Two Churches Partner for Youth Mission Trip Within Our Diocese

For a typically quiet summer there was quite a commotion in the parish hall of St. James Eufaula this past July. Fifteen youth and five adults from Christ the King Episcopal Church in Santa Rosa Beach spent three days using St. James as a base of operations for their mission trip to perform community service work in the Eufaula area. They helped a number of local groups including Barbour County Humane Society, Family Services Barbour, Fendall Hall, Southern Souls, and Fostering Hope in Headland. They also helped stock the S. James food pantry and cook prepared meals for shut-ins. The group slept in the loft in Margaret Hall and cooked their own meals in the kitchen. Lauren Justiss of Christ the King was the youth group leader. She and her fellow adults did an outstanding job leading the 15 middle and high schoolers. Lauren said, “It was important to us to find a community in our diocese to host our church's first youth mission trip. The staff and parishioners at St. James could not have been more kind and welcoming, and it was nice to see some friends we met at Baylights. Adults and youth alike bonded in meaningful service to our nearby community and we ended each day with Compline Prayer in Reeves Chapel at St. James. It was great to watch the youth grow in their friendships while in service to others.” The youth were rewarded by using the St. James kayaks on Lake Eufaula on Monday, swimming in a church member's pool on Tuesday, and visiting Providence Canyon on Wednesday.

Brad Moore, senior warden of St. James said, “It was a blessing to have such a vibrant youth group and dedicated adult leaders from Christ the King come to visit and help us help our community."