Welcome to the Club Xristo's Youth Ministry web page!
The purpose
of our website is to let students and parents know about the youth ministry
opportunities at First Parish and to
highlight how the youth ministry team and parents can work together as a team in
guiding your child’s spiritual walk.
The mission of our youth ministry is
To connect
the youth of First Parish and the greater Wakefield community to committed
Christian leaders who serve as mentors for
a growing delight in Jesus Christ
while having fun and making a difference.
We do this
for youth in five ways. Each of these focuses on one of the five main areas of
the Christian life:
- Youth Worship Service. (Worship/a growing delight in Jesus Christ.) The power and importance of worship together as a body, is one of the most important habits to instill in our youth. Singing, prayer, reading God's Word, hearing a message, and having opportunity to respond through giving, discussion, making commitments, and celebrating the Lord's Supper make up this time. It runs each Sunday from 10:30-11:45 during the Sunday service and is open to all 7-12th graders. Students should come to the Chapel for this service right at 10:30. Reminding them to come directly to the Chapel (not the sanctuary) will help us get started on time, and get the most out of our worship time.
- The Basement.(Evangelism and Outreach/connecting the youth to committed Christian leaders). This is our regular outreach and service project to the youth in our community. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-5:00, The Basement is a safe place for middle and high school students to come for fun and fellowship after school. Brochures for the Basement are available at the church. For more information about The Basement, click here.
- Monthly Events.(Fellowship and Ministry/ having fun and making a difference). These events are the opportunities to have fellowship together. At least once a month we have an event, ministry opportunity, or retreat for our youth. A few of the things lined up for this year are serving dinner at Rosie's Place, the Spring Community Dinner, Toby Mac/Jeremy Camp concert, Soulfest, and new this year: the Christian Youth Conference (CYC) at Oceanwood Camp. A calendar for the current month is available in both print and online as part of our Parent Link News Letter. To go to the online version of Parent Link, click here.
- Confirmation.(Discipleship/mentors for a growing delight in Jesus). The focus of our yearly confirmation program is discipleship. This course that runs from February through May, takes students though the Apostle's Creed and the basic tenants of the Christian faith. The class ends on Confirmation Sunday when the youth in the class are given the opportunity to confirm their faith in Jesus formally before the congregation. If you are the parent of a high school student who has not taken the Confirmation Class a letter with details about this year's class has been sent to you.
- Personal Availability.(Ministry and discipleship/mentoring...and making a difference). Pastor Dan, Chandra Laboy, Maurine Doyle, and the Youth Ministry Team are readily available to minister any of our students one on one for encouragement, support, a listening ear, and accountability.
We also want to help equip parents to be the best parents they can be to their teens. We work to do that by:
- Parent Link Newsletter. This monthly newsletter is sent out to all parents of our middle and high school students. It contains great information on youth culture, what your teens are most likely interested in, ideas for how you can pray with and for your teens, as well as information on upcoming music releases and movies that your teen is probably going to be exposed to. Each newsletter also includes the calendar of youth events for the coming month. This is a GREAT tool for staying in touch with your teen and how you can minister to them as parents. If you are not currently getting the Parent Link and would like to, let the church office know and they will put you on th emailing list. For an online version of the current Parent Link, click here.
- Parent Group. This is a new idea that we are instituting this year. The purpose of this team is to give parents an opportunity to be involved in the youth ministry, through pooling of resources, help with fund raising, and for mutual support of each other. This team is being headed up by Maurine Doyle. Check back soon for details on this new group. A link will be added to more info once it is up and running.
- Small Group Opportunities. The more you are doing to grow yourself in your Christian walk, the better you will be equipped to be a Christian parent and example to your teen. The Christian Education Committee is committed to offering courses to help you grow as a Christian, as a parent, and as a leader of your family. There are a number of small group materials we have that can be offered as Wonderful Wednesday courses (or on other nights) such as Bringing Up Boys, Parenting Your Teen, and Lead Like Jesus. If you are interested in joining a group, please let us know and we can have Christian Ed get a group started for you. To find out what small groups are currently being offered, click here. In addition, we have invested in books and educational materials that are available to borrow through our church library. This section includes books and DVD's on teen issues, spiritual life as a Christian teen in a secular world, guides for how to talk to and relate to your teens, and others.
- Personal Availability. No less with the youth, we are available to parents for support, counsel, encouragement, and as a resource for you to take advantage of in helping you be the best parent to your teen. The members of the Youth Ministry Team make it a priority equip themselves through formal training from the leading authorities on youth ministry today on issues that teens face. We also welcome your ideas, feedback, and questions about how we might be able to better serve you and your teen.
We hope that you will take advantage of these ministry opportunities for you and for your teens. First Parish is committed to helping you grow and mature in your walk with God.
Your own influence and leadership is crucial to your teen’s spiritual heath and growth. Proverbs 22:6 says, Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. And Ephesians 6:4 says, Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
As a parent, you are the main example to your youth for Christ and have been given the responsibility by God for making sure your teens are growing healthy spiritually through being involved in regular worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.
Our role as the Youth Ministry Team is to come along side of you to support you and equip you so that with God's help you can fulfill your responsibility to raise your teen in a Christian home and do all you can to encourage them to accept Christ as their own Lord and Savior (Ephesians 4:11-12).
In that spirit, we strongly encourage you to make the different opportunities we offer for you and your teen, and especially the Youth Worship Service, a priority in your teen's life and busy schedule. "We teach what we know, but we reproduce what we are." If you make growing spiritually a clear priority in your life and an expectation you have for them, chances are your teens will make it a priority in their life too.
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