Christian Education for Youth

Our Sunday School classes for children PreK-12th grade are built around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s curriculum called Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living. “This curriculum is based on practices Jesus did and taught us to do as faithful followers. Written for people of all ages who wish to live out their faith, this curriculum examines where these practices are found in the Bible and how they have been used in Christian faith then and now.”

Each week, all grades will be learning about the same biblical principles and stories in age-appropriate ways, allowing us to be in conversation about what we are learning together.

We’ll all begin in worship together and then, after the Word for the Children which follows the second scripture reading, all children who wish to participate in Sunday School may head to their classrooms on the second floor of the Christian Education wing (the northeast corner of the building) with their classroom shepherd.

Classes end when worship ends and we ask that students through 4th grade are picked up by an authorized person once worship has ended so our teachers might also enjoy fellowship time during Social Hour.

Junior High Fellowship, or JHF, is a time and a space for students in 6th through 8th grade to begin to deepen the bonds of Christian community with their peers through a blend of silliness, seriousness, service and study, accompanied by kind, committed adults.

Junior High Fellowship, or JHF, meets most Sunday evenings from 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM. in the Youth Lounge (accessed by the exterior stairwell on Douglas). We meet for conversation, fellowship, service, and fun. Occasionally, we will meet at other times and places for retreats, service opportunities, or other off-site activities.

Senior High Fellowship, or SHF, is a time and a space for students in 9th through 12th grade to explore and nourish their faith, to make connections between their faith and the call to serve others, to grow as Christians, and to build friendships with the support of one another and with caring, thoughtful adults.

Much like Junior High Fellowship, Senior High Fellowship, or SHF, meets most Sunday evenings from 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM. in the Youth Lounge (accessed by the exterior stairwell on Douglas). We meet for conversation, fellowship, service, and fun. Occasionally, we will meet at other times and places for retreats, service opportunities, or other off-site activities.

Starting this fall we will offer a mid-week opportunity for our youth to gather in a home setting to have opportunities for deeper conversations and nurture of their faith, along with more personalized fellowship.

For each gathering, there will be a simple conversation starter question grounded in our faith. Conversation may center around the question or diverge to something on the hearts of the kids.

The key to it all is to give our youth a chance to pick a small group date that works for them and be part of more intentional faith-building (while growing in relationship with adults from the congregation) with a group of people who share a faith background and bring it to understanding the rest of their lives in community with one another over time.

Our confirmation program is designed for students ages 8th grade and up who wish to learn more about what it means to confirm for themselves the promises made at their baptism. We use the Episcopal Confirm not Conform: Presbyterian Edition curriculum, a youth confirmation program that exposes youth to a wide range of topics, including Scripture, sacraments, creeds, heresy, prayer, other religions, and serving others, and asks them to think through what they believe and why.

Confirm not Conform emphasizes finding one’s own voice rather than simply conforming to an external standard. It is a program that respects the work youth and adults do as they explore their faith, trusting that when people put in the effort to articulate what they believe and why, they will make good choices about

their next step in faith.

Classes meet for 18 Sundays throughout the school year. Before the school year begins, we head to Covenant Harbor for a weekend retreat and we end the year with an all-church celebration on a Saturday in the weeks leading up to Confirmation, which is celebrated on Pentecost.

Jr./Sr. High Choir (7th-12th grade)

Kitty Snyder, director

Sundays 11:10-12:00 p.m. in the Choir Room.

Jr/Sr. High Choir is open to any junior or senior high school student. They lead in worship every 5-6 weeks and on other occasions throughout the year, including the Christmas Pageant.

Youth Bells (6th-12th grade)

Kirk Townander, director

Sundays 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Room 04.

All Jr. and Sr. Highs are welcome to join Youth Bells. They play for worship and special services throughout the year. It's a great way to mingle with other kids and make beautiful music.