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 ASP
 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.
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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