A Word from David Martin, Youth Director
It has been proven that youth who have five adults outside of their family who are willing to invest in a teens life are more likely to stay connected to the church. For me and my almost 25 years at Central, there have been many more than five adults who have impacted my life. From my Sunday school teachers, to youth group leaders, Faith Quest elders, camp counselors, and more, I always had countless adults in the church that I knew were supporting me along my journey. I speak often about the influence that Larry Chapman had on me. He would come to watch me play baseball, seek me out on Sunday mornings, and check in every time he saw me. Shirley Swarthout is another church member who had a great impact on me. Shirley gave me the opportunity to help out in the kitchen and serve at all of the meals we would host during the year. I am sure it took great patience on her part to put up with our group of middle and high school boys that had to make more of a mess than we cleaned, but she kept letting us help and giving us the consistent opportunity to serve our church. In fact, looking at the life paths of many of the youth from around my age, I do not think that it is a coincidence that many of us have gone into teaching, ministry, coaching, or higher education. There was always a constant support system for all of us.
Today, Central is in a great position. Our youth and children’s programs continue to grow, and with that comes a great opportunity. As we continue to work towards our goal of connecting with the future generations, I ask that you please consider becoming a volunteer for our youth program and help us continue to impact the lives of the youth and their families at Central. There are many different ways that you are able to get involved.
Youth Group
- Weekly volunteers to help lead small group discussions and games
- Hosting events
- Retreats, camps, mission trips
- Help when you can
- Helping to plan events, working behind the scenes
If you have any questions or would like more information, please email me at As always, thank you so much for the continued support of our youth program here at Central!
- David Martin