March 25, 2002
ALL HANDS ON DECK:
Georgetown youth unite on mission
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___GEORGETOWN--The body of Christ recently got a workout in Georgetown as backs, arm and especially hearts were tested and found to be true.
___More than 750 youth turned out to give the city a makeover on a Saturday morning as they worked with the city's code enforcement division to clean up problem spots. Some of the work was for families who hadn't taken care of their property, while other work was for senior adults who were not physically up to the task.
TENTH and eleventh grade boys from Georgetown show of some of the trash they hauled off from one residence during the citywide sweep that was part of an interdenominational weekend retreat.
___The teenagers proved they were up for the task, however.
___"They had eight massive dumpsters the city thought we would never fill, but by lunch time they were full and they had to send for eight more," said John Elmore, student minister at Crestview Baptist Church in Georgetown.
___In addition to hauling away items no longer of use, some of the teenagers painted and performed minor household repairs.
___Many of the teenagers went into the homes of senior adults and just cleaned up, he said. "In one of the homes where this sweet couple lived. the lady told us, 'We had to decide if we're going to keep house or stay alive,'" he recalled.
___"That was the whole purpose--not just to change the community, but to make an impact on specific lives and to discover lives and families where we can have a continuing ministry," Elmore said.
___The teenagers did more than just work to clean up their community, however. They worked on tidying up their hearts.
___The service projects were part of a DiscipleNow-type event called OneNow. Planning started for the weekend in May 2001.
___"About a year ago, we came together and said: 'We can't do this alone. If we are going to reach these kids we're going to have to work together," Elmore said.
___Churches participating in the weekend along with Crestview were First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, Saint Helen Catholic Church, Grace Bible Church, Well Spring Methodist Church and First Baptist Church of Leander.
___Some churches were not comfortable with the ecumenical flavor of the event and chose not to be involved, Elmore admitted, but he felt the plusses far outweighed any minuses.
___"The whole idea was to bring students together so they could see the body of Christ as a whole," he said.
___The teenagers came together in the Georgetown High School Performing Arts Center to hear Christian recording artist Chris Tomlin. Also on hand were the Skidiots, a nationally known skit and drama group. Todd Phillips, youth communicator and pastor of the Soul Café in Kerrville, also spoke to the young people.
___High school students attended the rally on Friday evening and junior high students on Saturday evening.
___Much of the time the youth were divided into groups by church. They stayed in homes for DiscipleNow-type Bible study.
___Many of the non-Baptist churches had no experience with this type of intensive Bible study with their teenagers, so the Baptist churches took the lead in providing materials.
___The other youth ministers were pleased with how well the concept worked, Elmore reported. "They loved it. They want to do it again and are thinking about doing it twice a year."
___
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