Support the future of Great River TEC

9 months, 2 weeks ago

Great River Teens Encounter Christ will kickoff it's first annual fundraising campaign Sunday, September 9th with a 5 pm mass at QU's North Campus

Great River Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) will kickoff it's first annual fundraising campaign Sunday September 9th with a 5:00 mass at QU's North Campus. A short presentation will follow the mass. All who support the mission of the TEC program are welcome regardless of if they have been on a TEC weekend. Please come join us in prayer and learn how you can help support the future of the TEC program.

TEC is a 3 day retreat centered on the Paschal Mystery, or the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The retreat is designed to allow young people to encounter Christ both during the retreat and afterwards within their everyday lives. TEC is a Catholic movement, rooted in Catholic tradition, but it is open to people of all faith backgrounds. A TEC weekend helps to teach teens that Christ is alive, he lives in each of us, and he invites us daily to encounter him on our lives.

Candidates are guided through each TEC weekend by a team of peers and adults that let the candidates know they are not alone in their struggles. Team members share their own life experiences, both good and bad with the hope that those experiences will help the candidates reflect on their own ideals, hopes, dreams, and problems. The 3 days spent together on a TEC weekend introduce the candidates to a loving, vibrant, and supportive faith community that helps lead each other to encountering the Risen Christ on a daily basis. 

Great River TEC has been providing young people with opportunities for spiritual growth over the past 41 years. Nearly 6,300 teens have experienced Christ through the Great River TEC program. Great River Quest, Re-Quest, and Mini-TEC have all formed as a result of the successes of the Great River TEC program. Great River TEC has also opened its arms and served many other communities. Thanks to the service provided by our own TECites 10 other TEC centers were started in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, and Louisiana. The 3 days spent on a Great River TEC weekend are just the beginning of life as a part of the greater TEC community; a community of love, service, and discipleship.

This annual fundraising campaign is being established to ensure that TEC is able to continue to provide young people with opportunities to experience Jesus Christ in their lives. Attending a TEC weekend has become a financial challenge. The cost to attend a weekend is $100 for a candidate and $125 for anyone age 21 or older. These lofty costs often deter potential candidates, and unfortunately even at these costs, the program loses money on every weekend. TEC aims to raise $30,000 annually in order to ensure the long term sustainability of the program, decrease the price charged to potential participants, and offer additional opportunities for area youth to grow in their spiritual lives.

If you have any questions or need any more information, call Brady Frericks at 217-257-5595 or Nick Steinkamp at 217-440-9580.