wfn.org | Teens roll in to church with skateboard park

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Nov. 13, 2003 News media contact: Linda Green7(615) 742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
7 E-mail: newsdesk@umcom.org7 ALL {555}

By Fran Coode Walsh*

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (UMNS)-The popularity of skateboarding has provided a
Florida church with a new way to reach young people in the community.

Brent Foucht, a 16-year old member of Fort Caroline United Methodist Church,
is an avid skateboarder. A little more than a year ago, he convinced his
congregation to build ramps for kids in the area to use.

Skateboarding is off-limits in many public areas so this was a rare chance to
be welcomed.  As Foucht noted, "People will come up and yell at them
(skateboarders)...because they're supposedly messing up their curbs or doing
something that's destructive ...We opened this up so they can come here and
not have anything to worry about."

Some people were worried, though.  

Many members at Fort Caroline are 70 years and older and there was concern
about liability for accidents. "They were worried about being sued. They were
worried about the clientele that we would draw in. And they were not at all
in favor of it," explained Ann McCrocklin, a member.

But McCrocklin, who is in her 60s, pushed for the park, because she wanted
more young people to visit the church. "They could bring their friends," she
said. "It would keep kids off the street and out of trouble . . . a lot of
these people have never been in church.  And just getting them on church
grounds is a start."

The Rev. Eric Young, pastor of the Fort Caroline church, echoed those
sentiments, "If we're not being in some relevant ministry in our community,
what are we doing? Why are we here?"

On a typical Friday evening, two-dozen young people use the church's
skateboarding area, and enjoy free hot dogs and Kool-Aid. After skating, they
end the evening with about 10 minutes of Bible study.  Foucht appreciates the
comfort level for kids. "I hope they've found that Christians are actually
nice guys," he said. "We can come out here and have fun and talk about God a
little bit in between the cracks."   

Two of the skateboarders have been baptized and others have shown interest in
the church, so McCrocklin feels her efforts have paid off.

Despite the fact that the boarders are plunging down plywood ramps, whipping
across asphalt and launching into the air, there have been no serious
injuries to date. The church requires the skaters to wear helmets.

Youth pastor Jack Weber admits it's a little hard to watch, "It looks painful
to me but they always bounce back up. One thing I've learned about
skateboarders is that they're very persistent."

Seventeen-year-old Josh Stefanf says skateboarding and spirituality have much
in common. "You have to have a lot of dedication to do skating. It's the same
thing with church...You have to believe. You have to keep going to it. You
have to continue doing it. And, the more you do it, the better you feel about
it."

Fort Caroline has plans to appeal to young people who don't skate by building
a miniature golf course.

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**Walsh is coordinating producer of UMTV, a unit of United Methodist News
Service.

 
 

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