For some time now, I’ve been walking through the Great Hall on Wednesday evenings on my way to WOW (Women on Wednesday) Bible Study Group here at Cross of Hope. I’ve always known about our youth meeting on Wednesday nights but hardly gave it a second thought other than noticing the Great Hall was always full of young people. However, most recently, I had been noticing a change. There seemed to be a lot of laughter, great attitudes, enthusiasm, and a whole lot of fun going on amongst the youth as well as the adults, not to mention the kitchen staff. All seemed to be in harmony with one another. Of course, out of curiosity, I stopped and observed this group. On several occasions, I just kept watching and observing. A few times, I stopped and chatted with parents as they waited on their children. Other times, I stopped and talked to the cooks and helpers. “Why so much enthusiasm and fun, week after week?” I asked. Was this really genuine, were kids here at Cross of Hope on Wednesday nights really having a good time and where they wanted to be? To my surprise, they were!
Wednesday nights are based on the LOGOS Program which provides an in-depth and well-rounded Christian environment for youth of the church and the community. Our program here at Cross of Hope is named Triumphant News, Together (TNT) and is a LOGOS Program based on the LOGOS system. It runs parallel to the school year and meets weekly.
The program is made up of four basic segments: (1) Recreation Time with supervised activities covering a broad range of interests. It is literally amazing to watch youth of all ages be involved in what they like doing best and having a great time. (2) Worship Skills helps develop and use personal skills to deepen the youths’ understanding of the joy in worshipping God. The children participate in bell choir, drama, praise team and other creative arts as part of their worship. (3) Family Meal Time brings youth and adults together to share a common meal and fellowship. It is a great privilege to share this experience with such a wonderful group of youth in our church. (4) Bible Study is the heart of LOGOS and is part of the group’s commitment to growth in faith and discipleship. It is designed to help youth develop a personal relationship with God and to apply their faith in their daily lives.
The more I learned about this Wednesday night group, the more impressed I became. I found out that the Kitchen Crew prepare home-cooked meals every Wednesday night for approximately 60-70 people. They are the most organized and professional group of individuals I’ve ever met. They plan their meals for two entire semesters at the beginning of each school year. They shop for all their meals, cook, set-up and clean…all without even one small complaint. Believe you me, I’ve observed first hand for quite some time now, and they are the best of the best! They even have a different theme ongoing every week.
Our sincerest thanks and appreciation to Scott & Wendy Sylvester who have been doing this for nine years; Julie Potter, for five years; and Michael & Jane Pierpoint, Becky Vaughan, Sarah Snyder, Mandy Twitchell, and Vicky Bachman, all with several years under their belt.
Our teachers are also the greatest professionals! Pastor Dale, Ben & Jaysee Burchill, Laura Adams, Michele Moser, Doug Perry, Pete Wormwood, Kevin Perkins, Deney Frodsham, Debbie Madrid, Doug Goodfellow, and our Music Director, Richard Hielkema, are all a true blessing from God, totally equipped to teach and help develop our children in the right and Godly way!
Last but not least, all of this is made possible with a great leader guiding the pack, Pastor Nico Ashe, our Associate Pastor. She has been doing a marvelous job since she joined our congregation in 2006. She brings such enthusiasm, genuine love and care for these children. Her warmth, good nature, and soft tone of voice, radiate the room when she’s amongst the group. It’s obvious the children, as well as adults, can relate to Pastor Nico.
One of the greatest joys and challenges of parenting is nurturing our young children in their search for God. Because Pastor Nico is a parent of young children herself, she adds a great deal to the church activities which provide a wonderful spiritual foundation for a child as he or she begins their relationship with our Lord. Her love for the Lord genuinely shows as she works with the youth as well as the adults. Pastor Nico brings her own personal style, talents, and skills that our Lord has entrusted to her at Cross of Hope. For this, we are most grateful and appreciative!
Our thanks and appreciation to the parents, youth, teachers, helpers, Pastor Dale, and Pastor Nico for making the LOGOS Program really work at Cross of Hope!
So, I ask, “It’s Wednesday night, do you know where your kids are?” What better place than Cross of Hope Lutheran Church!
For additional information on the LOGOS Program, please contact Pastor Nico Ashe or the church office at 897-0047 or check out our church website at www.cross ofhope.org.