YoungLife youth organization begins hosting meetings on Wednesday nights

YoungLife is starting to host Club for high school students at the nature center behind Monroe Township Hall on Wednesday nights from 8-9. There will be singing comedy skits and much more fun for all participants. The night will end with an inspirational message about life and God.

YoungLife is a country-wide organization for children and teens to make friends and have mentors that care about their lives. The group helps kids who would not otherwise hear about the gospel have a safe and open environment to ask questions.

The founder of YoungLife, Jim Rayburn believed that teens needed a chance to make their own decisions about what they want to believe.

“Teenagers have a right to know who He is. They have a right to know what he has done for them. Furthermore they have the right to make their own choice.”

The YoungLife club of Monroe is led by Ashley and Garret Madden with help from Claire Timiney and Jared Woelmer. They work week by week to make fun activities for Club and also lessons for Monday Campaigners for those who want to dive deeper into the Bible.

Ashley Madden said that Younglife opened her eyes to things she didn’t see before.

“YoungLife subverted my idea of what Jesus is. It showed me how Jesus can be fun and how he brings people together,” said Madden.

Garret Madden likes to take a lighter spin on the big topics that are in the Bible.

“It’s an opportunity to share the greatest love story of all time,” said Madden.

Senior Tramice Turnage who has been involved in YoungLife for many years said that the family dynamic helped her through her high school career.

“YoungLife has given me a community that helped me grow into the person that I am,” Turnag

Timiney said that YoungLife helps her be who she is meant to be. 

“Younglife helped me see the life Jesus wants me to live in freedom and adventure,” said Timiney

Junior Allyson Sabbadini said that YoungLife helps her with her faith and also makes lifelong friends.

“YoungLife has made me grow closer to God and make lifelong Christ- centered friendships,” said Sabbadini.

The leader of southeastern Michigan, Brian Schaffer, loves to say this phrase about YoungLife when explaining it to new people. “‘Controlled chaos’ is what makes YoungLife the way it is,” Shaffer said.