Federal Way youth serve community

Thirty-three adults and youth from the Christ's Church Federal Way in Federal Way, Washington took up residence in Superior this week. Collaborating with the Superior Community Church, the group came in with a week of exciting activities planned. They helped with community projects that included roofing a home, cutting and delivering firewood, hosting a kid's vacation bible school and others.

The group has been coming to Superior with a full group for the past ten years, working with and assisting Superior Community Church as they try to get out into the community to let people know what they are about.

"We're basically here to work hand in hand with the local church, Superior Community Church, and assist them in letting the community know about them and that they're here to help," said Mack Hoover, the leader of the group from Federal Way.

As well as being in Superior this week, the group also had teams in Plains and in Troy, with a total of 98 participants coming over to western Montana for the week. Hoover said that youth are not required to come and actually have to pay their own way to accompany on the group on the trip, which says a lot about their commitment to Lord and where their hearts are. Around $40,000 was given to the group's mission from the congregation at Federal Way in supplies and money for them to be able to come over to Montana and serve.

"We've been blessed as a church," Hoover said. "And we want to pass that along."

As well as doing projects throughout the community, Superior Community Church and the group teamed up to serve a free dinner Sunday through Wednesday. Today, Wednesday August 4, there will be a free concert as well as a pig roast offered to the community at no cost. The dinners also featured puppet shows, music and testimonies from the youth as well as a good time.

"We just hope the community will see God's love," Hoover said.

Kate Scranton, who came down with the group, said that the trip to Montana to help out with bible school and around the community is one of her favorite things of the summer.

"It's a great experience," Scranton said. "I really like working with the kids at VBS."

For Megan Moorehead the trip not only gives her a chance to see what's beyond her town, but to share the gospel with others.

"I never really get to leave my town and it's totally different here than from where I'm from," Moorehead said. "Plus, I get to share the gospel with others."

Moorehead said that the trip helps her relationship with God as it tests and strengthens her faith. She said that she is challenged to try new things such as leading worship which she did for the first time on Sunday.

Grace Timlick said that she feels that getting out and sharing the gospel and helping others is the natural thing to do especially after you've became a Christian.

"I came here with the purpose to serve God," Timlick said. "It's also refreshing to come to a town where everyone knows everybody."

The girls, as well as others with the group, stay with host families for the week. All three said that they were having lots of fun and that they were also meeting new friends and building relationships that would last after they leave.

Superior Community Church Pastor Gray Repke said that he was just amazed at the youth's enthusiasm and dedication.

"These kids are really awesome, they're really neat kids," Repke said. "They really love the Lord and they're here to serve. They work well with each other and they don't hesitate when asked to do something."

Repke said that as a church and disciples, it is their goal to get out into the community and show Christ's love to people.

This was the last year that the group will be coming to Superior as they plan to move on to a new town.

"We've enjoyed the town," Hoover said. "We're heartbroken to leave, but it's time for us to be moving on. We've made some very close friends here with people not only in the church, but in the community. We just hope that they've seen God's love."

The evening events continue tonight with the annual pig roast at 5:30 p.m. and a special 7:30 p.m. appearance by Andy "C-Lite" Mineo, minister and rapper, www.siniswack.com. The team would like to shout out a special thanks to Angelo Veveris and Tricon Timber for their continued help in acquiring the needed timber and to Darrin Ippisch, who helped to deliver the wood.