Youth Groups unite for 'Revolution of Love'

The infamous 1967 "Summer of Love" drew thousands of young people to San Francisco intent on starting a political and cultural revolution.

Historians will decide whether the hippies achieved their goal.

This summer, another group of young people will gather in Lake County for a different kind of revolution. The "Revolution of Love" will have nearly 175 high school students from 10 area churches spend a week of their vacation serving the needy.

Organizers say it's the first time this many youth groups have combined for one project.

"The Christian faith has been fractured by so many denominations. We think it is a good idea to get students from all different churches working side by side," said Youth Pastor Nate Wagner of Trinity Community Church of Libertyville.

The kids will work from June 10 to 14 and stay at Camp Hickory in Ingleside.

Project sites include Kids Hope United in Lake Villa, Winchester House in Libertyville, area soup kitchens and homeless shelters.

The idea was hatched a few years ago by Wagner and Youth Pastor Seth Fagerland of the Lakeland Evangelical Church in Gurnee. The men kicked around the idea while they were students at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield.

Fagerland said the plan is to share the love of Jesus by serving, and through relationships, rather than proselytizing.

"We don't want to serve with one hand and slip a religious tract in the person's backpack with the other hand," he said.

Most of the students participating attend churches in Gurnee, Grayslake, Libertyville, Mundelein and Lincolnshire.

The effort is getting financial help from Catalyst, a Libertyville-based network of nearly 100 churches across the northern suburbs with a mission to connect people in need with available resources.

It's common for high school students to take summer mission trips to Mexico and overseas, but Wagner said it's also important to focus efforts close by.

"What are we doing locally?" he said. "How can we meet needs right in our own backyard? We are called to serve, not just consume."

Wagner said the group is still looking for more places to serve. Those interested in having the young people help in any way can call (847) 845-7495.