Aiken VBS students learn about service to others at ACTS

Bill Bengtson, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read

Jun. 23—Suzanne Jackson and her corps of employees and volunteers got a boost of youthful assistance this week at Aiken Churches Together Serving's downtown facility, as several churches linked their Vacation Bible School and similar programs to the interdenominational ministry.

New Covenant Presbyterian, St. John's United Methodist and First Presbyterian were a part of this week's effort to keep donations of food and clothing moving in the right direction, with Jackson, ACTS' executive director, helping direct traffic.

Rachel Rogers, coordinator of children's ministry at New Covenant, helped lead her congregation's effort, largely focused on preparing a truckload for a food giveaway in Ridge Spring. "We decided that getting our kids off campus and into the community, serving people who they don't even know, would get them outside of themselves a little bit and learning what it really means to serve people who aren't like them or people they don't know," she said.

"We did it Monday through Thursday," said Ford Simons, 10, who was part of the First Presbyterian group, also visiting Hitchcock Woods and Children's Place during the course of the week. This was his first visit inside the ACTS facility, and the experience was "pretty cool," he said.

Teagan Blair, 11, with the group from St. John's, noted that the past few days also included visits to Life Choices Pregnancy Care Center and Stand at the Crossroads Ministries, both in Aiken. "They were all very dedicated and I could tell that they liked what they did," she recalled.

Abi Miles, 11, with New Covenant, said, "We learned a lot about serving and ... how we should serve others and place their needs above ours."

She also commented on the connection between the ACTS visit and discussions at church. "In youth group, we've been talking a lot about serving others and helping the needy and people that can't do a lot. We should help them do more," she said.

Mary Ellis Crook, 11, with the group from First Presbyterian, noted that the week's activities also included a helping of humor in pursuing a goal of providing hundreds of items to support ACTS.

"We were raising food and clothing, and if we got over 300, we'd get to 'pie' our pastor, Chris Erde," she said. "We got probably over 500."

ACTS dates back to 1986 and, as described on its website, aims "to partner with churches, organizations, and individuals to provide assistance to our neighbors in need, in the name of Jesus Christ."