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The
core of St. Mark’s youth formation is
Sunday mornings. From 9:15-10:15 a.m.
during the program year (September thru
May), the youth gather in one of the
downstairs classrooms (7/8th grade in
room 101; high school youth meet in
room 103) to share, learn and grow as
a group. They are also encouraged to
attend and participate in one of the
Sunday morning Eucharist services.
The time that the 7/8th graders spend
together on Sunday is framed by the
Rite 13 program, which uses stories
in scripture, both Old and New Testament,
to help the youth discover what it means
to be made in the image of God, valuing
the way God has made them, and how to
be and grow in relationship with God.
Preparation for Confirmation is also
woven into this time, and the youth
are invited to meet and talk with the
clergy, and make a decision in the spring
of their 8th grade year, whether they
wish to be confirmed. The youth also
participate in various service and social
activities, including work at the Peoples’
Resource Center; packing lunches for
PADS; volunteering at a PADS site; serving
as ushers, readers and acolytes; helping
at the UNICEF Halloween party; preparing
and serving dinner after the monthly
Evensong service; playing laser tag;
attending the Christmas Progressive
dinner. The adult leaders of the 7/8th
grade youth on Sunday morning are Kim
Reed and Paul Flynn. We ask and invite
parents of youth and others in the church
to serve as leaders for the other activities
throughout the year.
The Sunday morning program for the High
School youth is called J2A (Journey
to Adulthood), and focuses on an exploration
of the “self” – who you are, how you
are connected to others, what it means
to be authentic, how individuals can
connect to form community – and, ultimately,
how that self can grow into being a
healthy adult. As the program materials
put it, “the focus is placed on the
acquisition of skills and vocabulary
which prepare and empower the young
person to be able to someday fully participate
in the adult community as a competent
and faithful.” Besides their time together
on Sunday mornings, the group comes
together for different social and service
activities, among them a car wash to
raise money for PADS; volunteering at
a PADS site; pizza and movie nights;
the Progressive Christmas dinner; playing
laser tag and paintball; preparing and
serving dinner after the monthly Evensong
service; serving as ushers, readers
and acolytes. The adult leaders of the
High School youth on Sunday morning
are Rachel and Chad Alcorn, and Ronnie
de Vries. As with the 7/8th grade youth,
we ask and invite parents of youth and
others in the church to serve as leaders
for the other activities throughout
the year.
If you are approached, please say ‘Yes.’
We need the help of everyone in the
St. Mark’s community to help our youth
grow into the vibrant, faithful and
caring people that God made them to
be.
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