Each year Life Teen International has one night a year where it challenges Life Teen and EDGE parishes around the country and world to step out and help those in need.  We’ve done food, clothing, and this Sept 24th and 25th we are collecting baby stuff.

We are taking the pro-life message beyond the soapbox and putting it into action by collecting baby clothes, bottles, car seats, and anything else baby related for local crisis pregnancy centers.  These are the people who are on the front lines of the pro-life battle and often their assistance can mean the difference between life and death for an unborn child.  So here’s what we need to help make this day a success:

• Lots of baby stuff!  (Given the fact that we are a good Catholic parish, there’s got to be some kicking around)
• People to help collect the stuff after all the masses.  Email me if you are able, or even just show up after the masses.
• Help to get the word out.  We’ve included a flyer attached to this email.

All high school teens are welcome to join us for the big count at our Sept. 25th Life Night.  Preparing for a baby is tough enough (most of our core team and Nate and Kathy can personally attest to that), let’s make it a little easier for those families who need a little more help.

Give It Away Now 2011 – The “Oh Baby” Edition from Life Teen on Vimeo.

Update

Last week we announced our baby item drive going on this week.  We are asking our teens and parish to help us collect baby items for local crisis pregnancy centers.  We are putting our pro-life beliefs into action, helping to provide for the the most vulnerable in our society.  Since that time I’ve had the opportunity to speak with Karen Munsell of Our Place, a crisis pregnancy center here in Manchester run by NH Catholic Charities, where our collected items will be going.

Karen was very happy to hear about our drive and she will joining us for our Life Night on Sept. 25 to share her experience working with the women and babies at Our Place.  She also gave us some ideas as to the items they need, the items they can accept, and those items they aren’t allowed to accept.  So here’s the list of things to collect and those things not to collect.

• Baby wipes.  Apparently they can’t keep enough of these on the shelves, and are always in need.  They are relatively cheap, but they need plenty of them.
• Diapers.  Also in constant need, apparently babies don’t use the potty.  They are specifically looking for newborn diapers, but any size diapers would be great.
• Formula, specifically Gerber Good Start if you can get it.  Many of the women they assist on WIC, and this is the same type the babies are used to getting.
• BPA-free Bottles.  Yep, BPA is important for the safety of the bottle.  All new bottles are BPA-free, but many used bottles may be too.  Check to see if there is a #7 in the triangle on the bottom of the bottle.
• Clothes.  Any and all clothes will do, from baby outfits up to size 5T.  As Our Place continues to help the women until the children are several years old, they are specifically in need of clothes sizes 2T -5T.
• New Car Seats.  If you are feeling generous, this is another good one.  They can’t take used car seats however because there is no way to tell if it has been in an accident, and also car seats are supposed to be replaced every few years.
• Pack ‘n Plays.  These are the portable play yards useful to putting babies to sleep in, or containing them so they don’t get away.  They do need these especially because they cannot take cribs.  Apparently the government has lots of guidelines which makes it difficult for them to do anything with cribs, but Pack ‘n Plays are great.
• Winter Sleep Sacks.  I’m not entirely sure what this is, however with cooler weather approaching they said they are sure to need them.
• Other miscellaneous baby stuff.  Use your imagination!

I hope this helps with the collecting of the stuff.  Remember baby items may be dropped off at Mass this weekend in the back of the Church.  We are still in need of some people to help us remove the stuff afterward, and we will also be collecting stuff at the Life Night this weekend.  I hope to see you all there.

Often times I meet adults who are very intimidated by the work I do, and I think for good reason. Most of us were happy enough just to survive our teen years and move on with our life.  The idea of immersing ourselves back into a foreign youth culture is rightly intimidating, and unless God calls us to take this step, many of us would rather leave the “teen years” to the past.

Yet ministering to teens is a total parish effort.  While you might not called to be a core member, God is calling you to support the young people of the Church.  And while most of us might not be called to a direct role, most of us do enjoy the occasional night of bowling.

This coming Saturday is Ste. Marie Youth Ministry’s annual Bowlathon.  From 5-7PM at Merrimack Ten Pin we are going to be bowling our hearts out.  $15 gets you shoes and two hours of bowling.  It’s going to be a great family friendly event, and everyone is invited.  So how does bowling help change a teen’s life?  The Bowlathon is a fundraiser to help us raise money for our annual trip to the Steubenville East Youth Conference.  ”Steubie East” as it is sometimes called is an amazing event that year after year has touched the hearts of our teens, and lead them to a powerful encounter with Jesus Christ.  So Bowling = Steubie East + Jesus Christ = Changed Life.  :)

Here’s how the Bowlathon works and how you can help us make the most of it:

First off, come. Even if this is all you do.  A portion of the proceeds for the night are donated to the cause, so the more people who come the more money we raise.  Bring your family, bring your friends, bring whomever you like, and just come bowling.  It will be a lot of fun and it’s for a great cause.

Secondly, get sponsored. This is where we really hope to raise some money.  Just like you would at a walkathon, we are asking our bowlers to raise pledges for their bowling.  Get your friends, family, and coworkers to sponsor you on a per pin basis or just a flat donation.  If they can’t come bowling themselves, they can still support the cause.  Even a few bucks from a bunch of people really adds up, so don’t be afraid to ask.  You will find a link to download a sponsorship form at the bottom of this page incase you missed it in the bulletin.

Lastly, pray for the success of this fundraiser, and pray for our teens. Remember what we are doing is for them, because we want their lives changed for the better, and a relationship with Jesus Christ is the key to that change.

Bowlathon Sponsorship Sheet 2011