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Teens roll in to church with skateboard park

11/13/2003 News media contact: Linda Green · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn

By Fran Coode Walsh*

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Skateboarding Spirituality, Photo number W03097, Accompanies UMNS #555


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"It looks painful, but they bounce back up." Youth pastor Jack Weber, Photo number W03098, Accompanies UMNS #555


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Brent Foucht convinced his church to build skateboard ramps. Photo number W03096, Accompanies UMNS #555


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"It would keep kids off the streets and out of trouble." Ann McCrocklin, Fort Caroline United Methodist Church, Photo number W03099, Accompanies UMNS #555
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (UMNS)-The popularity of skateboarding has provided a Florida church with a new way to reach young people in the community.

Brent Foucht, a 16-year old member of Fort Caroline United Methodist Church, is an avid skateboarder. A little more than a year ago, he convinced his congregation to build ramps for kids in the area to use.

Skateboarding is off-limits in many public areas so this was a rare chance to be welcomed. As Foucht noted, "People will come up and yell at them (skateboarders)…because they're supposedly messing up their curbs or doing something that's destructive …We opened this up so they can come here and not have anything to worry about."

Some people were worried, though.

Many members at Fort Caroline are 70 years and older and there was concern about liability for accidents. "They were worried about being sued. They were worried about the clientele that we would draw in. And they were not at all in favor of it," explained Ann McCrocklin, a member.

But McCrocklin, who is in her 60s, pushed for the park, because she wanted more young people to visit the church. "They could bring their friends," she said. "It would keep kids off the street and out of trouble . . . a lot of these people have never been in church. And just getting them on church grounds is a start."

The Rev. Eric Young, pastor of the Fort Caroline church, echoed those sentiments, "If we're not being in some relevant ministry in our community, what are we doing? Why are we here?"

On a typical Friday evening, two-dozen young people use the church's skateboarding area, and enjoy free hot dogs and Kool-Aid. After skating, they end the evening with about 10 minutes of Bible study. Foucht appreciates the comfort level for kids. "I hope they've found that Christians are actually nice guys," he said. "We can come out here and have fun and talk about God a little bit in between the cracks."

Two of the skateboarders have been baptized and others have shown interest in the church, so McCrocklin feels her efforts have paid off.

Despite the fact that the boarders are plunging down plywood ramps, whipping across asphalt and launching into the air, there have been no serious injuries to date. The church requires the skaters to wear helmets.

Youth pastor Jack Weber admits it's a little hard to watch, "It looks painful to me but they always bounce back up. One thing I've learned about skateboarders is that they're very persistent."

Seventeen-year-old Josh Stefanf says skateboarding and spirituality have much in common. "You have to have a lot of dedication to do skating. It's the same thing with church…You have to believe. You have to keep going to it. You have to continue doing it. And, the more you do it, the better you feel about it."

Fort Caroline has plans to appeal to young people who don't skate by building a miniature golf course.

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**Walsh is coordinating producer of UMTV, a unit of United Methodist News Service.

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