From Denver: Good Roads, Good Stories

By Pastor Kevin Bergeson

 

Kevin is a pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He recently returned from taking their high schoolers to Denver, CO. Kevin also served as a YouthWorks Site Staff in 2001 in Coahoma, MS.

 

In honor of our Denver trip leaving Saturday, #tbt to 2001 site staff in Coahoma, MS. This community is still teaching me to love God and love my neighbor…many years later. #faith #elca #serve

A photo posted by Kevin Bergeson (@pkevpamber) on Jun 9, 2016 at 6:53pm PDT

18 high school students and four adults from Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Aberdeen, South Dakota, traveled to Denver to serve and none of us came back the same. What carried us there were the incredible roads! Save for one stretch of bumps from Murdo to White River, each road seemed like it had just been paved and covered just for us. Our vans (and riders) were so happy to have the journey to Denver be so easy.

 

Denver bound. Please keep the team in prayer! #yw2016

A photo posted by Kevin Bergeson (@pkevpamber) on Jun 11, 2016 at 6:03pm PDT

 

We have stories for you about service project sites that included a dance party in an Alzheimer’s care home. We have stories about the hush of visiting the Columbine High School Memorial in Littleton. We have stories about God’s creation in the mountains. We have stories of how our live’s were changed by Jesus’s presence and being in loving community for a week.

 

Halfway through our week with Team Denver. Building community and building faith. #yw2016 #elca #youth #serve

A photo posted by bethlehemaberdeen (@bethlehem_aberdeen) on Jun 15, 2016 at 10:52am PDT

 

Serving with the fellas. This place helps folks who have been incarcerated get back on their feet and to work. #serve #Elca #yw2016

A photo posted by Kevin Bergeson (@pkevpamber) on Jun 15, 2016 at 10:57am PDT

We returned with our high school students last Friday and then 22 of our middle schoolers and shepherds left for Green Bay the next day for a YouthWorks trip of their own. While our congregation helped pave the way for all of the students’ trips through prayer, financial gifts, and social media encouragement, it was awesome to see the high schoolers write a note for the middle schoolers upon their return – paving the way for them in prayer, personal experiences, and words of encouragement.

 

A note of blessing from the high school Denver trip team to the middle school Green Bay trip team leaving today. #Godspeed #serve #yw2016

A photo posted by bethlehemaberdeen (@bethlehem_aberdeen) on Jun 18, 2016 at 6:15am PDT

We are grateful for our stories from Denver and can’t wait to hear more from Green Bay!

 

Pray for our wonderful middle schoolers leaving for Green Bay today. Godspeed! #serve #Elca #yw2016

A photo posted by bethlehemaberdeen (@bethlehem_aberdeen) on Jun 18, 2016 at 2:30pm PDT

CLICK HERE for more information on serving with YouthWorks!