A new Acteens group at Parkway Baptist Church in Bardstown has just gotten underway.  The report of their first meeting is affirmation that teenaged girls care about missions and want to be involved.

We had our first official Acteens meeting tonight – We have five girls as our charter members.    I had the room decorated with construction theme for “The New Acteens, Under Construction.”  The girls are very excited about the group and had some really good ideas for some missions projects.  Two of the girls and I are going on the GA gift-stuffing event this Saturday to help the GAs.  We are doing a “Acteens in Bloom” project for the widows/widowers in April to plant flowers and do basic Spring cleaning – this will be the first missions project and will also give them credit hours towards camp.  One Acteen even has an unchurched friend that she asked to invite to “ease” her into a church environment through this group.  It was a very positive evening. I tried to end the meeting at 8, but the girls wanted to stay longer to discuss more ideas. This is a very positive group of girls. We were very pleased.  The girls even have an idea to promote the group at school in August and will take it upon themselves to get the clearance from the school to let other kids know what we are about.

Acteens and Challengers, the group for teenage boys, is way to mentor teenage girls and boys.  Through gender specific missions groups, we have the opportunity for our teenagers to spend time with women and men who are great role models and to mobilize them during their teen years to embrace the Great Commission. 

Our Kentucky WMU Consultant for Youth Missions, LaRaine Rice, met with the leaders at Parkway to help them get started.  We can do the same for your church or association.  Engaging youth in missions is worth the time and effort. The outcomes will last a lifetime and touch the world.  Will you “be the change” and start Acteens and Challengers in your church?