Some of the greatest celebrations in our Youth Ministry right now come from the number of individual students who have stepped up in ways they never would have imagined:
A sophomore who hadn’t made the post-COVID transition to The Gathering, but through the encouragement and support of our leaders is now a strong presence in both our Sunday morning and Sunday night programs and has stepped into leadership roles in both settings.
Middle school students with unique sets of needs and circumstances who ventured out to join us on retreat for the first time, and found community and were shining examples of empathy and support for other students.
Students who are pushing through their anxieties and insecurities to speak on our stage and share their stories and even serve on our Student Leadership Team.
A senior who showed up late last spring with few connections to other students, who boldly joined us for our Mission Trip to Camden, New Jersey, over the summer and is now deeply connected to our ministry.
It is an amazing thing to be able to offer a safe space where our students feel loved enough to truly belong and empowered enough to step in to the leaders they are becoming.
This week, we’re sharing the story of Brynna R., the senior who got out of her comfort zone and went to Camden, New Jersey on the mission trip.
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Brynna R. started attending Middletown with her parents in 2019, but she only began participating in the youth group this year. At first she was a little anxious, but she grew more comfortable as time went on.
“I realized I could be myself there and people are going to be loved,” she said. “I realized I could make new friends and this was family, and I could trust them.”
When she heard about the youth group’s trip to Camden, Brynna says she felt like God was calling her to go and be helpful. She was nervous, but she decided to take a chance anyway. She ended up having such a good time on the trip that she says, “when it was the last day and time to leave, I didn’t want to. I was too attached, and I felt like I had a second home and second family.”
Brynna says she often wants to help people but doesn’t know how, and this trip taught her how important it is to start by showing up. The rest will fall into place from there.
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This impact story is part of our annual stewardship series, I Know the Plans. If you’d like to give to support the work that God is doing in and through Middletown Christian Church in 2024, please consider filling out an estimate of giving card here.