St. Peter Lutheran youth serve, learn in New York

High school youth from St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Prairie du Chien joined youth from Immanuel Lutheran Church in Atwater, Minn., for a mission trip to Buffalo, N.Y., from June 22 to 30. 

A key theme for the week was from Matthew 25, where Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.”

The youth served others in a variety of ways alongside a network of churches active in mission work by assisting with a Family Fun Night at the Family Emergency Shelter (Salvation Army in Buffalo); providing painting and gardening projects for Zion Lutheran Church (Niagara Falls, N.Y.); helping one of their elders in her home; assisting with organizing their Sharing Center; assisting Parkside Lutheran Church (Buffalo) by preparing burritos and blessing bags, helping to organize and stock their food pantry, and helping to host a community picnic and family game day. 

Pastor Miranda Klosterboer lifted up the joy of serving with these ministries: “One of the cool things about this trip was that we got to see the network of the body of Christ. It was a joy to serve alongside some wonderful mission partners throughout the week.”

The St. Peter High School Mission Trip Team members included Jayden Henderson, Lane Henderson, Kye Czajkowski Higgins, Ezra Mask, Katie Mathies, Abby Perkins, Jackson Perkins, Michael Douglass, Asher Mask and Pastor Miranda Klosterboer. The team was sent out with prayers and blessings from the congregation of St. Peter.

En route to Buffalo, the team stayed near Toledo, Ohio, and had a chance to visit Cherry Street Mission, which has both women’s and men’s shelters. The team visited the Life Revitalizing Center, which serves three meals a day plus provides additional resources.

“Touring Cherry Street Mission in Toledo, Ohio, was a major highlight of the mission trip week. Witnessing firsthand the work they do with the houseless was super inspiring,” said Abby Perkins. “They don’t just offer meals and shelter; they also do job training and spiritual guidance, which is awesome. Cherry Street Mission uses Matthew 25:40 not just as a decoration — but as a compass for their work, and seeing how they brought it to life was very eye-opening.”

While in Buffalo, the team stayed at Parkside Lutheran Church. On Tuesday, they assisted with their food pantry and helped with their evening Burrito Ministry. 

“For this service project we prepped close to 200 burritos, socks, underwear, popsicles, water, and blessing bags containing hygiene products and snacks. We set up on a busy street corner in downtown Buffalo and stood out there for about an hour and a half handing these items out until we ran out. Most of us got the chance at one point or another to take the chance to talk to some really amazing people,” said Jackson Perkins.

“Being able to see people in need and offer them something as simple as a meal was incredibly spiritually fulfilling. The joy and happiness that even a small treat brought to them was humbling and heartwarming. It reminded me how small acts of kindness can make a big impact and how important it is to serve others with love and compassion,” said Ezra Mask.

He continued, “A moment that stood out to me that night was when a man asked for our attention and then said that we were doing God’s work and that God loved us. After that experience I definitely wanted to help more, and I was glad I was able to serve more in the following days.”

Serving others was a highlight for many on the trip, including Mathies, who reflected on the serving opportunities at Zion Lutheran Church. 

“We helped out wherever needed by sorting clothes, mowing the lawn, ripping up carpet, painting a deck, and doing other outdoor work needed for the church. For both days we were here, I got to rip up carpet and paint a deck. I liked this project a lot because we were doing a lot for the church... Serving others during this trip, whether doing yard work or providing meals, allowed me to see what an impact generosity can have on someone’s life,” she said.

For Lane Henderson, his favorite service project was getting to help an elder from Zion Lutheran Church. 

“We helped her sort through an entire room full of boxes into keeps, donates, or trash. [She] was an extremely welcoming and nice lady, and she was so thankful for the help we were able to give her. She said our help was a gift from God that she received for being part of a church family, and she even tried to convince family members to join the church because of it. Getting to see how happy she was and how kind she was made this my favorite service project,” he said.

Jayden Henderson added, “One way I saw God at work was after helping [her] clean out some of her belongings, she said she finally felt ready to ask for help with the rest of it since we ran out of time to do it all. It really reassured me that we did make her feel so comfortable while she opened herself to a very vulnerable position for the first time.”

The team volunteered with children at the Salvation Army’s Emergency Family Shelter for a Family Fun Night. There were 20 families in the shelter, with 38 children under the age of 18. 

“Seeing the pure joy on their faces as we played together was a powerful reminder of the simple, unconditional love God has for us. Their laughter and smiles, despite their circumstances, showed me the resilience and hope that can be found in faith. It reminded me that God’s presence often shows up in the small moments—like a game of tag or a shared giggle,” said Abby Perkins. 

Asher Mask, a young adult chaperone on the trip, said, “The ease with which the students became familiar with the children was inspiring and hope-instilling. They served cheerfully and eagerly after a long day.”

The mission trip also provided opportunities to connect with God, grow in faith, and study the Bible during devotional times. Each day the high school youth took turns leading prayers, planning worship, and sharing faith talks. The team had lots of experience serving one another as well on the trip, as they prepared and served meals for one another. Each night, they spent time in worship together and took time to talk about their highs and lows from the day.

“This mission trip was a big step in my faith for me,” Czajkowski Higgins said. “I feel that this trip taught me a lot. Before going, I had been exposed to the struggles of others; however, I have never been this involved with them. Service that usually would have made me uncomfortable became fun, and I found myself feeling empathetic towards the people I was helping.”

The team also set aside time to visit the breathtaking Niagara Falls.

“The falls were beautiful, and it gave us all a chance to see one more of many of God’s most beautiful creations. While at the falls, I could see God all around me, and it was incredible to think that he created this,” said Lane Henderson.

Asher Mask added, “I reflect back to the awe, the majesty, and the might of the Falls that demands humility in its presence. It is rare that an individual gets the blessed opportunity to visit a natural wonder such as the falls, and it was a holy experience.”

The youth participated in cultural learning as well. They visited the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, where they learned about Harriet Tubman and others active in helping to lead people to freedom and about those working for justice still today. On their travel days, the team also had a chance to visit the Maumee Bay State Park on Lake Erie, Cuyahoga Valley National Park near Cleveland, the Indiana Dunes National Park on Lake Michigan, and downtown Chicago.

The opportunity to join together with new friends from Immanuel Lutheran Church was an important part of the trip.

“On the mission trip, I saw God’s work through the new people I met. Each person had a unique story and a heart for serving others, and their kindness and faith inspired me to grow closer to God,” said Ezra Mask.

“It was such an honor and a privilege to travel with and serve alongside these truly remarkable young adults — these missionaries. I was so proud of these kids. They met and embraced our missionary trip partners with warmth and grace. They were exemplary ambassadors of our city and our church,” said Michael Douglass, a chaperone on the trip.

The mission trip team presented the message for worship at St. Peter Lutheran Church the weekend of July 12. During worship, the youth shared pictures, helped to lead favorite worship songs, and spoke about the impact of the trip and about how they saw God at work through the people and experiences of the mission trip.

Their message is available through the church’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18KeEkeA2s/.

You can learn more about St. Peter Lutheran Church by visiting their website at www.stpeterpdc.org or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stpeterpdc/. 

Worship services are offered weekly at St. Peter on Saturdays at 5:15 p.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m. They also broadcast Sunday worship on WPRE 104.3 FM and 980 AM and through their Facebook page. 

St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and is located at 201 S Michigan Street in Prairie du Chien, WI.

This article was submitted to the Courier Press by the St. Peter Lutheran Church in Prairie du Chien.