The Wasatch Area Youth group, or The WAY, has leaders from Bountiful Vineyard Church, First Southern Baptist Church, Grace Baptist Church and Grace Lutheran Church. More than 40 people from those four churches and other churches showed up for the first WAY meeting of the school year.
"I hope it explodes," said Grace Lutheran Pastor John Mayer. "All of the churches that participate will get a lot of life from these kids coming together. I am looking forward to meeting new people who care about God and care about each other."
Mayer and his daughter Ruth both play guitar at youth group meetings. The band also includes a bass guitar player and several teens are planning on bringing other instruments in the future. The WAY meets every other Wednesday night and rotates between homes of youth group members.
"We are having fun doing skits, singing songs and hanging out. It's even better because the kids are getting together in the name of Jesus," said Robyn Inabnit, youth leader from First Southern Baptist Church.
Plans are already under way to have "The WAY Talented Show," an opportunity for the teens to show off their talents.
Youth from other local churches and kids who don't belong to any church are also invited to join in the fun.
"It's my hope that The WAY will provide a meeting place where both the churched and unchurched can find truth in a world full of confusion and pain," says Aaron Craner, the youth leader for Bountiful Vineyard Church.
The WAY started several years ago with the goal of uniting youth from 10 Bountiful churches. The group grew dramatically but started losing ground after the departures of youth leaders from several churches.
Youth leaders from four churches got together this summer to pray for a new vision and new life for The WAY.
"It's a new year with lots of new faces," says Jeannine Teel, youth leader at Grace Baptist Church. "I hope each teen walks away feeling loved by their peers and have a relationship with Christ."
The teens will also take part in a fun activity or a service project once a month on Saturday. The first project involves making benches for a new youth room at Grace Lutheran Church.
Some of the youth also participated in See You At The Pole, an event which took place before school on Wednesday, when Christian teens from all over the country gathered at flag poles at that time to pray for their schools, friends and family.
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