Mission accomplished: Aurora Lutherans serve in W. Virginia
Aurora Lutherans recently put faith into action.
Twenty-one congregants from St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Aurora - 18 youth and three adults - spent July 15-22 in Logan County, W. Va., renovating homes, running a kids' camp and building a new home.
Students offering reflections on the trek during evening worship Saturday, July 29, were Darragh and Clodagh Creaney, Logan Drafall and Aaron Walker, Aurora; Louis Blicken, Sugar Grove; Makayla Kolowski, Oswego; and Kai and Annelise Veeder, Montgomery.
Led by Associate Pastor Patrick Fish, the team participated in the project by YouthWorks, a Golden Valley, Minn.-based nonprofit that connects middle and high school students to God, each other and communities through faith-centered mission trips.
With music, testimonies and video clips, team members chronicled their trek during Saturday and Sunday worship services, July 29-30.
Volunteers recounted painting at a local school, cleaning up Chief Logan State Park, serving at a local church, running a kids' club, sorting clothes at a community closet and performing songs and skits at an assisted-living center.
According to Fish, students and leaders formed work groups dubbed Peachy Creeks, Mighty McCoys and Water Dogs. Groups were assigned daily to various service projects and mission sites in Logan.
Students began and ended each day in prayer, reading scripture and with devotions. Evenings concluded with worship and group time.
Daily evening activities were designed to understand the culture and community of Logan.
"The students did a great job listening and learning what life is like for God's people in West Virginia," Rev. Fish said.
Evening activities included a hike at Chief Logan State Park where students learned about folklore of West Virginia. Also, the team participated in a worship service at Whitman Church of God, attended a bluegrass singalong and dined with community members.
"The 2023 mission trip was a fantastic experience for the students," Rev. Fish concluded. "They made a tremendous impact in the Logan community and really bonded with one another and with other church youth. They listened, showed compassion and learned what life is like in rural West Virginia."
During the trek, congregants called devotional partners sent notes to team members. At a Sunday, July 30 breakfast at the church, partners met with their pen pals.
In addition to Rev. Fish, adult leaders were Anna Themanson and Liz Schultz. Students were Quinn Schulz, Caite Bailey, Louis Blickem, Delaney Hopkins, Annelise Veeder, Aaron Walker, Clodaugh Creaney, Kai Veeder, Makayla Kolowski, Dre Allen, Josie Reiseck, Darragh Creaney, Logan Drafall, Keagan Reiseck, Lila Hopkins, Shae Dunn, Elena Gooch and Amanda Simpson.
A send-off for the team was held at a commissioning ceremony on July 9.