Farewell for now

To all friends and supporters of Young Adults At Christ the King (YAACK):

For the past couple of years, a few of us have struggled to keep YAACK thriving despite obvious declining interest. We made changes to try to give YAACK a boost, and we tried a variety of recruiting methods to increase interest. After much discussion, we decided that interest and participation in YAACK is no longer what it used to be, and trying to maintain the group for only a small handful of people is no longer feasible. This decision did not come easily and it carries with it much sadness.

Many of you have been away from YAACK for many years, and yet I know this news will also bring some sadness for you as well. We have grown stronger together in our faith, made great friends, found spouses, discovered more about ourselves, and learned many ways to serve our Church and community. YAACK brought many opportunities for many of us to do things we might not have otherwise done. In the eight years of YAACK's history, we shared a lot through Bible studies, guest speakers, service projects, social events, retreats, and so much more. It is sad to see this group close up shop and not continue to afford these same opportunities to others. Unfortunately, without the interest there, maintaining the group no longer makes much sense.

Although YAACK may be folding for the time being, there is good news. Eight years ago when YAACK began meeting, there were very few opportunities for young adults to connect with each other not only at Christ the King, but also in the Lexington Diocese. In the past eight years, this has changed considerably. There are now active young adult ministries at many of the other area parishes, there is now a diocesan director of youth and young adult ministry, and there is the Theology on Tap series that is held twice a year in the diocese. There is also the hope that, one day, a new group of people will seek out a ministry for young adults at Christ the King. Hopefully, when the time is right, another group of young adults will come along to restart and reenergize YAACK. In the meantime, there are other opportunities for those seeking a "home" within our Catholic faith.

In closing, I want to thank everyone who has been a member of YAACK at any time. Thanks especially to those who started YAACK so many years ago. Thank you to all those who served YAACK over the years through facilitating our studies, chairing our ministries, volunteering for our many, many works, and through the prayers, support and encouragement many have offered to us. We hope you will continue to keep YAACK in your prayers, that one day YAACK will be revived and will offer to a future group of young adults all that it offered to us.

In Christ,

Jessica Heavrin, Chair
Heather Hise, Membership
Kerri Baunach, Member-at-Large