Anchorage Presbyterian Church in Anchorage, Ky., is right next door to the Bellewood Home for Children, which provides services to abused, neglected and homeless youth and families across the state.
So when the youth and leaders at Anchorage heard about the video contest for the Pentecost Offering — used to encourage and support young people and provide assistance to at-risk children — they knew they should get involved.
Members of all ages at Anchorage are involved with Bellewood, and some of the children at the home participate in the church’s youth activities, said Solon Smith, Anchorage’s part-time youth director.
“It’s been real neat and a blessing of an experience,” he said.
Anchorage has an older population, and while the congregation has given to the Pentecost Offering before, seeing their own youth involved has increased the congregation’s passion and participation, Smith said.
“I’ve been bringing up the offering more and more,” he said. “There’s a little bit more meaning because of the video.”
For submitting the winning video, Anchorage won registrations to this summer’s Presbyterian Youth Triennium. Two youth from the congregation are planning to attend the event, which they probably wouldn’t have done otherwise.
Congregations keep 40 percent of the money raised for the Pentecost Offering and can use those funds for a wide variety of ministries, such as Vacation Bible School. The Pentecost Offering is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s newest and smallest Special Offering and will be collected this Sunday, May 19.
To see Anchorage’s video, as well as the second- and third-place winners, click here.