WSSS Article by Tammy Pollock

Celebrating Our Youth Ministry with the Winston-Salem Street School “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

— Hebrews 4:16

TAMMY POLLOCK tpollock@centenary-ws.org

For the last three years,

each Tuesday night, between October and February, the lights and sounds coming from the basketball court at Fulton YMCA reflect the Kingdom of Heaven being revealed right here on earth.

That may sound strange and unexpected, but the joy, the squeak of sneakers, the laughter, whistle blowing, cheers, and echoes of the ball bouncing against the newly restored gym floor, give way to people coming together all because of grace. Grace due to the unexpected gathering of high school boys from five different churches (Ardmore Baptist, First Presbyterian, St. Paul’s, Greek Orthodox, and Centenary) and the basketball team from the WinstonSalem Street School. Grace because it is something that each of us needs.

Many years ago, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Sylvia Shelton. She was one of those incredible people that immediately emanated friendship and kindness the moment she walked through the door. Sylvia came to talk to me about the Winston-Salem Street School. If you aren’t familiar with the Street School, it is a private alternative high school serving the at-risk youth of the Greater Winston-Salem area of North Carolina (located just on the other side of our 5th Street parking lot). It is designed to meet the needs of students who struggled in traditional schools due to academic or behavioral obstacles, many of whom were expelled or dropped out. The WSSS was created to target these students and offer them the chance to earn a diploma recognized by the State of North Carolina. But what I

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like to say about the Street School is that it is one of the most beautiful expressions of God’s grace I have ever seen.

The staff, administrators, and volunteers are the most incredible people who live out their faith in God by pouring love and wisdom into the students relentlessly. And the students, well, are just as amazing! Sylvia was a fierce proponent of the WSSS and was responsible for raising financial means and resources to support the school’s operation. Little did I know that one brief conversation would propel us forward into a relationship that would blossom and grow in ways none of us could imagine.

Fast forward to 2022, we have all come out of the pandemic and are trying to find our way back to some semblance of normalcy. I received a call from Mike Foster, the Executive Director

at WSSS. He shared that they had started a basketball team for the students at the Street School, and they were looking for teams to play.

Pre-pandemic, our church, along with countless others in our community, was part of Hoops4Him (a church-wide basketball league). Hoops4Him became a casualty of COVID. However, the memories and desire to play ‘church ball’ never stopped. Our youth loved those games, the lessons, the joy, the competition, and the relationships forged on the court. So, when Mike reached out, it was a super easy ‘yes’ that we would put together a team to help create the Twin City Conference.

Since that conversation we have played countless games but even more than the games, we’ve forged relationships with the students, staff, volunteers at WSSS and the other churches.

Relationships that have invited us to seek each other out beyond the court.

Our friendship with WSSS has allowed us the opportunity to expand our love for ALL “youth on behalf of Jesus in hopes of loving them to Jesus.” Kevin, youth ministry volunteers, and I serve lunch once a month at WSSS, and students from WSSS have spent time here in our Youth Ministry space. It has indeed become a chance to offer grace, but also to receive grace in abundance.

I am reminded that our God, who knows and loves us so very much, is

always at work in ways we cannot understand. But we always know when we see it. Watching these senior high boys (from different churches, schools, and backgrounds) gather in a circle to pray together before each game, play hard on the court, and return back to the center to pray and give thanks to God again, is one of the most incredible reflections of love. For just a moment, Heaven touches earth, and grace is revealed. Come and see for yourself this season.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER To learn more about the Winston Salem Street School you can visit their website. Just click on the logo.

If you are a senior high boy, NOT playing on your varsity team, we would love to have you play on our Centenary team! You can register by clicking on the basketball.

LEARN MORE

ABOUT YOUTH MINISTRY AT CENTENARY BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE OR SCANNING THE QR CODE.

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