Church group submits ‘Acceptance’ video

By Linda M. Linonis

Vote online for ‘Acceptance’ video by Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church youth.

YOUNGSTOWN — Jenny Cammarata believes the youth of Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church have plotted, played out and produced a video that poignantly and positively interprets the Scripture, “Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Cammarata, the youth director of the church at 3919 Southern Blvd., said junior and senior high school members of Pleasant Grove youth group and Sunday school have entered the video, “Acceptance?,” in the Youth Mission Initiative Video Challenge sponsored by the Presbyterian Church USA.

The 15 videos with the most votes will be viewed by youth advisory delegates at the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church USA from June 21-28 in San Jose, Calif. The top three will each get $25,000 for local ministry.

There’s just one thing — the youth need support from area residents in the form of votes for its video. Visit www.ymilive.org, register and then vote for the Pleasant Grove entry that is on the sixth page of the Web site.

“We need votes,” Cammarata said.

In a discussion comment that appears below the video, another Youngstown church posted this message, “You have the support of Good Hope Lutheran Church! Great video, awesome message! God bless you all.” There are other positive comments posted.

Youth group members at Pleasant Grove, who number about 15 and range from fifth through 12th grades, made the video along with Sunday school participants.

The youth spent time formulating a story line, writing down ideas they wanted to convey and then transforming them into a video. The videos for the contest must be between two and four minutes. Pleasant Grove’s “Acceptance” video deals with themes of acceptance and rejection.

“The youth group and church has volunteered at the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley,” Cammarata said, noting that the church serves dinner there the fifth Thursday of the month.

She and the young people said they wanted to use a background and theme with which they had some familiarity. “This is part of our life experience in Youngstown,” Nick Cammarata, 12, said of the situations of homeless, poverty and crime.

The video shows some members of the youth group interacting with residents at the Rescue Mission, which cooperated with the church on the video, and in particular, talking with a homeless teenage girl and inviting her to attend their church. When she shows up at church, the members don’t welcome her but reject her by mocking her and making un-Christian comments. But they realize what they have done as she leaves, apologize and ask her to stay.

The video opens with scenes of Youngstown — steel mills, abandoned houses and even a crime scene. “We happened on a scene of a homicide a few blocks from the church,” said the Rev. Nicholas Cammarata [Nick’s dad and Jenny’s husband] and some footage, of police and cruisers, was included. It closes with youth group members on the railroad tracks next to the church, which symbolize traveling a pathway.

The video took about a week to make. Katherine Burkett, young adult ministry member, was film editor and narrator was Douglas Everett, music director emeritus.

The homeless factor seems like an adult theme; youth through adults can relate to the acceptance/rejection. “The kids are sensitive to need,” Jenny Cammarata said. “What they see rounds them out. It makes them aware of predjudice because of color and poverty.”

Caty Moran, 16, who has the role of the homeless teen in the video, said the idea of acceptance and rejection is something young people face. “Being a Christian teen, some people may not accept my faith,” she said. “Not everyone accepts you for who you are.”

Caty added that she had gotten “positive feedback” on the video, praising its creativity.

Ashley Moran, 16, another video participant, said, “We wanted to show someone in the situation of being homeless and how people reacted.”

“We have a good message,” said Matt McNinch, 14, another video participant.

Jenny Cammarata is praying for a good outcome for the youth group. Of the 55 churches in Eastminster Presbytery, Pleasant Grove is the only one to have entered a video. The Presbytery includes churches in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties and in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls.

It’s one of two groups from the Buckeye State — the other is from First United Presbyterian Church in Bellefontaine — that have entered so far.

Video entries for the event, which began March 1, continue through June 1 when voting will conclude.