Sprint

“St. paul’s reaching in Neighborhood teams”  

June 13 - August 12, 2005

 Sports games, devotions, service projects, field trips, lunch, and FUN together!!  Pictures

Mission Statement:

“…to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God…to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

-Luke 1:76-79

History
SPRINT began with a vision set forth in a paper written by the Minister of Youth, Jim Shirbroun, for a certification class in Youth Ministry in 1992. The paper suggested a summer skills-building program as a response to a violence-filled neighborhood looking for hope. The vision remained just that until Matt Braley, an "alum" of the youth group at St. Paul's United Methodist Church and veteran of three mission work camps through the church, returned from a college student exchange program in Tanzania in 1996. While there, Matt had volunteered at a shelter for homeless boys. The Tanzania experiences, combined with a growing mission-mindedness and sense of call to full-time ministry, prompted Matt to investigate opportunities within the church's own neighborhood for bringing youth to Christ. Matt read Jim's four-year-old program proposal, added the critical service-learning element and SPRINT was born. A pilot program which employed three post-high age young adults (one who lived within the target neighborhood) and served thirty-six boys and girls (6th and 7th grades) began in June 1996.

The summers of 1997 and 1998, SPRINT grew to serve over 40 neighborhood middle-high youth "at-risk" in a daily five-week program. Service projects included pulling weeds at a Nature Center, learning about recycling and picking up trash in neighborhood parks, creating a talent show given at an adult day center, baking pies to be sold as a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity and reading to preschool children. Each week's projects are laced with relevant devotions bringing a Christian context to the work. Staff members (primarily college students) plan daily small group discussions and activities which reinforce the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Faith and works are interwoven as youth and staff experience growth in Christ.