Summer Groups Roundup!
Part of the fun of summer at CSM is having many different groups of all ages come in to serve during their summer break. It’s a little bit like summer camp at the warehouse. Every day is busy, and we are very grateful for these groups. Sometimes it may be hard for students to understand how their service is valuable. Still, these summer groups prepare the way for our outreaches, especially as we get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We host all sorts of groups in the summer: mission trips and groups who want to work on a construction project and spend considerable time here to youth groups who serve, some once a month, others once a week for several weeks. Jacquie (our summer intern coordinator) and the interns have been busy having so much fun with these groups. Though it gets hot in the warehouse, who doesn’t love the energy at CSM in the summer? This month, we wanted to highlight a smattering of these groups.
MBCC (Mountain Brook Community Church)
Mountain Brook Community Church has served here multiple times throughout the summer. They worked on many sorting projects like beauty, back to school, and party items. They also hosted a fun field day at Camp Bethel with their partner church Bethel Baptist of Collegeville. The campers were able to take a break from the classroom and spend the day outside playing with new friends. MBCC brought the fun and lunch for the kids! It was a sweet day of fun and fellowship for everyone involved. This group always brings energy and excitement to whatever they do. These two churches have partnered together for years through CSM, and we enjoy getting to see the two churches interact!
Briarwood Football at Miracle Academy
Briarwood’s football team worked hard at Miracle Academy to prepare an unused wing for reopening and new use. This section needed a deep clean to prepare the way for new classrooms. These boys were all in and willing to serve however they could. For two hours, the team cleaned lockers, mopped floors, wiped down furniture, replaced lights, and helped move heavy classroom furniture. They were dirty and tired when they finished, but their hard work made a huge difference!
Elevate
Elevate came from all over the country for a conference in Birmingham. As part of the conference, some attendees served here. Some were from Florida, Colorado, Ohio, and many other places. Going into the freezer for some of them was like a walk in the park! They were a very active group and were excited to be here. Even though they all came from different parts of the country, you could not tell they had just met for the first time during the Elevate Conference! This group worked well as a team and had an amazing bond. It was an honor to see them in action. For their project, they sorted through all the random goods found from our Good360 partner, Amazon. It was a pleasure being able to work with them and meet people from all over the country!
Spirit of Joy
Spirit of Joy lived out their name for the five days they were with us! They brought energy and excitement to our construction team despite the heat. They took on two different construction projects. One group completed a deck, and the other made huge progress on a siding project. They also helped us sort exercise equipment and were able to get their hands dirty in the garden. This group’s passion for service and love of fellowship was contagious. It was a joy to work alongside them!
Cahaba Park Youth
Cahaba Park youth was a fantastic group! The youth were very energetic and had a willing heart to serve. They worked as a team and finished their whole project during the 2 hours they came and served. Like most groups that come through CSM, the freezer was their favorite part of the tour. We would love to see them again.
