Why We Elevate?

Met with two fellow small group leaders last night to talk about our seasonal ministry Elevate.  Elevate is a chance for us as a church to go out in the world to appreciate God’s creation and connect outside of church walls.  Right now the ministry has dual purposes, worship and fellowship.  There is also an evangelization aspect where we encourage the students to bring their friends.  So as you can see why we exactly have this ministry might seem a little vague. 
Elevate came from the idea that teenagers weren’t spending enough time marveling the world that God has created for them.  Not only that but we feel that teens rarely connect with one another outside the school walls, sports, the Internet, basically Suburbia.  Elevate is an opportunity for students to have an active summer while they connect in Christ like relationships.  The majority of things Elevate will do is hike and camp; however, we also realize that God’s beauty can be found in an urban setting and inside the walls of a museum.  Again how this all works to our mission, our vision at Church of the Nativity, I’m not quite sure.  I know this is part of our effort in Upward Ministries (student ministries at Church of the Nativity) to keep the students connected to the local church so that when September comes they aren’t thinking, “Oh wait Nativity?  I think I use to go there.”  So we’ll see what works, we’ll see how our first trip to Old Rag Mountain in the Shenandoah Valley on May 22nd as we launch Elevate.