Youth group given house for weekly meeting place

Teenagers are always hanging out at the Jackson house where Rachel Sprigg, Mindy Hoffman and Sarah Schumacher live -- but that's sort of the purpose.

The house, off the corner of Washington and Hope streets, is owned by First Presbyterian Church but is used most often by teens who gather for Young Life club, an organization that builds relationships with teens and introduces them to Christianity.

First Presbyterian received the house as a gift several years ago but wasn't sure how to use it. At the same time, Young Life was trying to start a club in Jackson.

After much prayer, the two formed a partnership, and both have benefited. Young Life has a regular place to meet and the church has part-time youth workers to develop its program.

Getting the word out about Young Life was tough. A good part of Sarah Schumacher's job as intern has been to start making contact with students, going to lunch at the high school and attending sporting events.

But the club's greatest need was a meeting location. Early on, weekly club meetings rotated around town so it was hard to keep track of meeting locations, and even tougher for leaders who needed lots of space for games and skits. The group stopped meeting for a time because there simply wasn't a good way to hold gatherings. The leaders continued focusing on building relationships and visiting schools while praying for a solution.

"When the church provided the house, it was a huge answer to prayer for us," Schumacher said.

And it was an answer to the prayers of the Rev. Grant Gillard, as well. Gillard is pastor of First Presbyterian Church.

Church committees spent weeks and months talking about how to use the house in such a way that the church and community would benefit, he said. But none of the discussions ever provided a specific plan.

"I'd go over to the house and sit on a folding chair and pray and meditate," Gillard said. "I kept coming back to Young Life."

Once he suggested the partnership, everything came together. The speed at which details were decided was amazing

The partnership has helped people to see what's best for the community. "The challenge has been to look at what's best for the kingdom of God and what this does for the greater kingdom," not just the church.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126