The past few months have been incredibly busy! CrossTown continues to meet every Sunday, providing a space for our middle and high schoolers to come together for laughter and learning. This school year—and especially the last few weeks—have been tough, making our time together even more meaningful for both our youth and us as leaders.

Our high school dinners continue to be popular, with great participation each time. Last week, we took over Waffle House and shared lots of food and laughter. Our middle schoolers eagerly wait for our regular Middle School Mystery Nights. This past weekend, we hosted a middle school lock-in at FUMC, where we made “candy salad,” played lots of games, and stayed up talking until 4 am.

In these past few weeks, many of our youth and adults have faced many challenges. The loss of three youth and the uncertainty surrounding the fires that followed right after have brought a lot of grief and anxiety. At CrossTown, we’ve spent time each week discussing how to care for ourselves while also supporting our friends and classmates through this difficult time. I’ve also had the opportunity of connecting one-on-one with several youth who have been especially impacted.

A huge thank you to Kathy King and the Arts Council for their continued support in making our monthly middle school art club happen. At our last meeting, two youth separately asked if we could meet more than once a month. We are exploring ways to expand our after-school programming to offer this creative and welcoming space more regularly.

It’s hard to believe April is already here! As we look ahead to summer, we have a lot to be excited about. In early June, CrossTown will head to Winston-Salem for Spark Dwell, a five-day experience dedicated to serving and learning alongside people experiencing homelessness. Then, in the last week of June, Good Shepherd will host our third combined GoodPhilip Vacation Bible School. This year’s theme "Brick by Brick: Building Our Faith" allows us to learn and play with legos. 

Through all of the joys and challenges, I am so grateful to be able to share in this ministry. Thank you for the love, encouragement, and support that you continually offer to both our youth and me. It is a gift to walk alongside such a caring and faithful community. I am so grateful for the ways we continue to grow and serve together.