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National Association of Congregational Christian Churches,  P.O. Box 288, Oak Creek, WI  53154
414-764-1620 
Email: naccc@naccc.org   Web Site: http://www.naccc.org

by Mike Fales who is Director of Church Relations and Campus Ministries at Olivet College in Michigan and is a Trustee of the Olivet Congregational Church. Share a great idea from your congregation with your brothers and sisters in the NA. Call (616) 749-7624 or email mfales@olivetcollege.edu
 

I must admit that I am an addict. As an early morning runner for 22 years now, I am totally addicted. So, when it was time for the NACCC Annual Meeting in late June, I was thrilled to hear from runners who had visited Spokane before me the city has a wonderful system of running/bike trails. In fact, one goes all the way from downtown Spokane to the beautiful city of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho which is over 30 miles away.

When I arrived, the first thing I did after checking into the hotel was to go for a run. As it turned, out the running trail was right outside our hotel and the convention center. It was amazingly beautiful, crisscrossing the river with its white water rapids and offering spectacular views of parks, riverfront condos, and Gonzaga University. Running can be a great way to get a feel for a city and while I was amazed by the beauty of my surroundings, I also noticed what seemed to be an unusually large number of teenagers on skateboards. Later in the week I overheard someone talking about these young people and a special ministry that was reaching out to them.

Pastor Joe Clark who, along with his congregation at Heritage Congregational Church, is recuperating from all the duties of serving as the Host Church. He says that about four years ago his mostly elderly congregation decided they wanted to bring some young people into the life of their church. They didn't have any teenagers and the only place they knew where to find them was under the elevated highways in town. It seems many of these "Skaters" come from troubled backgrounds and they like to hang out under the city's highways performing feats of magic by riding their skateboards on almost anything that will hold them. Most of them were "unchurched" so it wasn't an easy sell. The Youth Director at Heritage created a Wednesday Youth Night that included games and refreshments. Before long 50-60 Skaters were in attendance.

As successful as the program was, Joe says it didn't accomplish exactly what they had hoped for. The congregation was counting on the teenagers bringing their families along once they felt at home. Because they had been recruited from areas that were a long distance from the church neighborhood, most did stay with Jesus, just not at Heritage. Thus, a program invented for growth purposes ended up being more mission oriented. A new youth program which is geared towards junior high age students has smaller numbers, 20-25, but is accomplishing the original task of bringing young families and new life to the congregation.

Thanks Joe and Heritage Congregational for hosting a great Annual Meeting and for spreading the word of Christ under the overpasses and across the hills of beautiful Spokane!

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