Dear Friends,
The pandemic has been hard on youth group (I’ve heard the same from many other youth ministers). Not meeting in person or being able to share a meal together – food is a foundation of youth ministry!!! – has been a challenge. We adapted – meeting on zoom during shelter-in-place – and ever since we continue to evaluate, make adjustments and reset.
One thing I’ve learned about our youth is that they are passionate about service. Service has been something we have been able to do – whether meeting outside to clean up trash at the beach, working at the Marin County Food Bank with masks on, or spending the day (hanging sheetrock, taping walls, and using an electric saw!) in Oakland at the Youth Spirit Artworks Tiny House Village for low income young adults. When I send out a sign up for a service activity – they are on it!
That’s why I was so excited to hear about Habitat for Humanity’s playhouse build happening in Tiburon in May. Along with several churches, I’ve signed up our youth to take part in building a playhouse for an organization in need. This is just the start of Habitat’s return to Marin County. Later this year, they’ll be starting a build in Novato and are using this opportunity to get Marin congregations involved. Knowing that we’ll have an amazing organization to serve with gives me hope! Our youth (and those interested) will have an ongoing service opportunity – and we can watch the project develop – while building the connections among our kids in the youth program at the same time.
As Habitat for Humanity works to build support, they’ve asked for all congregations participating in the playhouse build to sponsor a playhouse. Playhouse sponsorship is $1500. While our kids work to raise money for their summer Sierra Service Project trip, we will not ask them to raise money for this event. We do plan to use some money from our youth service fund, but would also love support from our congregation. Can you help by donating any amount to the Mt. Tam Youth Group? If so, please write “Playhouse Build” in the memo line.
Thanks for your support and for helping our youth ministry program thrive!
Tricia Wiig
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