25 Years with ASP
When 27 volunteers from St. Paul’s, Red Hill, left for Avery County, North Carolina June 30, they marked 25 consecutive years doing home repairs with the Appalachia Service Project. The quarter-century run is one of the longest records of participation among Lutheran congregations, said Karen Frederick, director of volunteers for ASP.
Eight churches in the US are reaching the 25-year milestone this year, she said. More than 14,000 volunteers from 400 congregations are participating in ASP this year.
Upper Perkiomen newspaper “Town and Country” highlighted St. Paul’s volunteerism in a recent issue…
Encouraging A Young Leader
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Raising up a 2011 high school graduate, who is going to a local college, to teach Senior
High Sunday School, take over as Youth Group Leader.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and
congregations help?
Praying for him and supporting this ministry with advice, guidance, connecting him with supportive
lay leaders. Read more 
Young Christians Leaving Church…and Rethinking Faith
The alarming church dropout rate for youth leaving high school is less about young people losing their faith and driven by their alienation from church participation and their search to connect faith with the world they live in, according to new research from The Barna Group.
In “You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church…And Rethinking Faith”, Barna’s David Kinnaman notes that “most young people with a Christian background are dropping out of conventional church involvement, not losing their faith.” (Read: Five Myths about Young Adult Church Dropouts). His research shows that about 3 in 10 young Christians stay involved with the church through college and young adulthood (although the ELCA has reported lower figures). Read more
Gym Night for Community Youth
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Community is changing; trying to get church more involved.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and congregations help?
At Immanuel we have opened our gym Friday nights to youth. Read more