Cookoff will raise funds for youth group

SIKESTON — Sikeston Tanner Street Church of God youth group are on a mission, fundraising for a transformative youth conference to strengthen their relationship with Jesus.

To help raise funds, the youth group will have its first-ever Chili Cookoff fundraiser at noon on Sunday, Oct. 8 following the church service.

According to Luke Townsend, the church’s youth pastor, anyone can enter their chili, and there are sign-up papers at the church for anyone who wants to participate in the chili cook off. Those interested in participating must sign up by Oct. 1, according to Townsend.

Townsend said anyone who signs up to enter their chili in the chili cookoff must bring their entry either before or during the church service that Sunday.

Everyone who wants to sample the chili entries, according to Townsend, will be able to vote, and there will be a voting method for them to decide which one is their favorite.

“We are doing donations for our voting method,” Townsend said. “The way that people will vote, we are thinking, will be with money or dollar bills.

He continued: “So for whichever one that they think is the best, they will vote with their money towards that.”

Townsend added there will be judges who will vote on the most spicy and best overall chili, and the awards will be presented that afternoon. 

Townsend said the fundraiser’s main purpose is to raise funds for their trip to a youth conference in Springfield, Missouri. 

“It is for the Missouri Youth Fellowship that they are going to in November,” Townsend said. “It is a yearly conference for the Church of God in Missouri where all the youth gather together for two-and-half days.”

According to Townsend, the conference will include worship services, a speaker and breakout sessions. Missouri Youth Fellowship (MYF) is a program for students in sixth through 12th grades. At the conference, the youth will learn about their faith, make new friends and, most importantly, grow in their relationship with Jesus. 

“The youth that go to the conference get to not only experience community with other people their age, but their lives will be impacted,” Townsend said. 

Townsend mentioned having attended the conference as a teenager and said he still reflects on his spiritual experiences from that time.

Townsend feels it is of the utmost importance for the community to invest in its youth, and he believes it is an opportunity that no one should take for granted.

“These kids are going to be leading; they are the church of today,” Townsend said. “So if we can invest in them building their spiritual relationships that they have with Jesus, that’s something that can benefit everyone around.”  

Townsend also mentioned there will be a pie and dessert auction during the chili cookoff, with two auctioneers, Mark Shaner and Michael Oliver, to help run it. 

Townsend said another way for people to contribute to the youth trip is to donate any desserts or pies for the auction. The deadline for donations is also Oct. 1. 

For more information about the chili cook off or the pie and dessert auction, contact Tanner Street Church.