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Joint mission trip finds fulfillment and recreation in Asbury Park "Serving in the Son"

Mission trip participants package apples
By: 
The Rev. Kathryn King

This year St. Alban’s, Oakland/Franklin Lakes joined The Church of St. Luke and St. Mary of Hope and Belvidere to sponsor their first joint youth mission trip, “Serving in the Son.” The week was based at Trinity Church in Asbury Park and included work in the parish food pantry and soup kitchen, as well as reclaiming some unused space for ministry and participating in the weeknight Taize service.

The Rev. Rose Hassan, priest-in-charge of St. Luke and St. Mary, lives in Ocean Grove and was a long-term supply priest at Trinity, Asbury Park. Hassan and the Rev. Kathryn King of St. Alban’s were looking to offer something together, and Hassan made the connection with Trinity. Trinity's Rector, the Rev. Michael Way, was so enthusiastic about the program that he moved out of the rectory for a week so that the youth and adults of the mission trip could stay there and keep the cost of the week to just food and transportation. It was an incredible gesture of grace and one that made the week a treat as well as a week of service.

The small but productive group of youth and adults packaged hundreds of pounds of potatoes and apples for distribution from the food pantry, where they also served for two days. They also helped with all aspects of Trinity’s monthly community dinner, which serves between 80 and 140 people. The stage in the parish hall, which had become a cluttered storage dumping ground, was sorted, cleaned and arranged to look like a living room for use as an education and service room during food panty and soup kitchen operation. When the group finished their work, the space was barely recognizable.

The location of the beach afforded endless possibilities for recreation after work sessions. The beach, boardwalk, miniature golf and even a zip line course filled out the days that were already jam-packed.

It was a wonderful week and as is the case with God’s economy, everyone came away knowing that they had gotten far more than they had offered.

Planning has already begun to expand Serving in the Son to include another congregation of the diocese, as well as more youth and service opportunities.