CrossTrainers
CrossTrainers is a one-on-one mentoring program for kids in the Athens-area low-income housing communities. Kids involved range in age from 7-16. Each child (crosstrainer) is paired up with a Christian college student (crosstrainer coach). The coach spends one hour a week with their child. We simply ask that the coaches live lives that glorify the Lord so that the kids may see Christ though them. In addition to these weekly meetings, we have a worhip service once a month for all of the kids and their coaches to attend. At the end of the year, we take all of the coaches and their crosstrainers on a weekend retreat. CrossTrainers is similar to the Big Brother/Big Sister program, except that we focus on sharing the love of Christ with the kids.
CrossTown Kids
CrossTown Kids is a program for elementary-age children in the Athens-area low-income housing communities. It is held every Monday at The Light, a church in the Rocksprings Community, at 3:30 p.m. We have games, skits, large and small group lessons, and crafts. We desire to pour out the love of Christ into these children that they may know Him. As they learn more about who God is, they will discover who they are in Him. It is our prayer that one day, these children will become leaders for the Lord in their communities!
TABS
TABS (The Afternoon Bible Study) is a small group Bible study for middle and high school girls in the Parkview and Rocksprings Housing Communities. We meet on Mondays at 4:00 at Wesley. Most of these girls have been a part of Wesley children’s ministries for the past 5 or 6 years. They are too old to attend CrossTown Kids so TABS was created as a means of taking these older girls deeper in the things of the Lord. Each week, we teach/discuss issues that are relevant to them such as peer pressure, purity, education, etc. We want these girls to see God as their Father and not as some mean, far-away God — we want to help them develop an intimate relationship with Him.
Open Arms
Open Arms is a ministry devoted to sharing the Love of Christ with children with disabilities through games, skits, lessons, and an all-round environment of acceptance. Our heart is to minister with compassion to a group of people who are often overlooked. Open Arms meets twice a month on Thursdays, from 6:15 to 7:15. (leadership must arrive at 5:45 to pray and prepare). Occasionally, they sponsor special community events to promote and publicize Open Arms.