Dear WPC Family and PEVA Council,
The statements below are from the youth and chaperones who attended a mission experience with C.R.O.S.S. Missions at Myers Park Presbyterian in Charlotte, N.C., in mid-July. We wanted to share our experience to bear witness to what we saw and heard, but also to give thanks for your support in prayer and with the Presbyterian Youth Camp and Conference grant. When the youth asked to go on a mission trip, you paved the way. Thank you for investing in these youth!
—The Christian Outreach Ministry
From Kai
Although I have been to CROSS once before, it is something I think about often as well as look forward to. Not only does this mission trip help me get closer to the friends I already have through WPC, but it also allows me to meet new people and learn about their lives, whether I’m making friends with the residents at Charlotte Rescue Mission by serving them lunch or with the children at 658 by playing dodgeball. More importantly, gathering with people is one of the main ways I feel God’s presence, and CROSS is a great way for me to feel his presence while also doing something good.
My favorite site that we had the pleasure of visiting this past week was Charlotte Rescue Mission. It was amazing to see how happy and grateful the men in the facility were when they saw new faces serving them. It was also fascinating to learn about how their specific mission worked, how it was run only by volunteers, and that their recovery programs are made to fit each resident. This CROSS Missions trip gave me a way to be with my people while serving God’s people.
From Sam
There’s something special about creating an environment of worship and service that seems to make all your own problems feel small. Such a place refocuses your view onto the things that really matter—connection with people and connection with Our Creator—and that’s exactly what CROSS did for me this week.
This past week was the perfect mix of visiting well-loved sites that I’ve been to in my prior trips as well as opening my eyes to brand new ways of helping the people who need it. My favorite site we went to all week was HUG CLT—a “no questions asked” free food pantry for anyone who walks through their doors. There we packaged food from their shipment pallets into boxes so other volunteers could easily help the people who come in to “shop” for food. Going to HUG was a good reminder of how the small things matter and how no act of intentional service can go overlooked.
Amidst a wide variety of mission sites throughout the whole week, it often strikes me how much is being done in Charlotte, and how sad it is that so much must be done. But seeing HUG, such a large operation—projected to provide over 1,000,000 pounds of food to people this year—be completely run by volunteers is such a distinct display of hope. It was an awe-inspiring reminder that there are people out there who care and there are people out there, like us and our work with CROSS Missions, who are willing to lend a helping hand in the name of our Lord.
Serving together in the kitchen at CROSS
From Sumner
I am thankful for CROSS because it shows you how much need is in a community. I am grateful that I could share the time with my friends doing work that I knew would benefit others. We were able to garden fresh produce at Zen Garden; it’ll be used for meal packs. We got to serve the men at Charlotte Rescue Mission their lunch for the day and get to know how the organization works. We got to restock Crisis Assistance Ministry. We took clothes that were donated and set them out for people to come get anything from nice clothing for work to vases and home goods. Kailani, Sam, and I have all gotten to see and experience how hard life can be for others and how we get to serve others.
From pulling fresh carrots out of the ground at Zen Garden to taking out the trash at MedAssist, I am so thankful for the opportunity to get to come to CROSS Missions in 2026. I met Sam and Kai at CROSS two years ago in 2024, two weeks before I moved to Williamsburg. This church has been such an amazing community for me to be in. Getting to do service with them will be a core memory in my heart. From the hot sweaty days to the times Dr. Melissa Long scolded me for not knowing how to play pool, this week was full of heartfelt joy. We were able to grow in faith and community all thanks to your generosity. Thank you so much, WPC and PEVA, for this amazing opportunity.
From Shanna
We are deeply grateful for your generous support in sending our youth group to CROSS Mission.
Because of your investment, our students had the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ by serving alongside organizations dedicated to ending homelessness, providing crisis intervention, and caring for those who are underserved and unheard.
It was a blessing to watch our youth serve with open hearts, listening to the stories of others with compassion and treating every person with the dignity they deserve. As they worked together, they developed creative systems to organize tasks, support the ministries they served, and accomplish meaningful work with excellence.
As a chaperone, I was deeply inspired by our students. It was remarkable to watch them work with joy, care for others so selflessly, and willingly step outside their comfort zones to serve. Their compassion, humility, and servant hearts were a beautiful reflection of Christ’s love in action.
Most importantly, this experience strengthened their faith. They witnessed God’s love at work through ordinary acts of service and learned that serving others is one of the most powerful ways we reflect Christ. Thank you for making this life-changing opportunity possible. Your generosity has left a lasting impact on both the communities we served and the hearts of our young people.
Working in the garden during the CROSS mission week
From Lissa
Being able to wear my mom hat, GP hat, and old Youth Ministry hat was an absolute joy! It has been a few years since I’ve been able to chaperone a youth experience, and this trip reminded me why I have loved youth ministry for so long. Through every partner we met, work we did, stories we heard, and brokenness we saw, we were reminded of Jesus’ command to love God and to love our neighbor. We were encouraged with the theme of listening to unheard stories, and with that focus, we listened deeper and opened our eyes bigger.
While there are a ton of stories I’d like to share with you, one stands out the most. One morning our group sorted clothing, shoes, linens, and household items for a store with Crisis Ministries. Families are invited to shop with no cost for items they need for themselves, their families, and their homes. The director gave the direction to be choosy as we sorted, shelved, and hung each item. Nothing with scuff marks, holes, smells, over-worn, etc. was allowed to stay. The store only “sold” the best items. As we heard stories about families who would utilize the store, I also listened to our youth discuss the difference in how they would be donating items moving forward. If they wouldn’t wear it because of it being worn or a stain, it needed to go to a dropoff that would recycle the material. If it was a non-perishable they wouldn’t eat, then they would make sure to donate what they would. Those choices were transformative as they saw their way to increase dignity for those experiencing crisis.
The youth have discerned much during C.R.O.S.S. and have lots of questions as they return home. Hold on tight! They are coming home with a heart for Williamsburg and a week’s worth of examples of how we can walk with our brothers and sisters in dignity and love.
