Youth and Family Ministry

St. Paul Lutheran Youth Organization is Sharing the Joy of Christ by the following:

The LYO (Lutheran Youth Organization of St Paul Lutheran Church) participates in functions in the church (events hosted by St. Paul Lutheran Church), with the Greenville Ecumenical Youth Association, with the ELCA Grater Grand Rapids Conference (Timothy’s Table Association), St. Paul Lutheran Church Evart and Immanuel Lutheran Churches Big Rapids, and Mt Pleasant (Lutheran Youth Organizations in Mecosta, Newaygo, and Isabella counties), as well as events hosted by the North West Lower Michigan Synod and the South East Michigan Synod.

The Youth and Family Ministries offers and participates in:

… Sunday school class K-6^th grades

… Confirmation Class Affirmation of Baptism 7^th-8^th grades

… Sunday school class 6^th-12^th grades

… Vacation Bible school K-6^th grades with 7-12^th grades and adult leaders

… The Gathering 9^th-12^th grades hosted by the North West Lower Michigan Synod and the South East Michigan Synod. (see Links Page)

… The Youth Quake hosted by Youth encounter (see Links page)

… Elementary, Jr. High, Confirmation, and Sr. High camps hosted by Living Water Ministry (see Links page)

… Youth Sunday lead by the youth of the congregation

… Quarterly K-4^th grade programs (see calendar of events)

… Youth events (Lock-in’s, Christmas party, Collage Student care packages, Halloween Extravaganza for the community, ETC- see Calendar of event)

… Easter Breakfast service project for the congregation

… Thanksgiving Dinner service project for the congregation

… Hanging of the Greens with the congregation

… Souper Bowl Service Project for the Ecumenical food Mission

… Mission trip

… Greenville Ecumenical Youth Association Lock-ins, Late nighters, Schools Out Blow Out, 5^th Quarter, etc.

In the Ministry of Youth and Family the Biblical Based Spiritual Developmental and Enrichment guides St. Paul Lutheran Church participates in the above programs and events. This helps to lead the ministry in the direction to go for programs and activities that involve all participants (children, youth, young Adults and adults 0-99 years of age) in the Youth and Family Ministries. Each pillar is a goal that is evaluated during and after the event and is reported to the Youth and Family Ministry Board and then the Council.

Biblical Based Spiritual Developmental and Enrichment for Youth and Family Ministries of St. Paul Lutheran Church through:

Relationships

† Create opportunities for the Holy Spirit to work through relationships

† Intentionally create caring conversations, to listen and teach how to listen

† Make significant connections with one another

† Create a safe place to voice concerns, hurts, aspirations and questions

† Teach how and why to share one’s faith in an authentic (true to you) way to family, friends and acquaintances

† Teach how to invite people to church and church-based activities

† Naturally express oneself spirituality with faith, joy and enthusiasm

Family

† Passing on the faith supports the family by providing opportunities for families to relate to one another on a faith-based and spiritual level

† Passing on the faith support the family by providing training for parents and grandparents to be spiritual mentors and guides for their children and for siblings to be spiritual mentors

† Support the family by providing opportunities for family devotions

† Church strengthens and supports the family, family strengthens and supports the church, and unites the family and passes on christian values.

School

† Help youth feel good about being Christian

† Show how one’s faith can have a positive impact on a student’s experiences at school and at home

† Empower youth to consciously walk with Jesus at school, with their faith informing choices and decisions

Belonging

† Further integrate youth and families in the life and ministries of the congregation. i.e., worship, service, leadership, activities, stewardship

Community

† Put into practice Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourselves through service to the community and beyond

† Demonstrate that loving our neighbor can be satisfying and joyful

† Gift Oriented Ministry: help others discover their God given & spirit led gifts

Recreation

† Model the possibility of worship and spiritual growth in an outdoor setting and in an indoor setting, as an individual and as a family

† Demonstrate/affirm that creation can be a spiritual pathway to God

† Youth and families by creating a safe and comfortable environment for youth and families to talk about God.

† Strengthen c hristian community through challenges in recreational setting

Youth and Family Links