Youth Ministry
Here's our WHY: First Presbyterian Church Student Ministry exists to support, enhance, and participate with the work of the Triune God in the lives of our young people. Specifically acknowledging the ongoing developmental process at play in the bodies, minds, and spiritual formation of middle and high school students, we creatively seek to evoke and collaborate around the questions and felt needs that are most alive for students during this leg of their journey.
WHO we are: As a composite group from many different area schools, our students come together to companion and encourage, to play and to learn, to serve and to lead. We are athletes and musicians; academics and thespians; introverts and extraverts; gamers and gardeners. In all these varying identities, there is a process of *becoming*. And we strive to provide a place for *belonging*. In fact, belonging is central to our WHO. It is in this safe space of acceptance and celebration that exploration toward transformational brave space occurs.
WHAT we do and HOW: Our offerings prioritize faith formation, relational connectivity, service projects, and community engagement. We aspire to incarnate intergenerationalism as we intentionally involve ourselves with both seasoned adults and young children on a regular basis. We practice a leadership model that promotes power-with (instead of power-over) and encourage students to explore the kind of leadership capacities they would like to pursue. We look for imaginative and inspirational ways to dialogue about spirituality and approach these conversations as collaboratory learners alongside our students.
September - May
Sunday School
Takes place 9:45-10:45am. All grades meet downstairs.
Takes place 9:45-10:45am. All grades meet downstairs.
Grades 6-8 meet in the Middle School Room
Grades 9-12 meet in the High School Room
Confirmation
Confirmation is a major milestone in the faith journey of a student. This is when our young people have the opportunity to enter a period of spiritual exploration alongside peers and mentors. At the end of this period, students can choose to make a commitment into membership here at First Presbyterian Church. All 8th/9th graders go through Confirmation class on Sunday mornings during the Sunday School hour. Confirmation class is offered every other year.
Sunday Evening Youth Group
Sunday Evening Youth Group meets from 6-7:30pm. Students in grades 6-12 are offered a fellowship experience that often includes elements of dinner, games, worship, a lesson, and a time for small groups. There are also special events scheduled when we travel offsite for an *adventure* elsewhere!
Sunday Evening Youth Group meets from 6-7:30pm. Students in grades 6-12 are offered a fellowship experience that often includes elements of dinner, games, worship, a lesson, and a time for small groups. There are also special events scheduled when we travel offsite for an *adventure* elsewhere!
Sunday evenings are a great time to invite friends to join us in discovering what it means to belong!
June - August
Our summers are full of fun and fellowship! Not only do we get together often for recreation, but we intentionally offer varied opportunities for students to be in leadership roles and for them to serve others both within the church and out in the community. One of the ways we do this is by encouraging their involvement in Church Camp and VBS. Another way our students help minister is by participating in our annual mission trip each July. These trips have been hosted by organizations and communities both near and far! And while we recognize cost can be a factor for some families, we do create fundraising opportunities each year to make it affordable!