Chicago Kids Ministry

Vision Statement

Springhill Church will provide an opportunity for urban youth (Junior/Senior High) and alumni to travel to Montana and interact with our congregation for one week each summer, experiencing the life styles of the Springhill Church community. During this week our guests will participate in various activities of Bible study, service and adventure with members of the Springhill congregation. Times for interaction will be made available with host families, youth, college students and many other members of Springhill’s Fellowship. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our hope is that through this ministry and with Mission Trips to Urban Ministry Sites like Sunshine, all of us will build relationships and come to know each other as family through the blood of Jesus Christ; and if God wills, one day this ministry will become a week-long summer camp for urban youth from various cities in the United States, supported by Springhill and its satellite churches.

History

In 2001, shortly after Aaron Schuerr became a member of Springhill Church, he ask Session if he could look into starting a ministry with inner City Chicago kids. His father had been a school teacher in Chicago and was familiar with the Sunshine Gospel Ministries. Aaron was given approval from the SPC Session and placed a call to Sunshine. Aaron Roy, a counselor at Sunshine answered the call. Aaron Schuerr told him that a small church in Montana would like to invite a group of inner city kids from Chicago to spend a week in Montana experiencing the outdoors, doing service, studying the Bible and having fellowship with the families of SPC. Aaron Roy was pleasantly surprised at God's prompt answer to prayer as he conveyed to Aaron Schuerr that he had just left a meeting where they were discussing and praying for a location that they could bring a small group for a week long experience similar to what Aaron had just described to him! Wow! As a result, in late July, in 2002, a group of high school boys and girls came to experience a week in Montana. Great friendships were made and this summer will be our 9th year of hosting a group of kids from inner city Chicago through Sunshine Gospel Ministries. Aaron Roy and Dave Clark were the counselor's with Sunshine in the first group and continue to come every year. Aaron Roy has since become a Pastor and he and his wife Sugar have planted a church in Richmond, CA. Aaron and his family have continued to come from California to Montana each year. We are also in contact with many of the kids who have come out over the past nine years.