Lowell UMC Sr. HIgh Youth

We here at the First United Methodist Church of Lowell
have a strong belief in God and all that he does for us in
our lives. Our youth group is basically an extension of that.
We talk and discuss matters in our lives from everyday
school to diversity, and how God helps us deal, or in some
cases help us see the topic in a different light. We get,
well…most of the time, deep in conversation and thought
about these topics. We have meetings almost every
Sunday during the school year at 6:00 p.m. at the new
Ministry Center 519 E. Main Lowell (formerly Flat River
Outreach Ministries).

In our spare time, after we have had a good discussion, we
will have free time using our pool table, air hockey, foos
ball, volleyball court, playing nuckem', sometimes we might
listen to music, or otherwise just hang out. We also do
some fundraising such as making and selling stepping
stones and Krispy Kreme doughnut sales!!! So, all in all, we
have a good time at youth group.

On the side, most summers we try to take on a mission trip
where we leave our common surroundings to help people in
a different area. This year for example, we're going out to
Chicago on our mission trip.

Chicago Mission Trip 2009

Our Senior High Youth Touches Lives

Lowell 1st’s Sr. High Raya Youth Group sent 22 youth and 4 adults
on a weeklong mission trip to Chicago. They stayed in a Mennonite
Church in the East Garfield neighborhood on the southeast side of
Chicago. This area gained notoriety as the location of the Chicago
riots of 1968 when much of the area was burned. Recovery is only
now beginning to come to East Garfield. The church once provided
office space and preaching opportunities to Rev. Martin Luther King,
Jr.

Each morning 5 work crews headed out throughout the city to
provide labor to various missions and service groups. The work
varied greatly, from serving meals to those suffering with HIV/AIDS
(needing high calorie diets to survive) to weeding a community
garden. A crew might sort clothes for a thrift shop on the south-side
or remain onsite for a painting project at the host church.

Another day’s work might involve packing food at the Greater
Chicagoland Food Depository, which furnishes over a million pounds
of food every week to agencies feeding the poor and needy. Some
of our youth prepared soup kitchen lunches, while others provided
tutoring to young mothers striving to earn a GED, or visit a low
income senior center to participate in games and exercises. Our
group supplied about 650 hours of labor, valued at over $5,000.

Our travel during the week was exclusively by public transit (train,
el, subway and bus)...and involved a lot of walking. Evening
programs at our home base underscored the spiritual basis of the
mission. These included “get to know one another” activities with
the three other churches who had youth groups there. They were
from St. Louis, MO, Wisconsin, and Indiana. We also enjoyed a
concert by an African-American men’s group, and a hand-washing
service.

We took part in a poverty awareness activity. Each person was
given $1 for dinner and sent out to feed themselves. Different crews
found various solutions. It is amazing what you can accomplish
when combining dollars. The activity is based on the reality that
much government food assistance provides about $1 per day per
person to feed families.

On Wednesday evening, our night off, we shared a Chicago pizza
dinner in the Loop and explored Millennium Park. At Navy Pier we
enjoyed “touristy stuff” and fireworks. Once our mission work ended,
our group enjoyed an extra day in Chicago. We moved to the
Family Hostel downtown, enjoyed a Cheesecake Factory lunch in
the basement of the John Hancock building, some time shopping
the Magnificent Mile and then attended the Blue Man Group theatre
production.

Thanks to the church family for continued support, encouragement,
and prayers. It was a powerful week! The work our group offered
blessed many, but, as is often the case, those working were
blessed in and through their service.