School let out over a month ago, yet a group of teens stand in Christ the King School cafeteria.
"How many tables are there?" asks their adult leader, Aaron Mier.
"30!" several reply.
Buckets of suds, rags and many hands make short work of cleaning tables in the room.
The teens are back in school, doing service work in Springfield as part of their Alive In You experience. Over 300 youth from 10 dioceses spent the week of June 23-28 at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School learning more about the faith and helping the Springfield community. Camp attendees aided several organizations throughout the week, including Habitat for Humanity, Sojourn Shelter and Central Illinois Food Bank. They also helped with landscaping and repairs at local homes, parks and churches.
"We're hoping that the reaching out, using our hands, preaching the Gospel without using words (is) giving them the tools to help others throughout the rest of their life," said Rick Grinstead, coordinator for Springfield's Alive In You camp.
Alive In You is a Texas-based organization that puts on Catholic work camps for youth entering grades 8-12. Attendees spend a week serving the community by day, learning and growing in the faith by night. The camp's emphasis on performing works of mercy is grounded in daily Mass, prayer and faith education sessions, aided by music and fun activities.
"The biggest thing is to have a deeper Catholic faith," Grinstead explained. "That's our number one priority."
Several youth leaders hoped that attending Alive In You would help teens learn to actively live out the Catholic faith.
"We want to incorporate service into their life," said BethAnn Roty, chaperone for a group from Queen of the Miraculous Medal in Jackson, Mich. "At home we help with the community, and we want them to reach out to other communities, to see beyond themselves and their own home."
"What I think's fantastic about this group is how well organized it is," said Janet Zimmerman, co-coordinator of the Green Team at Church of the Little Flower in Springfield. Teens from two dioceses helped the Green Team with landscaping and cleaning at the church and Little Flower School.
Living together in prayer, fun and work gives the camp a unique sense of community.
"When you get together with 350 strangers, you are just a big family," said Anna Wetzel, participant from Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish. "Everybody has fun."
More information about Alive In You is available at www.aliveinyou.com.
Editor Note — Megan joined us this summer as an intern from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas where she is a senior majoring in mass communications. Among her numerous activities, Megan is vice president of Benedictine Ravens Respect Life. Later this month, she will attend the Catholic Writer's Guild conference in Somerset, N.J. She is a member of St. Louis Parish in Nokomis, and her family has deep roots in Montgomery County. She can be contacted at SM.