Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church
Youth Ministry At Faith
Faith Church not only ministers "to" its youth, we make a deliberate practice of ministering "with" our youth, including them in the full life of our congregation. Faith is a discipling congregation and we believe that disciples need to be nurtured in scripture, discipleship and service ministry from a young age. Jane Krantz, our Youth Ministry Coordinator, works diligently and creatively with Pastor Nelson to make that a reality.
Here is an overview of our Ministry with Children and Youth:
Age 3: Presentation of their first "Bible" and entry into Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. At age 3 there is a special nursery Sunday School class at the 9 am Sunday School hour. A volunteer staffed nursery of two to three Nursery Buddies watch over our little ones during worship for those who wish to take advantage of this service. Our teens are paired with one or two adults to entertain the little ones. The nursery, its private bathroom and stock of toys, are maintained by members of our Clean Team Small Group.
At Faith Church, babies, toddlers and young children are welcome in the Sanctuary for worship, and encouraged to be there on the second Sunday of each month (Family Service featuring the Peli-Can Puppet Team Children's Message). During this service the gospel is read by the people in unison, and the Children's and Beginner's Bibles are in use as they follow along with the adults who use their Contemporary English Version pew Bibles...pages given, of course!)
Sunday School for ALL ages!
Sunday
School for all ages, beginning with Age 3, is held from September
through May of each year. Our Sunday School classes are group
graded and we use a lectionary-based curriculum. Most classes have
a "team" of two adults. Catechetical students have their own Sunday
morning class, as do older teens and adults.
Sunday Breakfast Club
Sunday Breakfast Club is a special class for older teens --a continental breakfast and group discussion with mentors in the Library during the Sunday School hour each week.
First Communion Class
First Communion Class is taught by the pastor for two sessions just before First Communion is celebrated on Maundy Thursday, the festival during Holy Week which commemorates the institution of the sacrament of Holy Communion as it remembers Jesus' own Last Supper with his disciples. Children age 10 and above are the usual candidates for this class.
Kid Event
In order to disciple well-rounded followers of Jesus Christ, Faith offers fellowship and service events for our youngest children in a fellowship group called Kid Event, led by our Youth Ministry Coordinator.
Catechetical Instruction
When
young people reach the age of about 12, a physiological change occurs in
the human brain which enables a person to move from concrete to abstract
thought. So, our first year catechetical class begins when young
people reach the age or near the age of 12. For 2 1/2 school years
under the pastor's teaching they study the scriptures, church history
and doctrine, the sacraments and matters of discipleship using ELCA
materials with enrichments, including video units. Confirmation in
the Lutheran Church is an affirmation of baptism. The Rite
of Confirmation is usually celebrated on Reformation Sunday following
the second year. There is then one final unit, taught by a
specially trained lay-teacher, called See Through the Scriptures, a
Crossways International curriculum that reviews their catechetical
learning's through a unique visual approach, cementing in their
knowledge in a way that can be retrieved the rest of their life.
Youth Group
Our teens have their own opportunity for fellowship and service through the youth group experience, led by several of Faith's committed adults.
Faith Family Christmas Program
A specially written, homegrown Christmas play is offered each year the fourth Sunday in Advent. This gives little ones, teens and adults an opportunity to present the Christmas message in a traditional Christmas play format, including costumes, props and the works -- lots of music and spirit, and very few lines to memorize!
Vacation Bible School
One of Faith Church's favorite congregational activities, there are nearly as many adults and teens teaching and helping as registered children in the ELCA-curriculum-based Vacation Bible School held the first full week of August every year. Meeting Monday through Friday, from 9 am to noon, the event is free to all and is specially designed to reach out also to children in the community.
Peli-Can Puppet Ministry
During worship on the second Sunday of each month, our Peli-Can Puppet Team presents the children's message during worship. Volunteer puppeteers are adults and youth.
Sunday School "Motion Choir"
Songs and movements learned in Vacation Bible School are the foundation of our Sunday School Motion Choir program. The children, who practice for a few moments each Sunday before Sunday School, then "present" their song during the second Sunday family worship as their leadership in worship that day.
Opportunities for service -- We're part of something larger than ourselves!
Our children and teens are called upon to help out from time to time in serving their church family as acolytes, crucifers, lectors, greeters, worship assistants and even wholly leading the annual Youth Sunday service in September. There are also plenty of opportunities to help with nursery, praise band and setting tables for special events. Other service opportunities might be fundraisers for charity organizations outside our congregation.