Summer is always a busy time in the life of Tifton First United Methodist Church. This is especially true in the area of children and youth. From church camps to River of Life to Vacation Bible School to weekly activities, there is no shortage of things to do and opportunities for fun and growth.
Tifton First Director of Youth Derek Harrison has been fortunate to have a little help once again this summer as Asher Lawson has joined the staff as a summer intern. Asher, 19, is from Hawkinsville, Ga., and is a student at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville pursuing a degree in Nursing.
Asher is no stranger to summer church activities as his mother is the Youth Director at Perry United Methodist Church, and throughout his youth, he has been a regular participant in summer camps around the state. In fact, that is where he and Derek first became friends.
“I have known Asher for eight years,” Derek recalled. “He was at Epworth By the Sea Camp Connect for two years when I worked there.”
Ironically, Asher is accompanying Derek at Epworth this week as Derek is serving as the Director for this year’s Camp Connect.
“Asher will be shadowing me in order to see what it’s like to be a camp director and a camp speaker,” Derek said.
Earlier this summer Asher assisted Derek at the Perry Youth Camp and he will take on an even bigger role next month when Tifton First hosts River of Life, the community-wide missions project.
“Asher will be acting Youth Director for the Tifton First Youth while I’ll be overseeing River of Life overall,” said Derek.
Since the beginning of the summer it has been an easy fit for Asher and the Tifton First youth.
“This has been great getting to work with the kids,” Asher said, with Derek adding, “the Tifton First kids love him. They have grown to know him as a youth in the Perry group, and seeing him step into this role as a leader, they are extra-ordinarily excited.”
While fulltime ministry may not be in Asher’s future, he sees a connection with his occupational goals.
“Nursing is a ministry field itself, getting to take care of people,” said Asher. “It has been cool to see it as a ministry.”
Asher has been able to see the connection between his faith and his occupational goals firsthand as he has participated in two medical mission trips to Honduras.
“Science and religion,” he said, “to see them co-exist is something really beautiful.”
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