Time for another update from the Expedition headquarters here at EBC. I'm adding our new logo so you can see our new look! It is styled to complement the re-branding that EBC has undergone. It's simple, clear and bold - good for a program that has a simple message, clear goals, and a bold call to become radical disciples of Jesus, anywhere and everywhere! Any day now you will also see a brand new website for EBC. There are a lot of exciting new developments for the programs here at EBC and also for Expedition. We have an amazing line up of amazing students who have applied to our fall program. There has been a lot of interset so I am really hoping that we will be able to run two teams simultaneously. If you know any people who are interested, please get them to contact me - and we're looking for more guys to apply too!!! So talk to your brothers and cousins and friends in youth group - and if you want me to come and talk to your group about EBC - I am there!!! Stay tuned for more location and program info for the September 2012 Expedition Team.
That's all for now,
Robyn

The school year has started and it has been great to see students on campus hanging out and finding their classes and starting the learning experience. It's going to be an awesome year. Yesterday the Commencement chapel took place and it was so good to see so many people in the same room singing worship songs to Jesus and being challenged together to practise wisdom in all areas of their lives.

I want to invite any alumni or students who are reading to check out the EBC website for information on Blaze the Trail this weekend - a fundraiser that has everyone walking bits of the Bruce Trail - great way to enjoy nature and support financial aid for students. It takes place on Saturday, September 17.

And make sure you check out our radio show on Faith FM! It airs Monday morning at 11:30.

Expedition plans for the Winter term are shaping up really well. This year we will be travelling to Chicago for our CSM service. It will be amazing to serve in that city and discover what God is doing through people like you and me to change lives and bring hope and care. We're only there for a week and sometimes it feels like you are the one getting to most out of it, but over the years of serving in mission I've discovered that just the simple ct of going and helping really blesses people. Never underestimate the impact of being somewhere with someone! It is life giving and life changing when you make people connections (and I am talking about face to face connections, not via the internet!)

So, that's my challenge today - connect with someone face to face - either by encouragin them or serving them, or just being there. Don't hide behind your technology or your fears of inadequacy. No one is adequate - that's what makes us all so beautiful - we are in this together!!

Just had a great week of vacation and I am ready to dive into Expedition prep for Winter 2012! I just have to say there are few things better than taking time away with the people you love and enjoying beautiful countryside and great stretches of water - I got to do it all!

I want to recommend some great listening that I have come across lately. If you are looking for a new album go out and buy Matt Redman's new one called 10,000 Reasons. You will appreciate his musical styles and the solid, challenging lyrics. I am also really into Gungor these days. I have been listening to their Beautiful Things album alot and I really appreciate their musical talents (which are huge) and the fresh way they engage me in a deep "yes" to Jesus. The songs are personal, communal and proclamatory - it is all covered. They are also definitely worth checking out on Youtube. Michael Gungor is the lead guy and his wife Lisa is the awesome keyboards/vocalist. Then there are other musicians that join them from all over. A new album, ghosts upon the earth, is just coming out. If there are bands and albums that you want to recommend just add a comment and I will check them out.
Peace,
Robyn

There are so many cool resources out there for Christian youth and young adults to connect with and learn from. I love the fact that I can go on-line and discover ways in which God is working in places all around the world. He is doing amazing things through different youth movements, ministries and individuals. Are you one of them or are you part of a movement that is reaching people with God's love, both in your words and in your life chioces?

One group I have been checking out is called the Message Trust. It is based in England. If you want to get a sense of what they do and believe go to www.message.org.uk. Sounds like they have a huge passion to proclaim Jesus through words of truth and the power of God's love in action through serving, loving and random acts of kindness. I have only just started checking them out, but if you hear of other movements let me know, I would love to learn more of what is going on in the Kingdom all over the world.

Live your LOVE out loud today....

Robyn

Things are pretty quiet here at EBC. Many people are on vacation, enjoying a chance to get rested up before the fall and enjoy some family time. But there is an undercurrent that is growing, with the expectation that in a few weeks the campus will be alive with new and old friendships, learning, growing, trusting and searching. I hope you are excited about returning or starting new in this place.

If you are an Expedition alumnus or are a student at EBC, I want to invite you to be part of a small group of young adults who will help staff Jr. Pitch 'n Praise this September. We don't have an Expedition team this fall to send, but we still want to support this great program and challenge jr high kids to go strong wtih Jesus. We don't need a big team but if you would like to take that weekend to invest in helping run this awesome retreat contact me here at the college. The dates for Pitch are September 23-25, 2011.

Peace!

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying this sizzling hot summer and taking many opportunities to hang out with friends and family. Here at EBC things have been quiet with staff taking vacation time to get renewed before an exciting fall semester starts again. I just came back from a two week missions trip to Montreal, Quebec. I go every summer and I was once again so amazed at how much God loves everyone - whether you feel like you are together or whether you know that you aren't! Our theme this summer was J'aime Dieu, J'aime les Autres. and we unpacked that in spending time worshipping and learning about God and then going out and serving with churches and organizations in the city. It was a life changing time for many youth and young adults.

Now I am back at school looking forward to getting out there in the fall to tell people about Expedition! We decided to postpone the fall program because we needed a few more students, so we will have a big winter program instead. I am prepping the winter schedule and looking for young people who want to be part of this amazing team and program. If you have any friends that could or should be a part of Expedition in January 2012, send me a note at my emailaddress (rserez@ebcollege.on.ca) or comment on this blog and I will get in touch with them. This could be the program that sets them up for an awesome life of serving and knowing God and discovering just how God created them to be part of his growing Kingdom!

Enjoy your long weekend!

Thanks for checking out the Expedition blog! Keep logging on for info about things in the region and on campus that you might want to be part of. Then when our Expedition teams start up again you can follow them on their incredible journey of ministry and discipleship and adventure.

Do you know any kids from Grade 1 to 6?

EBC has started fantastic day camp called Camp in the Grove. Registration has already started and the program is loaded with activities and adventures. Each week has a different special trip or event. The camp starts July 4 and runs week by week through the summer til the end of August. You can check it out on their website www.campinthegrove.com and spread the word around.

Enjoy the sunny weather!

Expedition Winter 2011 finished with an awesome final party!
The students who participated in the Winter 2011 are home and onto many new things after an amazing adventurous 4 months together all over Ontario, Quebec, NYC and the Philippines. The program ended with a farewell party where they gave reports on all their activities and talked about how much they had learned from each other. It was also really cool because they could see how each other had grown and developed skills and abilities over the months.

Soon a new program will begin with another group of young adults just ready to launch out into their own new adventures with God and each other and the world.

Stay tuned!

Dear Friends!

We had a wonderful weekend as a team! As you can see we have a new picture that gives you a little glimpse of the wonderful weather we are enjoying here in the Philippines! Together with us is JL, the son of our hostess Nani Luz. On Saturday, Pastor Ronnie gave us a historical tour of Old Manila City. We started our day visiting one of the oldest Catholic churches in Manila and our tour ended at the Mall of Asia, the second largest mall in Asia. The architecture was beautiful from the ancient world all the way to the present.
On Sunday morning we joined the Filipino believers of Good News Fellowship Church in their time of fellowship and worship. We praised God together in spirit as the music team led us in singing songs to our Lord in Tagalog. It was a new and beautiful experience. I am reminded of God's greatness when I think about his ability to relate to people of different cultures and draw them together into one unified body! Katie had the opportunity to share how Jesus has brought change to her life through the relationship she has with Him. It was a blessing to hear her story!
In the afternoon on Sunday we made our way to Neverland to help in the service for children and youth. We sang songs together! It was fun singing "The love of Jesus! Sweet and Marvelous!" with the children! I am filled with joy as these children express their love for Jesus! After our time of singing Rachel shared a story with the children and then we continued to sing. While teaching the children a song I took the opportunity to share with them the deep love of Jesus and His desire to have a close relationship with them as their Lord and Saviour. Brother Lito then led the children in a prayer of acceptance of God's love and forgiveness and five or more children decided to take this important step in their lives and enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ! God is so good and it is exciting to be a part of what He is doing in the lives of the children in Neverland!
We are now entering into our second week in the Philippines. We will be continuing our ministry in Neverland over the course of this next week. Please pray that God will continue to open doors into the community. The relationships that are formed will hopefully develop the foundation for the planting of a church in the Neverland Community! It is exciting to be a part of the expansion of the kingdom of God!
Please also pray for us as a team that we will continue to walk together in unity by the power of the Holy Spirit! We are learning to trust God as we adapt to a new culture in which flexibility is a necessity.
Thank you for all your prayers! We praise God for what he is doing in and through us and we anticipate greater things to come!

Blessings,
Graham and the Exped Team

Thank you dear friends and family for your continued faithful prayer support! God is protecting us here in the Philippines. As you probably have heard, a major earthquake has struck Japan and tsunamis have affected surrounding pacific islands as a result. Thankfully we have not felt the effects of the earth quake where we are currently staying. The news is telling us that tsunamis may hit the North Eastern regions of the Philippines, but we are located on the west of the Island. We thank God for his protection of us and value your continued prayers! We are resting in God's hands and are prayerfully uplifting those who have been deeply and painfully affected by this natural disaster.

Blessings,

Graham

The Expedition Team of Winter 2011

Dear Friends and Family!

We are the Expedition Team of Winter 2011 and our names are Katie, Mat, Graham, Sarah and Rachel (from right to left)! Since the beginning of January we have been on a journey of discovery in which we have learned more about God's character and who he has made each one of us to be. Over our past few months together we have seen how God is working in the communities that make up Kitchener, Montreal and Philadelphia and have had the privilege of joining Him in what he is doing in people's lives! What a joy it has been to be channels of His love and grace!

This past Tuesday morning we got on a plane in Toronto and made the long trip to the Philippines! We have arrived safely and were given a warm Filipino welcome! We have met up with Pastor Ronnie, a missionary here in Manila, who we will be ministering with during our time here! This morning he led us in an orientation seminar which helped to prepare us further for our ministry in the Filipino culture.

This afternoon we walked down the street, under the heat of the sun, to meet the pastor of the church we will be partnering with for the first two weeks of our stay. When we arrived at the church building we made our way to the third story which overlooks the surrounding community. From there we could see the beautiful mountains in the distance and the nearby community known as Neverland through which we would soon be walking. After a brief meeting with the pastor regarding our involvement in the Sunday morning service we made our way to Neverland.

Most of Neverland is surrounded by a river which we crossed over on a bridge made of sandbags. Pastor Ronnie led us around the community and we were able to see the church building where we will be doing children and youth ministry on Sunday afternoon. As we made our way through the community children seemed to come from everywhere and they followed us to the basketball court with curiosity! At the court we met more children and soon they were crowding around us! I am excited to see how God will use us in the lives of the children and their families who live in this squatter community.

We are thankful of your prayers and desire that you would continue to journey with us as we join God in his work in these communities here in the Philippines. I am excited to see how God will use each one of us to accomplish his loving purpose in the lives of those we meet! Please pray for health and strength for us as a team as we adjust to new foods and a large time difference. Please also pray that our eyes will be opened to see Jesus' activity and that we will respond to his call by joining Him with the boldness that is available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit!

Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting! Your prayers can unleash the power of God to work in and through us!

Blessings,

The Expedition Team!

In Grace,

Graham Sweet