YOKE Searching For Volunteers

Leah McRae,Yoke Youth Ministries Area Coordinator

While completing an education practicum at a local Knox County middle school in 1978, this verse inspired John Coatney to share his desire to reach the unchurched youth of his community with the college kids of his church. Soon after, Yoke was born.

Yoke is a local ministry that connects middle school students with adult mentors through after-school clubs, camps and special activities. Yoke’s main goal is to introduce kids to Christ, while providing a positive environment, a good example and a whole lot of fun. It operates in 5 East Tennessee counties and serves over 2000 students in 26 clubs. It began in Jefferson County in 1991 through a cooperative effort by John Coatney and then Jefferson Middle School Principal Phil Kindred. What was operating as an evening club in Knox County became an after school activity for the more rural youth of Jefferson County. Leah McRae is the current Jefferson County Coordinator for Yoke, a position she has held for almost 2 years. She keeps the clubs staffed and running smoothly, providing leadership and advice for each Yoke volunteer and the over 100 youth that attend clubs in Jefferson County each week. Each middle school club is staffed with an adult Team Leader and Yoke Folk. Yoke Folk are usually Carson Newman students who volunteer their time for at least one semester. They host weekly after-school club meetings, attend camp with their clubs at Camp Ba Yo Ca and they must donate at least 2 hours each week outside of club time to area youth activities. Every volunteer with Yoke goes through an interview process, must provide references and submit to a background check. They also receive training in ministry and child abuse detection. This process insures the safety of the students and provides the best volunteers for the program.

Yoke is a non-profit ministry that exists solely on donations from area individuals, businesses and churches. These “Friends of Yoke” provide club materials, camp scholarships and cover the day-to-day cost of running the ministry. They also help with fundraising activities. Ms. McRae says that in the future they are hoping to partner area churches with their respective middle schools to provide more community support for the students. Yoke is a campus ministry at Carson Newman University, who graciously provides support and office space. Yoke is also working to expand into other neighboring counties like Hamblen and Sevier. There are over 19,000 middle school students in 26 East Tennessee schools and Yoke is working to encourage and support each one of them.

For more information on how you can volunteer as a leader or provide support for an area club contact:

Leah McRae

Yoke Youth Ministries

Area Coordinator

865-522-6907