Local ministry gathers community for Youth Summit
Unity has been a persistent mission of the Polk County Outreach Ministries, Zion Hill First Baptist Church partnership, and the group continued its efforts by helping to put on a youth summit where citizens were invited to an afternoon of religious worship and brotherly love.
Each of the summit’s events were held under a common theme: self worth. After the tragic shootings of Polk youth earlier in January, the group decided to host the event in an attempt to boost morale and remind young people of the importance each of their lives hold.
“Well, with the incident that happened here January 24, we felt that there were children searching for answers,” the group’s Frankie Poteete said. “Some of the youth came to us asking why this happened, and we hope to provide some closure to that — and hopefully prevent it from happening again. Hopefully, we can start steering their lives into the right direction early on. Remind them that we are here for them.”
To do this, the guests were invited to praise and worship in their own way. Highlighting the talents of youth by showcasing interpretive dances was one way the event delivered its messages, and speeches from pastors and other local church officials served as a more literal way of informing the attendee’s of their personal worth.
“You are never too young for God to bless you,” Mt. Olivet Baptist Church Youth Minister Joseph Howard said. “People can say you won’t amount to anything, but God just rolls his eyes. So don’t let people dictate your future — you can succeed. You can come out of your problems. Here’s the thing- I was blessed with parents that were able to encourage me. Unfortunately, that’s not every young person’s story. One of the reasons our young people feel discouraged is because the adults around them don’t encourage them. Adults- are you listening? Encourage young people. Hold young people accountable, but encourage young people. Stop saying this generation is cursed. Stop speaking that negativity. Learn how to build up. Because just like somebody built you up, the next generation needs the same thing.”
The sentiment of building youth up was shared by other speakers such as local Pamela Darden who highlighted the need to encourage youth from an early age.
“A healthy identity comes from understanding the truth about yourself,” Darden said. “Our deepest journey is to understand where we came from and the purpose for which we remain. Sadly, many don’t have the answers to these questions or neglect to give their children the confidence that comes from knowing God made them for a reason. So it’s vital that dads and moms teach their kids who they are and why they are here.”
While the Polk County Outreach Ministries, Zion Hill First Baptist Church partnership typically focuses its efforts on adults, the March 3 event was the first of many youth-based events likely to come. With the speeches said and done, the attendees were left to mingle over complimentary refreshments and raffle prizes.
The Goodyear Community Center saw a large crowd during the event, so one could only hope the messages of the event hit home. More information about Polk County Outreach Ministries can be found at https://polkoutreachminsitries.org/home.