Youth
Grades 6 through 12
Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3
About Our Youth Ministry
Because we recognize the divine wisdom of childhood and adolescence, St. Stephen’s is a place where youth and adults walk side by side as companions on the journey of life in Christ. We strive to honor questions, avoid pat answers, laugh together and look together to see the ways God is at work in our lives. Our mission is to love and affirm all young people as God’s beloved by a ministry of presence, to serve them on their way as companions and guides, and to faithfully entrust their sacred growth to God. Here, all are invited; all are welcome.
Registration
Registration for youth offerings–acolytes, youth ushers, youth group, Sunday morning Bible study, Confirmation preparation, and more–will be available on this page in August. One form will cover all these offerings, so you will not need to complete multiple forms!
Youth Groups, Selected Sundays
6:30-8 p.m.
Youth groups meet on Sunday evenings, usually twice a month. Gatherings begin with an informal supper (provided) for all grades, 6 through 12. Then youth divide into age cohorts for the program. Sometimes youth group gatherings are strictly for fun, such as a movie night, and a couple of times a year we’ll take field trips (whitewater rafting, a tour of local holiday lights, a trip to Kings Dominion).
A youth group schedule for 2024-25 will be available this summer.
Questions? Contact Caroline Harris, youth ministry coordinator.
Youth Serving
Youth Acolytes (Grades 9-12)
At St. Stephen’s, all high school youth are invited to serve at the Lord’s altar in the ministry of the acolyte. Rooted in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the early church, acolytes lead worship alongside clergy, assisting with essential practical tasks that make the liturgy unfold with grace and beauty. Acolytes practice Christ’s commandment to love one another by enacting values of inclusion and respect, mutual care and forbearance, forgiveness and acceptance.
Who is invited and what is expected?
All high school youth are invited to serve in this ministry and no prior experience is necessary. The commitment one makes is to be fully present and prepared when serving, and to be accountable to one’s teammates, the congregation and other ministers. This is a ministry in which one grows in skill and maturity; it also requires a level of shared commitment with parents who help with transportation and executive skills that youth still are developing, particularly with communications and scheduling.
Essential details:
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Staff and vergers train and coach acolytes in their respective roles in a caring and supportive environment. Training is offered in late August and early September before school resumes, and for special liturgies.
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Acolytes serve in teams led by a senior acolyte called a “warden.” Each team serves about once a month, successively alternating between the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Sunday liturgies, and in the summer at 10 a.m.
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Acolytes serve at special services on days other than Sunday including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Maundy Thursday, and the Easter Vigil. On occasion, they will be invited to serve at funerals or weddings.
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Acolytes commit to arrive and vest on time; secure their own substitutes; and responsively communicate with their team’s warden.
Those who wish to serve must attend a training session; dates and registration will be available soon. If you have not served as an acolyte previously and you’d like to begin this summer, please contact Caroline Harris.
Youth Ushers (Grades 6-8)
All youth in grades 6-8 are invited to serve in the ministry of the usher. Youth ushers greet worshippers as they arrive for the 9 am liturgy, distribute bulletins, collect and present the congregation’s offerings, and help foster a welcoming and reverential atmosphere. Ushers serve about once per month on four teams led by an adult captain, typically a parent.
Training dates and registration will be available soon. If you have questions, please contact Caroline Harris.
Serving Others
Opportunities for youth to serve others in our community include volunteering in our food pantry, our Saturday farmers market, Vacation Bible School, the Advent Fair, and with our outreach partners like Caritas and Shalom Farms.
Special Events for Graduating Seniors
Please note: Seniors and their families will be asked to sign up for these springtime events once closer to the dates.
Sacred Pause
The final weeks of senior year accelerate into a blur of parties and formal celebrations, which is well and good! Before that, the church invites seniors, their friends, parents, and siblings to gather for a very special evening event we call Sacred Pause. First we gather in the café for social time to relax and connect. At 6:30, we move to the courtyard for an intimate and powerful liturgy.
Sacred Pause is about slowing down to reflect, pray, and mark as sacred this transitional moment of your life, for you and your family. Using prompts that we provide (after you sign up), we invite you, your parents and siblings to reflect on what this moment of life means and then privately write prayers to God using very plain, very direct, everyday language. You all will bring your prayers, each person’s prayers sealed in separate envelopes, to Sacred Pause to place on the altar. After blessing your prayers, we burn them and you and your family members may add incense to the fire as your prayers, symbolically, rise to God in the “holy smoke.”
High School Senior Recognition
High school seniors are especially recognized, presented with gifts, and formally blessed by the congregation during a Sunday morning service in the spring. This is a wonderful family event as we celebrate this major milestone on their journey to adulthood. A reception honoring seniors follows the service.
Get Involved
If you’d like to get involved with the youth ministry at St. Stephen’s Church, or if you have questions, contact Caroline Harris, youth ministry coordinator.