Middle School and High School Sponsors are part teacher, part mentor, and part friend to the youth they serve, coming alongside our young people as they develop personal relationships with Christ.

Middle School Sponsor Carol Kirchmann has filled this role for close to five years at New Covenant, serving with younger ages prior to that. But the middle schoolers — particularly 7th-grade girls — have her heart.

“This age can be tough,” Carol said. “They change so much in the lead up to high school. But every time I think I’m done as a sponsor, I come right back because I love it. I just feel God’s love for them.”

Carol meets on Sunday mornings with her Middle School companions, going through their Bible lessons and other discussions. She noted that 7th-grade girls are often very talkative, which helps open the door to deeper relationships.

“It’s so rewarding to connect with these kids,” she said, “and to keep praying for them as they move along into their high school years.”

High School Sponsor James Barnd said interacting with high schoolers in the lead-up to two previous mission trips to Mexico made him realize that being a sponsor was right for him.

“It gave me a sense of how great this age group is, and I wanted to be a part of their growth and learning about God and Jesus,” James said. He also helps with the youth’s audio/visual and other tech needs on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings and has previously led the InFocus MTA (now known as the
Power-It-Up GO Group) with his wife.

“The students at NCBC are a great bunch, and they need people to help them through a transformative time in their lives,” James said. “I’ve found that I’m learning a thing or two as well. It’s bringing me out of my shell to share what God’s doing in my life.”