Muskogee, Tahlequah become mission fields for Fort Gibson church

Jun. 25—Fort Gibson United Methodist Church teen Addison Alred spent Monday morning cutting through briars and brush in a Muskogee backyard.

"I really think we're doing God's work, really helping out people and doing what they can't do for themselves, what they don't have the time or the resources to do," she said. "Taking the time and resources doing what needs to be done is really being the hands and feet of Jesus."

Addison, a high school junior, and other church members are spending the week doing mission work in Muskogee, Fort Gibson and Tahlequah.

Church youth director Lori Alred said the youth group usually goes out of state for summer missions.

"This year we were not able to make that happen, so we got to thinking that we probably start needing to do local things," Alred said. "There are people here that need help."

Alred said youth are helping a recently widowed church member.

"Youth will be on this project most of the week so they can see it from start to finish," she said.

Mission site leader Nathan Parker said the youth also will paint the house.

Church youth also are building a wheelchair ramp for someone in Tahlequah and older church members are working on eaves and porch overhangs at the church, Parker said.

Alred said the local mission helps more people get involved.

"People who work can still work with us for two or three days or afternoons," she said. "Same with the kids, the kids have so many commitments — they all play sports. This gives them the opportunity to still do mission and not have to take off the whole week."

High school junior James Reed spent Monday mowing. He said he enjoys being able to help the community.

"It's best for a church organization like us to help people out," he said.

High school senior Emma Martin said cutting brush in the heat has been the hardest part so far.

"First we carried out limbs, now we're trying to get the brush that's in the fence so we can mow," she said.