Pig
Pen: Line Lexington Mennonite Church youth group members
(from left) Joanna Hickey, Wendell Landis and Darin Miller race
dressed as pigs in an area couch race contest.
The youth group at Forest Hills Mennonite Church in Leola, Pa., made
it to Atlanta on the wings of a friendly flock of pink flamingos.
With an 80-mile geographical head start, Line Lexington youth were
transported to the peach state on couch wheels.
The Forest Hills’ church bulletin announced that the youth group
“ran into the flamingos in their attempt to fly south for the
winter” and told the birds they could stay and be well cared
for by the congregation.
And stay they did – for four and a half lucrative months. The
plastic lawn flamingos flocked from yard to yard, staying a few days
at a time. Church members could pay the youth group for “Flamingo
Deterrent” – a standard protection package to keep the
lawn ornaments away (suggested $10 minimum). But the deterrent wouldn’t
work if more generous donors paid to have the flamingos placed at
“protected” homes. The Forest Hills youth raised $1,863.90.
At Line Lexington, an innocent question – “Why don’t
we put wheels on couches and have a race?” – started a
creative challenge that involved the youth groups of Souderton, Blooming
Glen, Salford and Deep Run East Mennonite churches. On the first Sunday
in May, 350 people were on hand to watch the young people race through
the church parking lot on couches using bicycle, wagon and sports
car wheels. Each team, made up of three riders and four pushers, used
a steering mechanism and braking system to speed through the course,
which included a 180-degree turn. The event netted between $500 and
$1,000 from corporate sponsorships.
FOREST
HILLS MENNONITE CHURCH
Unprotected
Home: Members of Forest Hills Mennonite Church, Leola,
Pa., bought “Flamingo Deterrent” to prevent a flock
of plastic flamingoes from nesting in their front lawn.
“The best part of the event was the interaction between youth
group members and adults,” said John King, youth pastor at Line
Lexington. “It provided an excellent opportunity for kids who
do not usually attend youth group events to come and participate.”
Line Lexington youth plan to defend their championship title next
year.
Across the country, the journey to Atlanta for thousands of youth
began well before July. Youth groups began a variety of creative fund-raisers
more than a year in advance in hopes of raising enough money to attend
Atlanta 2003:
•
For several years, First Mennonite Church of Iowa
City has made the church parking lot available, for a fee, to
fans attending University of Iowa Hawkeye football games two
blocks away. The church also sells food at a concession stand
on the church grounds. Once enough money is raised, any additional
revenue helps other youth groups from the Central Plains Conference
to attend conventions.
•
Brad Carlson, from Salem Mennonite Church in Freeman, S.D.,
reports that their youth group has sold homemade ice cream at
the local county fair for more than 25 years. From 9 a.m. to
11 p.m. for four days, the group makes 55 to 60 batches of the
frozen treat each day. Of the $8-10,000 made a year to off-set
convention fees, part of their profit is donated back to the
church for various projects (a video projector was purchased
last year).
•
At West Union Church in Parnell, Iowa, the youth group sells
three sizes of casseroles to members of the church, advertised
with “tantalizing descriptions.” About $70 is raised
for each youth and sponsor.
•
Youth at Bethel Mennonite Church in Wayland, Iowa, sold about
370 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts over two weeks for a net of $1,000.
•
Prairieview Mennonite Church in Flanagan, Ill., turned to
the stage, hosting several coffee houses featuring various acts.
•
Eicher and Wayland Mennonite Churches, both in Wayland, Iowa,
have worked together to send 12 youth and four sponsors to the
convention. They sold “stock” to raise money.
Denise Freyenberger said, “We issue stock certificates
for people to invest in the youth group and charge $20 per stock.
In return, we invite them to hear about our experiences and
we’ll serve dessert to them after we get back from convention.”
•
Capital Christian Fellowship, an “urban, multi-ethnic
Mennonite Church just outside Washington, D.C.,” has 14
youth and four adults attending Atlanta 2003, reports the co-pastor,
Chet Miller-Eshleman. The youth performed a successful “Early
Show” – spoofing late-night television programs
– that included skits.
•
North Clinton Mennonite Church in Wauseon, Ohio, does a variety
of fund-raisers, including selling pizza kits and barbecue chicken;
assembling parts and labeling mail for area businesses; and
organizing an annual auction.
The church’s associate pastor, Michael Zehr, said that
the “most ‘unique’ thing that a congregation
can do” for the youth is to budget some money to help
take “some of the load off fundraising.” That assistance,
he said, “allows us to spend more time with other important
things.”
Friday,
July 4, 2003
