What's wrong with Community Service??

When I returned from Mexico, I had a burning in my heart to get my youth group kids involved in some sort of service. I had just served people hungry for the truth and had hopefully reached lives and hearts forever. In part of my quest to share the excitement of my trip I showed the kids my pictures and a short video that I had made. After talking to the kids about how God stretches us beyond what we are usually capable, but are capable because we have His unending love and support, the kids asked how they can makes a difference. We talked about doing things around their house for their parents and neighbors, but they desired more, they want to do community service. So the kids came up with a list of things they would like to see our youth group do to help the community so they could share the love of Christ with others.
I gave the list to the youth pastor hoping he would be excited to see 4th and 5th graders desiring such service, yet when I handed it to him I got much less. It has taken a lot to even get the youth pastor to agree to some sort of service. So after weeks of asking he finally agreed to have me submit ideas that he would take to get approved. After a couple more weeks of waiting, I got response on Thursday, and I wasn't happy.
It honestly takes alot to make me frustrated and mad, but he was able to accomplish it in one swoop. The senior pastor wants the kids to first serve the church...yes that is right the church. Now remembering that these kids are only in 4th and 5th grade, that seems a little bogus. One of my ideas that came from one of the kids ideas to help sick kids, was to make pillowcases for the sick kids at CHOP. Serving the church is a good idea, but these kids have grown up in the church and have helped alot in the church, is it too much to ask for the kids to serve God in the community?? How about to put a smile on a sick kids face and give them a glimmer of hope when they feel all hope is gone? Isn't that what true serving is all about?
Please pray for me as I am going through this frustrating situation, I just want to teach these kids to be difference makers and make a change in the world. But they can't do that if all they can do is serve their own church and only the church.