What Started as Service Hours Became Something More: Cole Corder’s Journey Ministry Story

What began as eight required service hours turned into something much more for Cole Corder, lasting relationships, meaningful service, and ultimately an Eagle Scout project built for HPUMC’s Journey Ministry.

Corder joined Troop 518 in 2020, and two years later, as a seventh grader, he was looking for service hours to complete his Citizenship in the Community merit badge when he was introduced to Journey. Now a sophomore at Highland Park High School, he recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout with a project custom designed and built for Journey.

The Journey Ministry began in 2019 as a way to give caregivers of those with early-stage Alzheimer’s or dementia respite. Caregivers are able to drop off participants and enjoy personal time while trained volunteers provide support and encouragement through socialization, physical movement, music, art, and other memory-stimulating activities.

When Corder needed service hours, his mom mentioned Journey and Pastoral Care Associate Trissie Osborn, who leads the program. Because his great-grandmother had dementia, the ministry immediately felt personal to him.

“My mom knew Trissie Osborn and gave me her phone number,” Cole said. “I called her and asked if I could help. She didn't even hesitate and told me to come join the group the next Thursday.”

Even after the required eight hours were complete, Cole kept coming back.

“I got to know the participants and the volunteers, and I kept coming back when I could over the next couple of summers,” Cole said. “The group always welcomes me back like no time has passed. I really enjoy the program and the camaraderie in the rooms.”

When it came time to choose his Eagle Scout project, Journey came to mind. He wanted to make something that would benefit the group.

“He does a lot of neat things, a lot of extracurriculars, but he picked (Journey) for his project, and I thought that was really special,” Trissie said. “He did it for the church, too, so it was twofold, and that’s awesome.”

Cole asked Trissie what Journey could use, with one request of his own: that it be something he could build using his woodworking skills.

Trissie asked for a mobile display board with a whiteboard on one side and a corkboard on the other, sturdy enough to roll in and out of The President George W. and Laura Bush Family Confirmation Center, where Journey meets.

“What he came up with was very innovative,” Trissie said. “He designed it and worked hard with his grandfather.”

While Cole chose to volunteer with Journey because of his great-grandmother, his passion for woodworking came from his grandfather.

The two worked on the project side by side in his grandfather’s workshop, where Cole has learned woodworking skills over the last several years.

“My grandpa helped my uncle achieve Eagle about 20 years ago, so he was ready for the challenge,” Cole said. “I really like carpentry and working with my hands to create and make a project come to life. I am very grateful for the time that we spent in the workshop together on this project.”

What they created went beyond the original request.

The finished piece included a whiteboard and cork board on one side and a 55-inch television on the other.

But Cole didn’t stop there either.

He also enlisted the help of other volunteers to create 46 digital programming presentations for use on the TV, complete with themed songs and scripts for the volunteers to use.

And because of his time volunteering with Journey, he knew how to create meaningful moments for the participants.

“He has done art projects, all sorts of projects, for the past two summers,” Trissie said. “He’s brought in supplies and he’s running the whole thing. The participants really love a young person coming in and giving them that attention. He engages, and the more comfortable he’s become, the more engaged he’s become.”

The benefits have gone beyond the project itself. While the project serves a practical purpose, it has also sparked meaningful conversations.

“We have a participant that is a former Eagle Scout, so I talked about the project with him, and his kids were Eagle Scouts,” Trissie said. “So it’s helped in a lot of different ways. It’s helped us tremendously, and I haven’t even used it to its full capacity yet, but I will.”

“This is an amazing place, and for a young member to get involved like that is special,” Trissie said. “It wasn’t a mission trip. It was his decision and from his heart. He really cares about this and came up, and he presented it to us. Everybody asked questions, and he was very gracious with all of it. It’s meant a lot to us.”

Corder found something special in the Journey Ministry, and the feeling was mutual. What began as a simple service requirement became years of meaningful relationships, hands-on service, and a project that will continue serving others for years to come—a reminder of how God can use even small beginnings to make a lasting impact.