NEWS

Flip flops help youth spread word of Jesus’ love
at Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival

More than 1,000 pairs of flip flops were passed out on the midway of the Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival August 18-20 by teens from Bucyrus United Methodist Church.  As they passed out the flip flops, the youth spread the message of Jesus’ love. 

Each flip flop had a sticker with the church’s address and hours of worship, plus Jeremiah 29:11:  “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope.”  

“This is one of the things we’re doing for Project 1:8.  We decided our community was where we needed to begin making disciples,” said Aaron Akers, one of the many youth handing out flip flops. “We chose to pass out flip flops because they would attract kids and people under 30, the ones we need to keep our church alive.” 

Project 1:8 is a challenge presented in June at the Youth Annual Conference.  The challenge is to fulfill Jesus’ command to “Go make disciples of all the nations” using the power he promised in Acts 1:8:  “But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power and tell people about me everywhere, and to the ends of the earth.”

“It was fun!” exclaimed Tammy Garrett, who is one the group’s representatives to the Mid-Ohio District Youth Council.  “We filled a shopping cart with some of the flip flops and pushed it down the street.  At first we went up to people walking by us.  Then I was surprised as lots of people started gathering around us.  We didn’t plan to give out exact sizes, but the longer it took them to find the right size, the longer we had to talk to them.”

Aaron was at first concerned about the people who refused to take a pair.  “It was frustrating.  I worried about them, about why they didn’t take the free shoes.  But we prayed about it – prayed that if they were scared of God or of people showing their religion, that someday God would find another way to reach them.”

The youth not only witnessed to others, but were witnessed to by others.  ”We gave pairs to Patrick and Molly who were working in a food stand,” said Megan Lyons, a new member of the Conference Council on Youth Ministries.  “Patrick said he talks to the HS (Holy Spirit) every day and he needed lots of prayers.  He also said he’d hold up in prayer the God Squad Trio Plus One.  That’s what he called us, because three of the four of us had on our God Squad t-shirts.”

“These youth practically lived at the festival for three days,” said youth leader Sue Stander.  “In addition to passing out the flip flops, they raised money by staffing two parking lots and the church’s food stand.  Last year, they decided to give 10 percent of what they raise to Youth Service Fund.  The rest will fund missions and get them to 11-11-11 in November, YAC next summer and other activities.”

“The people of our congregation really stepped up and donated enough flip flops that we exceeded our goal of 1,000,” added Sue.

Bucyrus United Methodist Church is a new congregation in the Mid-Ohio District, formed by the merger of the former Epworth, First and Grace UM churches.  The congregation is led by Pastor Mike Corwin and the Rev. Don Kraps.