Blog

Mentor and Protégé at 2019 Christmas event.

Happy Holidays, Youth Horizons friends,

The holiday season is a good time to recognize and express gratitude for Youth Horizons’ partners. Especially the many churches that help us serve vulnerable youth across the Wichita area. One of those churches is Riverlawn Christian Church (4243 N. Meridian Ave.) which is the site of YH’s annual Christmas Carnival scheduled from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. The Christmas Carnival is a collaboration involving many church partners. They help provide holiday gifts for youth in our Community Mentoring program, on our Waiting List and residing at Kinloch Price Boys Ranch. Churches providing gifts this year include Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Calvary Chapel Wichita, Country Acres Baptist, Cross Road Church, Family Church and First Mennonite Brethren.

The holiday event, popular with our youth, features carnival games, a keynote speaker providing a gospel message, holiday music, light food and more. Due to Covid-19 concerns, the 2020 Christmas Carnival will follow mandated and recommended public health guidelines relative to the ongoing pandemic. Details are still forming, so, please, stay tuned through our website, emails and YH social media platforms at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Another church partner that has recently supported our youth-mentoring ministry is Pathway Church locations. Including, the main campus at Pathway Church Westlink as well as campuses in Goddard and Valley Center. During his sermon on Sunday, Nov. 15, Pathway’s lead Pastor Todd Carter spoke about a Biblical basis (James 1:27) for mentoring. Then he shared the story of Youth Horizons through the personal testimony of YH President Robert Garner. It was a powerful message. Westlink Campus Pastor Todd Hutchinson reinforced the importance of mentoring which contributed to nearly 20 Pathway members attending YH’s Mentor Advocate Training session on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 19. That was record attendance at our new downtown office where YH relocated in January.

Also, on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the downtown office, YH held its first ever Thanksgiving Food Drive, distributing meals to 20 Protégé and Waiting List families. Eastminster Presbyterian provided those meals. (To see more about this event, go to our Facebook page.)

Of course, many more church partners give in various ways. An abundance of our blessings hail from the generosity, engagement and prayers of church partners. We could not do this ministry without their steadfast support, so this holiday season, we are dedicating this space to highlight a few of them and thank all of them for their contributions to our youth.