Earlier this year, 26 teens from our diocese came together to participate in the second annual Soul in the City mission-immersion experience. This was the second year of relaunching the effort to have a diocesan-based, youth-mission experience. It was held in Lakeland in July, and the teens volunteered throughout the week in a variety of ministry settings. This summer’s experience was a partnership between Soul in the City and All Saints’ Church, Lakeland’s annual Homegrown Mission Week.

The teens who participated this year had opportunities to teach, play, and hang out with children at a summer bridge-camp at Parker Street Ministries. They also helped organize and sort nonperishable items at Agape Food Bank, which serves all of Polk County. Some students had the experience of learning about and providing services to A Woman’s Choice ministry, which helps encourage and educate women during their pregnancies. Some students cleaned up plantings and trees at a local church. They assembled and delivered toiletry care packages to homeless or near-homeless individuals. They received a tour of a downtown ministry and helped clean and sort items as needed before serving food for the midday meal. Some of the students helped wash windows and do property cleanup for an elderly individual before volunteering for the City of Lakeland’s lake-cleanup project.

To finish the week of volunteer hours, the group took care packages to the Lakeland Police Department and received an extensive tour of the facility. Additionally, some teens visited a memory-care nursing home to play games with residents, and others visited a retirement home to have conversations with the residents.

One of the highlights of the week together was the opportunity to welcome Bishop Greg Brewer to lead us in a service of Holy Communion during our last evening. We transformed the youth floor into a worship space and had time to reflect on the meaning of the Eucharist and how Christ was with us as we served throughout the week.

This was a week filled with new relationships (between churches, between teens, and between ministry partners), all because of our long-standing relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you are interested in the next Soul in the City mission week, it is scheduled for July 24-28, 2017, and youth leaders from any parish in the diocese are welcome to help plan or participate in next summer’s event. Contact Steve Schneeberger for more information about youth activities in our diocese, at steve@yminstitute.com.

Kathy Hulin is Director of Family Ministries at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Lakeland.