After a devastating flood ravaged the outskirts of Canton, NC in the fall of 2021, youth and adult leaders from Old St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Newton joined with the youth and adult leaders from Taylorsville Presbyterian Church in Taylorsville to help serve and make a difference for those in need. Our faithful group, totaling seven youths and seven adults, partnered with the Methodist Mission Outreach Ministry team serving in Canton for a week of service from June 12-18, 2022. During our week we tackled two primary work projects: re-flooring a washed-out residence for a disabled senior citizen and building a new deck for a man who lost his primary access to his mobile home. Our team gained great skills in our service and we gathered each night in a devotional to reflect on how God was at work through our labors each day. We enjoyed getting to know our two homeowners and hearing their backgrounds and stories. We rejoiced in how God united us together to overcome their challenges from the flood and parted with joy knowing that our work provided them with repairs that will serve them well into the future.

Beyond our work, we too experienced the joys of walking together in faith among our two united churches. This summer’s gathering continues over a decade of our local Lutheran-Presbyterian partnership and we look forward to the ways we might continue in service in the years to come.

We’d like to extend a tremendous thanks to the Kaelke endowment for their generous financial support of our Summer 2022 Mission Trip. This grant purchased the needed construction supplies for our two projects and additionally helped toward covering our food and lodging costs for our week of work. In addition, and beyond the financial assistance provided, the generosity of this grant complemented our fundraising and was the final piece that made the trip possible for our team. We share our deepest appreciation and thanks to the Kaelke endowment and grant team!

The Kaelke Fund is available to youth groups of the North Carolina Synod to assist them in mission trips. The application for 2023 will be open soon. Stay tuned to the Youth Ministry webpage for additional details and the application link!