Youth Ministry
Middle School & High School
Welcome to Youth Ministry
St. Mark’s youth are a vital part of our St. Mark’s community. They are active in worship, fellowship, education, and service. They are learning and modeling what it means to live out their faith.
Rooting in Baptism, Growing in Faith, Reaching Out into the World.
Middle School marks the beginning of preparation for confirmation, a reaffirming of the Baptismal Covenant, those promises made for us at Baptism. The Baptismal Covenant is a question-and-answer version of the Apostle’s Creed, a statement of faith, and how we are called to live out that faith. Confirmation takes place at the end of 8th grade when those youth who choose to be confirmed renew their baptismal vows during a service which includes a laying on of hands by the Bishop.
High School is a time to learn how to take responsibility for those baptismal promises made at confirmation. These are important years when St. Mark’s hopes to engage, instruct, and involve high schoolers and provide the foundation necessary for the Christian life.
Growing in Faith
Attending and Serving in Worship
We encourage our youth to go to church with their families. One of the most important messages we want to impart is that worship holds us together as a community in Christ. Attending worship is a commitment, one that we hope sticks.
In addition to attending services, we ask each incoming 6th grader to commit to a role in worship, serving as an usher, acolyte, reader, and/or instrumentalist. We hope that serving in these roles will help youth realize their importance as part of St. Mark’s.
Confirmation at St. Mark’s 2024-2025
All 8th Graders are welcome! During this transitional period in kids’ lives, confirmation allows us to center ourselves in faith and discover together what that means. What is the meaning of confirmation and a statement of faith? Well, we dive deeper into the following topics to help us figure that out: Episcopal Tradition, Sacraments, The Book of Common Prayer, the Episcopal Liturgy, Vocation, Scripture, Spiritual Practices, Prayer, and more! Over the course of a year, our confirmation class will meet regularly in large and small groups and work with their adult mentors to join together in that discovery. This is a safe space for discussion, questions, and yes, some fun, games, and laughter.
Click Here for Confirmation Covenant
Confirmation Calendar 2024 – 2025
If you are interested in confirmation, please contact Father George.
Youth Nights
Youth Nights are held twice monthly from 6:30 – 8 p.m. in Mahon Hall. Each youth night includes games designed to help young people have fun and get to know one another as well as an engaging discussion rooted in Scripture, designed to help them explore and live out their faith. Small groups are a regular staple of youth nights.
Youth Nights Calendar 2024- 2025
If you have any questions, please contact Joyce Fletcher.
Helping out with Parish Activities and Events
These include service and fellowship opportunities such as: making DuPage Pads lunches, serving at the St. Nicholas Day event, working in the Pumpkin Patch, assisting in the Nursery, interning in the office, helping with art exhibits, Mexico Mission Trip and ASP Trip fundraisers, the Annual Meeting, the Parish Picnic, VBS, and more!
Branching Out Into The World
We pray that what our youth learn in their homes and at St. Mark’s will strengthen them as they go out in their schools, their communities, and the world beyond and live out their Baptismal promises and demonstrate God’s grace.
St. Mark’s provides the following opportunities:
- Mexico Mission Trip
- Appalachia Service Project Trip
- Offsite Retreats and Activities (with the Diocese of Chicago and OneChurch partners, Grace Lutheran and St. Luke.)
- PADS (Publice Action to Deliver Shelter)
- PRC (People's Resource Center)
- Feed My Starving Children
- And more!
Questions?
David Profitt
Youth Ministry