Youth Ministry

Upcoming Youth Events

On November 16 at 11:30 a.m., junior and senior high youth will be raking leaves for members who are unable to do so. Join us after church for pizza before we head out.

On November 23 at 12:45 p.m., all fifth and sixth graders and their friends are invited to join in bowling at Mission Bowl. We will leave the church immediately after the Thanksgiving Dinner. Plan to pick up your kids at 3 p.m. at Mission Bowl, 5399 Martway.

Confirmation

A Confirmation program is offered each year for youth in the 8th grade or older. Each confirmand receives a mentor to walk with him/her on this portion of their faith journey. In addition to meeting with a mentor, the confirmation class meets as a group several times with the minister for a group discussion. The mentors and confirmands also participate together in several service projects and field trips to enhance the confirmation program. In April, the confirmands visit St. Louis to learn more about the workings of the UCC. At the completion of this program, each youth will be invited to make a decision to join the church followed by a confirmation service, which is usually held in early May.

Esperanza 2009

The deadline to register for next summer’s Esperanza Mission Trip to Tijuana, Mexico, June 5-13 is January 15, 2009. The trip, which is open to all high-school aged youth, is a wonderful experience that combines helping build homes for low-income residents of Tijuana and learning about the complicated social and political issues surrounding life near the Mexico-U.S. border. A $150 deposit should be mailed to the UCC Kansas-Oklahoma Conference office along with the Esperanza 2009 registration form. Total cost of the trip is $800 per person, but all except the initial deposit can be earned through fundraising efforts. If you want to participate in the fundraising, contact Cindy Lafferty immediately.

Camping Programs

Annual summer camp programs are offered each summer at White Memorial Camp and Conference Center, a quiet prairie retreat in the Kansas Flint Hills, operated year-round by the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ. Camp White offers a wide variety of programs available to all churches. The programs provide, in addition to curricula for religious education, opportunities for hiking, exploring, solitude, play, or just relaxing. The camp has a new camp director this year, so watch for some exciting developments. Contact (wmcucc@cgtelco.net) or visit White Memorial Camp for more information.

Scholarships are available! Contact Cindy Lafferty for details.