Youth Missions      

Our youth have been very interested in helping others. Throughout the year we assist members of our own church with tasks that they can’t perform themselves such as porch repair, weeding, lawn care, and leaf raking. One of the most popular events of the year is the Ashland Christian Emergency Services (A.C.E.S.) scavenger hunt.Each fall we ask for a list of items needed at A.C.E.S. and then publish this list asking people to let us know if they can supply anything on the list. On a Sunday evening, groups of about four youth are formed and they are sent out on routes to collect as many items on the A.C.E.S. wish list as possible.There is a prize for the group that collects the most items on the list, but the big winner is A.C.E.S. and the people that they help.

See photo gallery below

Our youth enjoy the opportunity to help Society of Saint Andrew by gleaning.This is an opportunity that we can’t have on any calendar since we may have as little as 24 hour notice of the need. So far we have helped with corn, turnips, apples, blueberries and peaches.In addition to helping others, our youth learn about themselves and helping each other.

Day long trips to Pathways are offered a couple times a year. Pathways is an ecumenical group that seeks to advance community restoration, spiritual health, and economic growth in Petersburg, Virginia through partnerships. We are able to work on construction or renovation of homes and other structures.

Each summer we give our youth the opportunity to serve others.

In June 2009, youth of Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church went to Sevierville, TN to work in the Smokey Mountains. They spent a week working on a two story home: priming, painting and cleaning up, with limited tools available. We were able to accomplish our task with the use of one tall ladder and a few sixteen foot poles with paint brushes on the ends. Not only did this group experience the joy of helping others, but they learned to be creative in problem solving. They shared their experiences in the evenings with two hundred other youth working in the same area. Trips like this allow our youth to experience a different way of life and expand their horizons through serving in areas of great need. This week of ministry and Christian service impacted each of those who were blessed to go, youth and chaperones. We invite others to join us on future mission trips.