I have attended Harding Street Church of Christ my entire life. I grew up watching my older cousins participate in events that the church held for the youth and I could not wait to be old enough to join them. I remember all of the lock-ins and how exciting Vacation Bible School always was. Why is this important you might ask? I strongly believe and I hope many others do as well, that a good, active, and engaging youth group that is supported and cared after by the members of the congregation is vital to growing the church.
When I say members of the congregation I do not just mean the elders, deacons, or ministers. I mean everyone. Parents, you are raising the future of the church. Teachers, you are providing lessons to the future of the church. Ladies, you are setting an example for the future women of the church. Men, you are setting an example for the future men of the church. Teens, the younger youth are looking up to you as the future of the church. Once we as a whole start to stray and slack off of on our jobs as members of the church we are putting the future at risk.
The last weekend in May/first of June, the Harding Street youth will be camping at the Choctaw Campgrounds on Greers Ferry Lake. Alongside all the fun and games, the fellowship is what is most important. I cannot put into words how great this event is for the youth. I want to stress just how important the youth of any church is. The youth is the future and if they are not given the support they need, work will be left unfinished.
This camping trip has brought our youth here at Harding Street so much closer over the years. It is inclusive to all youth and is a great experience for even the youngest ones. I can remember a few years back that one of our own youth group members would say that she could not wait to be a part of the “teens” and do stuff with the “teens.” This year she is officially a teen and has been very active amongst the rest of them. All of the youth should be that excited to be a part of a youth group!
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6
-Abigail
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