MAD in the City Day 1

MAD in the City 2021 Making a Difference (MAD) in the City is Church Street Youth’s annual summer mission project.

This project is focused on serving Knoxville and is a longstanding partnership with the Wesley House Community Center. Historically, we have spent time each summer with Wesley House students by providing academic support with one-on-one schoolwork, playing games, going on field trips, and working on building projects. This year, in order to honor COVID protocols, we are adding other service projects to the week to keep our groups smaller and support our city in even more ways.

This summer, our youth will: Continue in our partnership with Wesley House, complete an Operation Backyard project of roofing a house and work with Beacon of Hope to help them prepare for a new school year. Our students will be rotating between the three work sites during the days. In the afternoons & evenings, we will join together back at Church Street for fellowship, dinner, and worship before pick-up. One new addition to the week is supporting Wesley House’s Walk-a-Thon fundraiser to help with their capital campaign!

Wesley House is currently working through the rigorous process of becoming licensed with the Department of Human Services. This will allow them to better serve the East Knoxville community in a wide variety of ways. The pandemic has shifted the way Wesley House operates and serves, like becoming a Food Pantry in addition to all of their other work. Becoming licensed will open so many doors for this incredible group, but getting there requires substantial updates to their building. The Walk-a-Thon fundraiser will help with getting their building up to code — a huge priority to help this ministry continue serving the community!

Our youth group will be doing a walk through Downtown Knoxville on Sunday, July 11 as part of our kick-off to MAD in the City. We would love for you to support our team by making a financial donation by adding MAD in your check’s memo line! Our goal in this Walk-a-Thon is to raise $2500 for WHCC.

Our week looks a little different than is has in the past, but it is also SO exciting to think about how much we can accomplish during this time! Our youth are generous with their time and energy each summer so that we can commit to serving the Knoxville community well. One of the verses we return to over and over again is James 1:22, which reminds us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. When our faith changes our hearts, it calls us to action. And this summer, we are answering that call by serving our city with joy!

Contact Jenny Cross at jcross@churchstreetumc.org with any questions.