CHIC Youth End Up with Quite a 'Deal'
CHICAGO, IL (July 28) - Four students returned from CHIC 2006 with $1,000 each to help fund future mission trips, thanks to the encouragement of Evangelical Covenant Church President Glenn Palmberg, who animatedly pressed them to "risk everything" for the top prize in the game - "To the ends of the earth . . . Deal or No Deal."The Department of World Mission hosted the contest - its own version of the popular TV show "Deal or No Deal." Contestants had the choice of trading an unknown amount of money in a folder, which they selected at random, for an unknown amount of money contained in 14 other envelopes.
"Glenn was a problem - a good problem," said Curt Peterson, Covenant
World Mission executive minister. "He got everyone excited about
students risking it all to win the top dollar amounts, and he came back
a second day to encourage more people to win."
For his part, Palmberg said, "I was impressed by the risk-taking of the students and their enthusiasm for world mission," Noting that the game was one of the highlights of CHIC for him.
"Our goal was to share what is happening in world mission through videos and missionaries telling stories of God's work," said Peterson. "We thought it would motivate students to participate by giving them a chance to win money toward a mission trip."
The four students winning $1,000 each, listed as they appear (left to right) in the accompanying photo, are:
- Allie Holland of Cape Cod Covenant Church in South Dennis, Massachusetts
- Greg Warren of Silverhill Covenant Church in Silverhill, Alabama
- Kelly Roane of Countryside Covenant Church in McPherson, Kansas
- Alex Payton of Salem Covenant Church in Oakland, Nebraska
Peterson picked the four students to play as a team, with each person representing their church. Several times the students wanted to settle for less than $1,000 rather than risk losing it all, but Palmberg "goaded" the students to keep going and their fellow students cheered them on, said Sally Carlson, who helped coordinate the game.
"When they pulled the $1,000 out of the envelope, you would have thought they had won the lottery," Carlson said. "Everyone had been so nervous going into the game, that all the students in the audience jumped up and hugged and screamed. Two of the youth leaders were crying."
Other students also won significant amounts of money toward future mission trips:
- Matthew Fridberg of Anoka Covenant Church in Anoka, Minnesota, $400
- Andrew Johnson of First Covenant Church in Seattle, Washington, $500
- Chris Lund of First Covenant Church in Salina, Kansas, $700
- Allison Rollins of Cuyler Covenant Church in Chicago, Illinois, $500
- Austin Ponten of First Covenant in Salina, Kansas, $400
- Ian McGregor of Hillcrest Covenant Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, $400
- Koda Snyder of Pomeroy Covenant Church in Pomeroy, Iowa, $275
- Laura Darling of Hillcrest Covenant Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, $500
- Laura Hoden of Salem Covenant Church in Oakland, Nebraska, $575
Prize money came from an account for Covenant Mission Connections, which is set aside to support short-term missions. The winnings will be kept in the students' names at World Mission. When the students decide on a trip, whether they travel on their own or with their youth group, the department will send the money to the appropriate individuals.
Peterson said the game and presentations had their intended impact. "We had fun, and we saw lives touched by what they saw and heard about the impact of God's saving and loving mission in this world."
Peterson closed the game with a challenge: "Jesus said to go to the ends of the earth with the Good News and make disciples. Deal? Or no deal? The choice is yours."