The mission of St. John's Children & Youth programs is to be an inclusive spiritual community, we uplift families and equip them to be change agents.
You can find the calendar for the current season of youth programming here.
Youth Group (Grades 7 – 12)
Get together with your peers to have fun, serve others, and learn about faith in your daily life. Friends are always welcome. We meet on Sunday evenings twice a month during the school year. For the Youth Group schedule, see the church calendar.
Each meeting has a topic for discussion facilitated by the youth director with the goal of supporting the youth’s growing faith and making it relevant in each person’s daily life. The youth engage in open and honest conversation about their lives and how they experience the presence of God. Meetings include fun activities such as playing sardines, hide and seek in the dark, blind ice cream tasting, and shaving cream baseball.
Youth Group members are also encouraged to give back to others, both within the church and in the broader world. Opportunities for involvement at St. John’s include serving as an acolyte, assisting as an usher, singing in the choir, helping in the nursery or at Sunday school, or becoming a youth delegate on the church vestry.
Confirm Not Conform (Grades 7 – 12; Adults)
St. John’s confirmation program, Confirm not Conform (CnC), is offered every two years and uses a curriculum developed by St. John’s. Classes and field trips meet on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. twice a month throughout the school year.
Participants make a commitment to explore the Episcopal faith and traditions, learn about other religions, study scripture, and ask questions with an open mind. The program provides youth and adults a safe space and emphasizes giving a voice and a choice in how individuals pursue faith. Each student is paired with a mentor from St. John’s, who serves as a role model and provides guidance.
As a group, the youth complete a service project of their choosing. They are responsible for fundraising, including presenting their idea to the vestry for church funds. Past projects include distributing books to underserved school children, planting street trees in West Oakland, and participating in the Stop Hunger Now project.
The program culminates in May with a special service at St. John’s during which each student recites a Bible passage and explains its meaning and relevance. Following the ceremony, the CnC families host a celebration for parishioners, friends, and family. The candidates who wish to be confirmed in the Episcopal faith convene at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco with other candidates in the diocese and are confirmed by the Episcopal Bishop.
The early success of the program led church leaders to copyright the curriculum in 2007 and it is now used by Episcopal as well as other protestant churches throughout the country. The program energizes and empowers youth and results in not only deepening spirituality, but also increasing confidence through critical thinking, collaboration, responsibility, decision-making, and public speaking.
An information session and registration are required for participation. www.confirmnotconform.com
Mission Trip (Grades 7 – 12)
St. John’s Mission Trip is offered every two years, alternating with the confirmation program. Participants commit to planning and fundraising throughout the school year and then travel over the summer to assist a community in need with a specific project.
Past destinations include New Orleans, Puerto Rico, and Indian Reservations in Idaho, Wyoming and Washington states. Projects often include home improvements and construction, such as painting, deck repair, and roofing.
Youth Group (Grades 7 – 12)
Get together with your peers to have fun, serve others, and learn about faith in your daily life. Friends are always welcome. We meet on Sunday evenings twice a month during the school year. For the Youth Group schedule, see the church calendar.
Each meeting has a topic for discussion facilitated by the youth director with the goal of supporting the youth’s growing faith and making it relevant in each person’s daily life. The youth engage in open and honest conversation about their lives and how they experience the presence of God. Meetings include fun activities such as playing sardines, hide and seek in the dark, blind ice cream tasting, and shaving cream baseball.
Youth Group members are also encouraged to give back to others, both within the church and in the broader world. Opportunities for involvement at St. John’s include serving as an acolyte, assisting as an usher, singing in the choir, helping in the nursery or at Sunday school, or becoming a youth delegate on the church vestry.
Confirm Not Conform (Grades 7 – 12; Adults)
St. John’s confirmation program, Confirm not Conform (CnC), is offered every two years and uses a curriculum developed by St. John’s. Classes and field trips meet on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. twice a month throughout the school year.
Participants make a commitment to explore the Episcopal faith and traditions, learn about other religions, study scripture, and ask questions with an open mind. The program provides youth and adults a safe space and emphasizes giving a voice and a choice in how individuals pursue faith. Each student is paired with a mentor from St. John’s, who serves as a role model and provides guidance.
As a group, the youth complete a service project of their choosing. They are responsible for fundraising, including presenting their idea to the vestry for church funds. Past projects include distributing books to underserved school children, planting street trees in West Oakland, and participating in the Stop Hunger Now project.
The program culminates in May with a special service at St. John’s during which each student recites a Bible passage and explains its meaning and relevance. Following the ceremony, the CnC families host a celebration for parishioners, friends, and family. The candidates who wish to be confirmed in the Episcopal faith convene at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco with other candidates in the diocese and are confirmed by the Episcopal Bishop.
The early success of the program led church leaders to copyright the curriculum in 2007 and it is now used by Episcopal as well as other protestant churches throughout the country. The program energizes and empowers youth and results in not only deepening spirituality, but also increasing confidence through critical thinking, collaboration, responsibility, decision-making, and public speaking.
An information session and registration are required for participation. www.confirmnotconform.com
Mission Trip (Grades 7 – 12)
St. John’s Mission Trip is offered every two years, alternating with the confirmation program. Participants commit to planning and fundraising throughout the school year and then travel over the summer to assist a community in need with a specific project.
Past destinations include New Orleans, Puerto Rico, and Indian Reservations in Idaho, Wyoming and Washington states. Projects often include home improvements and construction, such as painting, deck repair, and roofing.
Youth Values
We embrace our Christian faith in the spirit of these values:
Creative: We hold space for youth and children’s ministry with innovative, expressive, and visionary ideas and action.
Justice-Seeking: We build awareness, act on issues of equity, and serve the planet and those in need.
Open-Minded: We are welcoming, inclusive, curious, and accepting.
Compassionate: We challenge the status quo and show radical love to all.
Joyous: We support Christian spiritual growth through fun and humor.
We embrace our Christian faith in the spirit of these values:
Creative: We hold space for youth and children’s ministry with innovative, expressive, and visionary ideas and action.
Justice-Seeking: We build awareness, act on issues of equity, and serve the planet and those in need.
Open-Minded: We are welcoming, inclusive, curious, and accepting.
Compassionate: We challenge the status quo and show radical love to all.
Joyous: We support Christian spiritual growth through fun and humor.
|
|
