Pentecost

School’s Out but Nobody’s Home

From five to four

In the fall of 2016, the school board in Sterling, Colorado, was forced to make some drastic changes to meet its budget. The most significant change was reducing the school week from five days to four.

When the decision was made, the unintended result left many children and youth without adequate care at home. To that end, the Family Resource Center (FRC) began talking with First Presbyterian Church of Sterling and other local groups about the idea of a “Youth Asset Club” that would meet at the Center on days when school wasn’t in session. While the solution seemed obvious, another problem lingered: they needed to secure adequate funding to serve more than 50 youth in a full-day program.

First Presbyterian ultimately decided to sponsor the Youth Asset Club program. Supported in part by their retained portion of the Pentecost Offering, the congregation pledged enough to let the FRC hire a staff person to coordinate the program and to provide each person attending the program one free meal each week.

Living in love

First Presbyterian’s mission statement reads, “We serve one another as we live God’s love.” The development and implementation of the Youth Asset Club was a perfect example of synergy, inspiring others while serving the community and living in love. While the congregation was the main player in funding the program, many more community partners stepped up, making the Youth Asset Club a truly remarkable community effort. The program, now in its second year, provides a safe space for more than 70 children and youth to learn, share, and grow into the people God has created each of them to be. First Presbyterian continues to participate in this vital ministry by providing funding, meals, and volunteers.

By supporting the Pentecost Offering, you are helping to shape a positive future for young lives, for our church and for our world. Forty percent of the Offering stays with local congregations, and 60% is used by national programs and initiatives that support young adults, ministries with youth, and children at risk. Please give generously because, as has always been the case, when we all do a little, it adds up to a lot.

Special thanks to Tom Westfall, Elder, First Presbyterian Church, Sterling, CO

Join us

For more information and resources related to the Pentecost offering, visit presbyterianmission.org/pentecost.
This post is based on the Minute for Mission script which can be found on our website as a script.

Please give generously to the Offering:

• Through your congregation
• Text YOUNG to 20222 to give $10
• Donate online

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