Entering into these summer months, there are a great deal of events and moments to look forward to as well as to celebrate. Many of us are looking forward to the end of school and an opportunity to spend time together as family on vacation. Others of us are looking forward to a different pace each week, as the summer remains busy, but it has a different rhythm to it. All of us are looking forward to Vacation Bible School, Passport camps, lunches at Sparkman, Brazil Mission Trip, and other opportunities the summer affords us.
We are also looking forward to and celebrating the arrival of Laura Edgar as our Associate Pastor for Youth, College, and Young Adults. We look forward to welcoming her on Saturday, June 13 at a reception from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. When she arrives, we will take time to get to know her, reminding her of our names, and sharing our stories with her. We are grateful for her ministry among us.
We also have an opportunity to celebrate with our youth group. Each fall, our youth park cars during the football season, raising funds to assist them with their retreats and also with missions. Throughout the years, they have used these mission funds in thoughtful and generous ways, like supporting Watering Malawi, purchasing bicycles for students, who need them in order to get to school, and hosting our Stop Hunger Now event.
Passport, the ministry that provides camps and opportunities for our young people, including training future leaders in the church, is beginning a capital campaign. This campaign focuses on raising funds, which will provide scholarships for youth, who cannot afford the cost of camp, maintain a reasonable cost of camp for everyone, and improve the camp experiences of our young people. Among many Baptist leaders and ministers throughout the Southeast, our Katherine Smith, a sophomore in high school, is a member of the capital campaign committee.
The youth group and the Youth Committee discussed a gift to Passport’s Capital Campaign, looking at the funds they have accrued throughout the years. In recognition of how Passport has been meaningful to our youth and how it provides an experience that is invaluable to many, they decided to contribute $15,000 to this campaign over the course of the next three years. Due to the funds they have saved by parking cars through the recent years, the youth can make this contribution and still have funds available for other projects.
Later this year, the youth will formally present this gift to Passport on a Sunday morning, as we give thanks for their generous commitment, but we pause now to offer our gratitude as well. Our youth continue to give us great reasons for thanksgiving, as we continue to support them on their journey of faith. When we see them, we can celebrate this gift with them!