Youth programs and summer projects
From toddlers through high-school students, the youth of New Hope add energy,
enthusiasm and optimism to the congregation, and most adult members look forward
to each Sunday's brief children's message as much as the youngest attendees do.
Before the worship service, Sunday School programs begin at 9:45 a.m., with
activities and lessons tailored to the needs and interests of different age
groups. When worship ends, the older youngsters often gather for lunch and
fellowship, church and community projects, learning activities and simply the
fun of being together.
Each summer, older teens participate in a mission trip, accompanied by adult
volunteers from the congregation. For the past four years, these trips have
taken New Hope youth to Appalachian communities where living standards have
fallen behind what most Americans expect. Administered by the
Appalachian
Service Project, these mission trips give the teens a chance to perform manual
labor that betters the lives of others and, in the process, to learn more about
God's blessings.
New Hope
Presbyterian Youth Volunteer at
Appalachia Service Project
2010
For the 5th
consecutive year, New Hope youth and
adults spent a week volunteering at
ASP (Appalachia Service Project).
Ten people, 6 youth and 4 adults,
made up this year’s crew. Our
location was Johnson County, TN, a
beautiful setting about 20 miles
outside of Boone, NC. But hidden in
the rolling mountains in Johnson
County is a very high poverty rate,
over twice the national average with
over a quarter of the population
living below poverty level. ASP’s
mission is to serve counties in
rural Appalachia by making homes
“warmer, safer, and dryer.” Our
youth, as in each previous year,
gave and received plentifully during
their week of service.
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Our youth, as in each
previous
year, gave and
received plentifully during
their week of service. |
New
Hope was one of four churches
working in Johnson County during the
week of June 13. The other churches
hailed from Florida, Georgia and
Virginia. We stayed at an old
school. There were two large
sleeping quarters—the floor of half
the gym/cafeteria for the men and a
classroom for the women. Space was
so tight that a couple of volunteers
opted for tents outside! The other
half of the cafeteria/gym was where
the group ate breakfast and lunch
each day.
We had two teams
and got a ton of work done. The team
with Randy, Elizabeth, Scott, Hilary
(friend of Macon’s) and Andrew began
by planning to remove 2 sections of
subfloor in the living room of a
mobile home, but the project quickly
become more and more complicated.
Our volunteers ended up removing
sections of band joist, sistering
many common joists and even tearing
down the chimney. The team with
Clint, Laura, Connor, Macon and
Charles worked on repairing their
family’s leaky bathtub and surround;
fixing a leak in the water heater;
replacing and shoring up rotten
support beams and sheetrocking the
laundry room. Both teams worked with
families who were extremely
welcoming and appreciative of the
groups’ efforts.
The
volunteers will present more
information about the mission trip,
along with a slideshow, later in the
summer. We are extremely grateful
for the support of the New Hope
congregation, through their monetary
donations; their donations of
vehicles and tools; and their
prayers. Thank you for making this
experience possible! |
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