CSM + CYMT Highlight

In July of this year, Andrew Mochrie was one of many who took a small group of youth from his church on a City Service Mission (CSM) trip to serve the population of Nashville alongside its local organizations.

CYMT partners with CSM to put on summer mission experiences. CSM’s mission is to connect young people to urban experiences that transform lives. CYMT in turn is going to be developing the curriculum for all CSM trips. Every Theology Together immersion experience through CSM combines robust theological and vocational exploration for youth in the context of relational service work, equips youth workers to conduct theological discussions with young people, and fosters the development of creative and theologically rich youth ministry practices within congregational youth ministry.

CSM currently serves Nashville, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Kansas City. Andrew took his group from North Carolina to participate in the mission of CSM with other groups from around the country and bond over doing acts of justice and mercy throughout the city.

On his trip, Andrew said that his group participated in food preparation and distribution at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with People Loving Nashville, a local nonprofit. They also worked with Project C.U.R.E., another nonprofit that provides medical supplies to developing countries.

“One of the best parts about these trips is knowing you’re part of the story,” Andrew said about providing relief to developing countries through their service.

There was a prayer, worship, and teaching component to CSM’s trip as well that took the group on a prayer tour throughout Nashville. During this the students had the opportunity to learn more about the history of the city and to pray over the parts that need it the most.

CYMT is thrilled to welcome Andrew as our new Theology Together Director in November. He said that he is excited to continue being a part of the Theology Together initiative, as he has been a part of it since its very first Collide trip. Collide was a program that brought church youth groups and leaders together for seven-day summer immersion experiences each June or July.

Andrew said that he is looking forward to expanding upon Theology Together and helping not only youth but all Christ followers to utilize the program.

“When there’s a lot of cognitive dissonance amongst the church and in the world, we need to help youth adapt,” he said. He went on to say that Theology Together gives ministries, from children to youth to adult, a toolkit to handle these conflicts and challenges within their communities and in the world.