Friday, October 09, 2009

Reggie Dabbs to speak to Waseca Students Oct. 21st


On Wednesday, October 21st, the Waseca and Janesville Ministerial Associations are providing a day of assemblies in Waseca and Janesville, bringing in youth specialist, Reggie Dabbs to speak to our students.

Reggie has an incredible personal testimony. His school assemblies focus on choices—those we make and some that seem to be made for us, and how our response to them will shape our lives. In the evening rally, Reggie will build on that theme, presenting students with the greatest choice they will ever make: to choose to follow Jesus.

Reggie and his team will bring the message, but we need your help.

We need people to give financially...
- Giving to help with the cost of the assemblies
- Giving to help pay for give-away prizes
- Giving to help purchase pizza and pop (or donate a case or two of pop)
You can give to this event in your weekly offering at church - memo your check/envelope with “Reggie Event” or “School Assemblies”

We need people to pray…
- Begin to pray now for the students who will hear the message, and for the events and speakers
- We need people who will commit to being part of a prayer team at the Junior High during the rally.
- We need people who are willing to pray with students who respond, choosing to commit their lives to Christ, or to reaffirm their commitment to Him. (A 15-minute training session for these volunteers will be held at 6:30 p.m., just before the Rally.)
If you want to be part of the prayer team or are willing to pray with students, contact Pastor Howard Lundeen (507.835.2235; pastorhoward@cccefca.com).

We need adults who are willing to serve - Setting up/serving pizza and pop from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. that evening, and helping with clean up. If you can help in this area, contact Pastor Zach Marino (507.835.2235; pastorzach@cccefca.com).

If you have questions, or would like more information, please contact Pastor Brad Wickersheim (507.833.1082; pastorbrad@wcamn.org).

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Wednesday, October 21st
8:00 a.m. Assembly at Waseca Junior High
10:00 a.m. Assembly at Waseca Senior High
1:00 p.m. at JWP
Pizza & Pop
6:15 - 6:45 p.m.
Waseca Junior High Commons
Evening Rally
(everyone is welcome to attend)
with Reggie and the Band
7:00 p.m. in the Waseca Junior High Gym


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Who is Reggie Dabbs?

Born to an unwed teenager who at one time considered abortion as a viable option for solving her "problem," Reggie Dabbs considers himself fortunate to be alive. With no place to go, the pregnant teenager ended up living in a chicken coop in Louisiana. It was there she remembered a former school teacher, Mrs. Dabbs, who had said to her students, "If you ever need anything, call me," and gave the students her home phone number. The girl called.

Mrs. Dabbs went to Louisiana, picked up the girl, and took her back to Tennessee where she and her husband, whose six children were adults by this time, took the girl into their home and cared for her until after the baby was born. They continued to care for little Reggie as foster parents until he was in the fourth grade, and then they officially adopted him and gave him the Dabbs name.

As the Dabbs' reared Reggie, they instilled in him strong moral values, for which he is genuinely grateful. They also ingrained in him the fact that in every situation he faced, he had a choice. What he did with those choices was entirely up to him.

In the sixth, Reggie began playing the saxophone and hated it. At the insistence of his parents he continued to practice and to play. Not until his freshman year in college did he actually enjoy the instrument, and today, he plays with fervor and expertise.

After graduating from college, Reggie began his public speaking. During one speaking engagement, his host asked if he would be interested in addressing a high school assembly. From that small beginning in 1987, Reggie has become a popular public school speaker.

When addressing a school assembly, Reggie talks to the kids in a humorous style about choices each of them has when faced with drugs, alcohol, suicide, etc. Reggie gets in kids faces and tells them that he never smoked a cigarette, never did drugs, never drank alcohol, because he chose not to. He assures them that they can make the same kinds of choices.

Reggie talks to kids about family and how thankful they should be that they have families. He talks to them about dating relationships and emphasizes that virginity is the most honorable choice. Most of all, Reggie drives home the fact that "You can never change your past, but you can change your future!"

From being a "Problem" to an unwed teenager, Reggie is fast becoming one of the most in-demand speakers who helps teenagers meet their problems head-on and overcome them.

Reggie makes his home in Ft. Myers, Florida with his wife Michele and their son Dominic.

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