Students at Trinity UMC, McAllen, lead
worship service events for Youth Sunday


“Lord, we come together today as a new generation joining to worship before you, a new generation desiring to live, learn and grow in your holy church. May we strive throughout our lives to learn all we can from each generation present here before us today, that together as a church family, we forever open our hearts to hearing your word, keeping it alive within us, transforming us, teaching us to reach out in every opportunity you provide, to share your love and your grace in this world. Help us understand your will for our lives, making this faithful community a place where you live and reign forever. Amen.”
This prayer opened Trinity UMC’s “Youth’s Sunday Worship Service” Jan 28 in McAllen.
Worship was youth-led and helped kick off a churchwide collection campaign for the Heifer Project, which youths wanted to support. The campaign is to extend throughout February.

Adults are competing men vs. women in collecting for water buffalos. Youths and children compete for flocks of chickens.
Diane Bleibdrey, Trinity’s volunteer youth leader, organized the youth-led service with Doug Timmer, Trinity’s choir director.
Christian Rock, a skit in which a newscaster interviews a variety of characters roaming throughthe Bible stories of Noah (he even interviews the water buffalos); disciples Peter and John at the feeding of the 5,000; and the Priest, Levite and Good Samaritan.
These stories all led up to the message, “Christ wants us to reach out to help others.”
Youths presented a PowerPoint slide show of activities in which they’ve been involved throughout the past year.
The Rev. Janne Clinton, pastor, was somewhat given a day of rest, and viewed worship from the pew.
A collection was taken for the youths’ mission projects fund, and an informational piece about the Heifer project beginnings from a recent Upper Room meditation was shared with the congregation.