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When youth started skateboarding in Dave Showalter's driveway, he had no idea it would lead to a ministry that is making waves as far away as El Salvador.

But Showalter believes in 'really God-cool stuff,? and has learned to be open to the moving of the Holy Spirit as St. Paul  UMC in Lusby, where he is the youth pastor.

Showalter, the Washington East District Youth Coordinator, first saw the demand about four years ago. Some incidents had occurred where local teenagers had been driven out of store parking lots while trying to skateboard, and in certain cases the authorities were even involved. Showalter noted that, 'The kids don't feel like they have a place to go. They feel like nobody wants them around.?

Showalter had started off small by allowing some of the youth in St. Paul UMC the opportunity to use his own driveway as a place to skate. About once a week, two teenagers would walk a half-mile carrying their grind rail along with them to use on his property. For those unfamiliar with skateboarding terminology, a grind rail is essentially a miniature I-beam raised a few inches off the ground, which riders slide across while on top of their board.

Showalter of course realized that his driveway was a long way from a solution, so at a church council meeting he pitched the idea of researching what it would take to turn one of the St. Paul parking lots into a local skate park. He got immediate support and began his project.

In order to discover exactly what this community need involved, Showalter spoke with the best consultants he could find -- the youth themselves. He empowered the two teenagers who were frequenting his driveway to learn what equipment he would need, where to get it, and how to set up the park in a manner that would be attractive to the neighborhood skateboarders.

Together the team bought a few more grind rails, a few kickboards and a quarter pipe. Showalter also visited the closest skate park he could find in order to adopt a set of standard rules to be used at their church.

It's been roughly three years now since St. Paul UMC started its skateboard ministry, and it is still a booming success. Showalter reported that this summer they had about 40 to 50 kids on average, 75 percent of whom are not part of St. Paul's congregation.

All of the kids sign yearly waivers with their parents in case of injury, but at the St. Paul park, that has been a non-issue. The park is open on Mondays during the summer and Fridays during September for two hours staffed by about six people and is completely cross generational, as volunteers range from college students to retirees. This past season, the church has even begun providing hot dogs, drinks and music for the youth as well.

Showalter also makes sure to integrate communication into the skateboarding sessions as well. At about the half way point of the night, all of the kids pause to listen to a mini-message prepared and delivered by Showalter, which usually relates current events to the way God is present in our lives.

Regardless of what their religious background or affiliation might be Showalter takes the time to show and remind the youth that God loves each one of them for who they are. He tells them that God has a plan in mind for them, that they are capable of great things through him ? and they listen. 'Don't be afraid to talk about God with them. Don't underestimate them,? he said.

This ministry is testament to the idea that churches can be the outlet to responding to the needs of their community. As Showalter likes to say, 'There are lots of reasons not to do things, but there is only one good reason to do it ? for Christ.?

Showalter has shared this spirit with the many churches who have called him for advice after a story on the skateboarding ministry ran last fall in the Washington Post.
As for giving advice on risk and insurance ramifications, he encourages other churches wanting to engage in similar ministries to 'set a high standard for the kids, and then help them meet it. Respect them and empower them,? he said.

Recently, Showalter received an e-mail from a priest in El Salvador whose parish had the only public park in a town of 200,000 people.
 
Showalter was able to share St. Paul's story, but he also connected the priest with the evangelist Luis Palau's 'Livin' It? tour, which builds huge temporary skate parks in the cities where Palau ministers.

'It's the connection beyond the connection,? Showalter said. 'Who knows the plans God yet has for any of us and our feeble attempts in God's name and for God's sake.'