, coaches and administrators willing to join us in community. We need people who will join us by providing the necessary financial and physical resources. We need people who will earnestly pray with us and for us. We need people who will embrace this dream with us, and share it with their family and friends to join in. If God is touching your heart that means we need you!

Life on Life is a community of believers committed to mentoring, educating and coaching at-risk urban youth to be all God has created them to be!

-Paul