Young Life’s Paint War brings enjoyable, religion and connection –

Community

Photo by Ashutosh Das
The Paint War displays Young Life’s give attention to utilizing enjoyable and shared experiences to construct connections with college students.

Young Life marked the top of summer season with its annual Paint War occasion at Chestnut Ridge Church on Sept. 2.

The occasion was designed to offer younger individuals a welcoming place to spend time with associates, meet new individuals and construct relationships. For Young Life, the aim goes past a single occasion.

The group primarily serves center and highschool college students within the Morgantown space, with ministries at native excessive colleges, WyldLife for center faculty college students and Capernaum for younger adults with disabilities. Young Life additionally has a presence at West Virginia University, the place school college students function leaders and mentors.

At the guts of the group’s work is a straightforward aim: to know younger individuals personally and construct significant, lasting relationships with them.

The Paint War displays Young Life’s give attention to utilizing enjoyable and shared experiences to construct connections with college students. Organizers aimed to create an occasion younger individuals would take pleasure in and really feel snug inviting their associates to hitch.

Behind the scenes, employees members and volunteers spent important time planning, establishing and making ready for the occasion. Young Life’s Morgantown ministry consists of six space employees members, roughly 75 volunteer leaders, donors and an grownup help workforce.

The occasion introduced collectively music, enjoyable and shade in a welcoming, inclusive environment that inspired significant connections.

Young Life leaders say occasions just like the Paint War usually are not the ultimate aim, however fairly a chance to start and strengthen relationships. The group at present has connections with greater than 1,800 younger individuals by identify within the Morgantown space.

A key a part of Young Life’s philosophy is “going where kids are” fairly than anticipating younger individuals to return to them. Leaders might attend soccer or soccer video games, meet college students for a meal or just be obtainable when somebody wants help.

Young Life additionally locations explicit emphasis on reaching younger individuals who might really feel disconnected or on the sides of their communities.

Faith stays central to the group’s mission. Young Life seeks to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and assist them develop of their religion. Leaders imagine robust relationships with caring adults can present younger individuals with a secure setting to ask questions, discover their beliefs and discover encouragement and route.

The Paint War provided a visual instance of that broader mission — combining enjoyable with a chance to create stronger connections amongst college students, leaders and the broader group.

For Young Life, ministry usually takes place by means of on a regular basis interactions fairly than formal applications alone. Whether by means of a big occasion, a sporting exercise or a easy dialog, the group goals to be current within the lives of younger individuals and supply constant friendship, mentorship and help.

The success of the Paint War additionally mirrored the contributions of volunteers, donors, employees members and group supporters who helped make the occasion potential.

Young Life leaders expressed gratitude to the Morgantown group and mentioned the occasion demonstrated what can occur when individuals work collectively to create constructive experiences for younger individuals.

Brian Shirak, Area Director, Young Life, Morgantown, contributed to this report.