Youth Lounge Update
November 2018
The YARD room just underwent a transformation. New flooring, fresh paint, updated lighting, comfy furniture, and most importantly – a working foosball table!
This room sits at the back of Hayden Hall (the gym) and has served as a meeting and hang-out hub for youth through the years. It’s also utilized by students in Little Lambs preschool, After-School Adventures and JOY summer camp.
This renovation resonates with the continued growth of the youth ministry itself. The youth team has been absorbing the book Growing Young, and in one chapter the authors suggest, “To figure out which changes make the most sense in your context, start in the parking lot and approach your church campus with the fresh eyes of a first-time young person. Walk your campus, imagining where young people feel accepted and where they feel misunderstood.”
Being trendy is not the goal. Nor to have the “coolest” space in town. But more importantly, this space serves to tell our students they matter to the life of this church. It’s a space they are proud of and take ownership over. A space that’s their own.
We also know it’s not the space, or even the programs, that are most important in showing our young people they matter. It’s the relationships – and the warmth we shed regularly on the younger people in our congregation. And this is just one more step in creating a culture of prioritizing our young people at PCJH.
We have such gratitude to so many for making this project a reality.
A special thanks to generosity from outside the church, from friends in the Jackson community:
Kris & Stephan Carter at Bison Lumber for donating time and materials at cost
Molly Murray of Iris Antiques and Design for donating time and furniture at cost
Todd Sholtens at Bison Lumber for donating materials
A huge thanks to our Elder for Youth, Barb Andrews, for making this project come to fruition so quickly. Without her, we would still be at square one. Thanks to the finance team and session for their support. And most importantly, thank you to the congregation of PCJH for your generosity throughout the years. And ultimately, all thanks be to God.
We invite you to come check out this new space! We will be showing it off with drinks and snacks, after both services this Sunday, December 2nd.
