Jul 23, 2024 | Sarah Borgstrom Lee

In 2013, three students from Yardley United Methodist Church were rebuilding homes that were damaged by Superstorm Sandy when a moment of Holy Spirit inspiration came. They realized, “We can do a mission trip at our church!”

(from left to right) Cristian F. (Yardley UMC), Cam P. (Yardley UMC) and Shermel M. (Princeton UMC)

They came back from the 2013 trip energized to turn their vision into reality. They wanted to plan their own mission trip — not in another community, but right in their own backyard. Their wise youth leader Denise Harris helped to channel their excitement into action. She gave them a list of decisions that they would need to make and told them that they needed to recruit more adults to help.

When Denise returned from vacation, the students handed her a paper with everything planned out. Their first student-led mission trip would take place during the second week of July the following summer. They’ve continued to plan and lead a local mission trip every year, except for COVID-related interruption.

Over the years, more than 500 students have donated over 6,295 service hours to projects in their surrounding communities.

MyCalling Ministries is entirely student-led. “No adult holds a microphone,” Denise Harris joked. The leadership team meets throughout the year to plan the summer mission projects with local organizations. The students pick the mission sites and maintain relationships with the community organizations they serve. Many of the mission sites are long term partners of MyCalling Ministries.

Maddie V. (Christ Church), Gretchen H (Christ Church), Tia K. (Christ Church), Maggie M. (Main Street UMC), and Kayla A. (Main Street UMC) paint a picnic bench.

This year, students painted piggie houses for Ross Mill Farm, a local pig rescue. They mucked out stalls and stripped and painted a picnic table for White Pine Farm, a horse rescue. Students also helped St. Andrew’s UMC of Warminster sort and categorize clothes for their clothing distribution ministry. Youth groups from Yardley UMC, Princeton UMC, Christ Church in Summit, NJ, and Main Street UMC in Bedford, VA worked together to comfort rescued piggies, paint, clean, and organize clothing donations.

One of the advantages that MyCalling Ministries can offer youth leaders is that the projects and activities are planned by the MyCalling leaders ahead of time. This allows youth leaders and adult volunteers to be present in the moment with their group, helping them to notice where God is at work, both in the mission sites they serve, but also in their own lives.

Gretchen H. (Christ Church), Maddie V. (Christ Church), and Kayla A. (Main Street UMC) sort clothes at St. Andrew’s UMC Warminster

When asked what she would tell herself ten years ago, Denise Harris did not hesitate in her response. “Trust God. Just keep trusting.” She watched the ministry grow from 8-12 students their first year, to 24, then 40. The ministry grew, nearly doubling in numbers every year, until the pandemic hit.

While MyCalling is in a rebuilding time, Denise is not discouraged. “This is what God has given us, and we are going to go.”

MyCalling Ministries is planning a service weekend in honor of MLK Day. Mark your calendars for Jan. 17-18, 2025 and for their 2025 mission trip, July 13-17. Find out more at mycallingministries.com or by contacting office@mycallingministries.com