Youth/Advocate Program

The Youth/Advocate program makes the bold assertion that youth and adults need each other to grow in Christian maturity: youth need the stability, long view, experience and generosity of adults, and adults need the energy, questions, dissatisfaction, fresh take on things and passion of youth. In this program, youth in grades 7-12 are matched with adult mentors from the congregation and meet the first Sunday of every month during the school year for breakfast and some kind of planned activity. Some pairs also meet one-on-one or in smaller groupings.

Junior High

Sunday School

Junior highers and teachers meet every week after worship for about an hour for Bible study or other topical discussions. Visit the "Gather 'Round" website.

Junior high night and junior high activities

Junior highers and sponsors meet twice a month during the school year: once for an evening at the church and another time for a fun activity. In each case, the focus is primarily on being together.

Mustard Seed Camp

This once-a-year, week-long day camp gives junior highers and their leaders a concentrated opportunity to combine service, learning, spiritual disciplines, and fun. The theme for 2009 is The New Testament.

Senior high

Sunday school

Senior highers and teachers meet every week after worship for about an hour for Bible study or other topical discussions.

Bread for body and soul

Youth and a few sponsors meet on the second Wednesday evening of the month during the school year for a contemplative meal, conversation about the Bible and our lives, and prayer for each other.

Service

In order to encourage youth to incorporate service into their lifestyles rather than tacking on a few hours on an occasional basis, 25 service hours over the course of the school year are required to participate in the summer trip. Sponsors provide 4 service activities that can be counted toward these hours.

Senior high activities

Since we're a regional congregation, we need intentional times just to be together. Sponsors and youth leaders draw on their strengths and passions to plan one activity per month during the school year.

Summer trip

Since a week-long immersion yields different results than an hour or two here or there, we have a four-year rotation of summer trips (service, wilderness camping, learning experience, and Mennonite Youth Convention) so that some experiences aren't privileged at the expense of others. Summer of 2009 we're going to Mennonite Youth Convention in Columbus, OH.