First United Methodist Church Whitewater Prime Time Completes 2026 Mission Trip to Denver

Posted on: August 19, 2026

To say this year’s mission trip was a success does not even begin to describe the impact of 16 of our high school students and 6 adult leaders driving over 1,000 miles to serve with YouthWorks in Denver, Colorado.

Prior to embarking on our journey, our group was blessed with family, fellow parishioners and Pastor Clarrisa who led us all in prayer for safe travels, the building of community amongst our group and the passion to serve in whatever capacity was needed on our mission trip.

The first day we drove 8 ½ hours and stayed overnight at First United Methodist Church in York, Nebraska. We settled in after a long day of driving and then went into town to bowl. Aaron led us in some engaging team building activities that allowed many of our first-time mission trip participants to feel welcomed and to learn some new things about one another.

We arrived at our Youth Works site in the Denver area Sunday afternoon. Our Whitewater FUMC group would be joined with a youth group from Minnesota and another smaller youth group from Oregon. The Youth Works staff introduced our theme for the week which was, “Made for This,” based on Colossians 3:9-17. We were to look at this week as an opportunity to discover who we are and who we were made to be while studying the Bible and seeing the examples Jesus set for us. Application of what we learned through our devotions and fellowship occurred as we served the community of Denver.

Our leaders and students were divided amongst 5 different work crews that remained the same throughout the week and were a mix of all three youth groups present. Each work crew was then assigned to different sites throughout the city each day. Several sites focused on improving home sites and neighborhoods for the elderly and those in need. There were also several sites that worked directly with the unhoused within shelters and or those living on the streets of downtown. One site, Project Cure, is the largest distributor of donated medical supplies to developing countries. Crews at this site helped collect medical supplies and equipment, sort, package and prepare donations.

Each day began with breakfast, followed by devotions and then we were off to serve at our sites. We met for a community activity following our time of serving each day. Then we returned to our site for dinner, showers, and large-group meeting time with individual church group time. It was amazing to witness the three individual youth groups meld into one large community as the days progressed. The youth took on more of the facilitating of large group time by leading Yeah God moments, examples of where we saw God each day, praying for the group and reading our daily scripture passages of focus. By the last night, all youth were linked arm in arm as they sang worship songs and they were truly inclusive and connected.

Another impactful example of our time this week occurred during our individual church sharing time. Our students shared what they did with their crews each day and how they saw God. It was apparent that their eyes and hearts were 100% in as they served. Testimonies of humility, joy in meeting people in need who were joyful, broken hearts for the amount of need they witnessed and the awe of the dedication of many of the leaders who worked tirelessly at each organization we served.

Our students served, grew in their faith, openly expressed their love for the Lord in front of their peers, prayed for others and proved that the future is bright when we step back and witness how our young adults mirror Philippians 2:3-5 – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.

In your relationships with one another have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

The youth group will be doing a sharing at this Sunday’s 8/23/26 10am service at First Methodist Church. Please come to hear the good news from the Youth of Whitewater.