Manor Church, 530 Central Manor Road, Lancaster, will host its annual benefit auction on Saturday, March 23, at 9 a.m. The proceeds from the auction will benefit the church's youth programs and mission trips, including a service project in Harlingen, Texas, that will take place in June.

A variety of items will be available to bid on, such as gift cards, baked goods and home decor. All items that will be sold at the auction have been donated by members of the church's congregation, as well local residents and businesses. Church members will sell breakfast foods in the morning and lunch items in the afternoon; the proceeds from food sales will also support the upcoming mission trip and youth ministry programs at Manor Church.

Harlingen is a city located in Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, near the border of Mexico. During the trip in June, students and adult volunteers will have opportunities to participate in service activities such as distributing food and clothing, vacation Bible school, work projects, community outreach and prayer walking.

Beau Walmer, Manor Church's student ministries director, chose Harlingen as the destination for this year's mission trip to offer members of the youth program an opportunity to both experience a new community and serve those in need. "I was reflecting on trips we've taken in the past as I prayerfully discerned where to take our ministry this year," said Walmer. "A big part of these trips is introducing students to different communities and cultures than they might be familiar with in Lancaster County."

Due to its position near the Gulf of Mexico, Harlingen has a large Hispanic population. Many immigrants from South America travel through the city as they seek a new life in the United States. Groups of immigrants often include refugees and families in need of housing and food, and Walmer said he decided it would be the perfect place for members of Manor Church's youth ministry to lend a hand. "I felt Harlingen would be another great experience," Walmer added. "It's another opportunity to challenge our students in their faith but to help them grow in it as well."

Manor Church's youth ministry has taken an annual service trip since 2021, after it took a brief hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Previous trips have included visits to Waldorf, Md., and Viper, Ky., where students led Bible studies, assisted food banks and helped repair local homes and churches. Prior to 2020, volunteers from Manor Church's youth group frequently traveled to Puerto Rico to complete mission trips.

Manor Church is currently receiving donations for the auction. For more information, contact Walmer at beau@manorchurch.org or call the church office at 717-285-3138.