The blue sky and mild temperatures of early summer break were just the most perfect backdrop for summer youth mission trips to return for 2021. After a year of Zoom, City Park youth group, and much social distance, this year’s hybrid approach to the annual trips was well received. The CYF and Chi-Rho youth groups of First Christian Church in Columbia, MO each took a shorter three-day mission experience to rural Canton, MO. Staying at Canton Christian Church and serving behind the scenes for local organizations without crowds was just the right post-pandemic option. Since trips in 2020 were canceled, the groups also wanted to get in one more shared mission trip with Rev. Jimmy Spear before he left Columbia FCC for a new call in Edwardsville, IL.
The three-day CYF Mission Trip was over Memorial Day weekend. The mission team packed hundreds of bags for the local food pantry and children’s summer feeding program, helped organize and clean the food pantry and church, laid flags on veterans’ graves in the local cemetery honoring Memorial Day, and on the way home stopped in Paris, MO to weed/mulch/wheelchair wash at a local nursing home. For the middle school Chi-Rho group, the three-day trip a week later included making the several hundred take home food bags for local children, caring for kittens at a local animal shelter, painting fun summer scenes on the windows of a local nursing home, and assisting the local food pantry with a major move of supplies.
Each evening the stories of Jesus feeding the 4000/5000 were the basis for devotion and conversation about the miracle found in faith and serving others food. Wise and faithful the conversations became as the youth reflected on their experiences. The CYF group had the Sunday morning chance to worship at Canton CC. The groups cooked food, shared in the tradition of lots of ice cream and even spent a little time on “The Hill” at Culver-Stockton College. A mission trip always includes some mini-golf which was found along with good local pizza in Quincy, IL. With the quiet town as a backdrop, the group created their own entertainment with hours of kickball, ice cream in fun locations, walkabouts in a rural river town, van riding, and lots of laughter. The kids just loved being together again. They talked non-stop, played hard, served well, and were just the best group of friends throughout. It was church youth group at its very best. It was a perfect post-pandemic mission experience. The Chi-Rho crew had a much warmer weekend and so experienced two different local pools — Moberly on the way, Hannibal on the way home. Hannibal had the better slides!
The Chi-Rho trip was a last hurrah under the leadership team of Jimmy Spear and Holly Gieseke. This trip marked their 14th year of co-leading Chi-Rho. What a fantastic group to end such an adventure. Thank you Holly! Many thanks to Canton Christian Church and Pastor, Rev. Mandy Gosik for the abundant hospitality both weekends along with helping arrange the serving projects. Culver-Stockton College provided showers for each group along with some CSC admissions swag for the CYF. The town of Canton was the perfect place to serve, and being together as two small groups of disciples returned to learning and serving in the way of Jesus.
Thanks to Rev. Jimmy Spear for this story and photos.