Youth ministries could not operate without the dedication and commitment of faithful volunteers. They show up early to setup, stay late to clean up, and spend the in-between time teaching, ministering, and discipling students. They intentionally build relationships with students to help point them to Jesus.
As a ministry committed to the next generation, Momentum Ministry Partner recognizes the significance of these adult volunteers. One way they seek to honor these individuals is through their Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. This award is presented at youth conference to someone who has been nominated by their local church and meets the following criteria:
- Church/Student Ministry is a partner of Momentum Ministry Partners
- Goes above and beyond the level of other volunteers
- Passionate about the rising generation
- Actively investing in discipleship and leadership development
- Key to success of the student ministry and/or specific program
This year, Mike and Rebecca Willis received the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award at Momentum Youth Conference. A recent newsletter from Momentum said, “Mike is from a small town and his church is one of only a few that offer Wednesday night activities for students. Students love coming to youth group because of this individual. He is married with his own children, yet he makes every student feel loved, appreciated, and needed. He has a great sense of humor and always finds unique ways to engage students with the Gospel. He has gone above and beyond his calling and his church family is greatly appreciative of him.”
Mike and Rebecca have served at Pataskala Grace Church in northcentral Ohio for fifteen years. Lead Pastor Tim Wilmetti said, “Mike and Rebecca are the type of people that every pastor and church long for: they are faithful, fun, and fully engaged in ministry. Their leadership has provided stability for our students even as our church faced some past hurdles. We’re truly blessed to have them as part of our congregation.”
Joshua Rollins, recently hired associate pastor at Pataskala Grace, has begun to serve students alongside the Willises. “Pataskala Grace has been blessed to have Mike and Rebecca leading the youth for the past 15 years. They’ve navigated some big storms in that time but have always invested in our students,” he said. “I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone as relational as the Willises. They’re one hundred percent invested in the lives of our students and their families.”
Congratulations to Mike and Rebecca on this well-deserved award!
