YOUTH GROUP KICKOFF IS HERE!
Sunday, August 23, 12:15 - 3:00 PM – Courtyard
6th - 12th Grades
We are kicking off a BRAND NEW youth group year, and we’re starting with a WATER DAY PARTY!
Get ready for:
A HUGE water slide
A jousting arena
Plenty of water-filled fun
A tasty lunch
Friends, laughter, and probably a LOT of getting wet!
We are kicking off this year on the right foot!
But Youth Group is about so much more than games, food, and crazy activities.
Youth Group is about people.
YG is a place where middle and high school youth can show up exactly as they are, build real friendships, ask questions, wrestle with faith, and figure out how what they believe connects to the world they actually live in - ALL while navigating the difficult teen years.
Our lessons are topical and relevant to teenagers. Although we are always grounded in our Episcopal tradition, Youth Group isn't Sunday School or Confirmation: it is about growing in our own personal relationship with Jesus Christ, discovering who God created us to be, and learning how to live in community with one another. Through that journey, we learn to carry our faith beyond the walls of the church and into the broader community—leading with love, kindness, compassion, and acceptance wherever we go.
This doesn’t happen overnight. The symbiotic relationship of regular youth group meetings along with a yearly mission trip or pilgrimage are what seed these principles. And as youth leaders, we are here to walk alongside teens and their faith journey.
We talk about the topics that actually matter to teenagers—their friendships, relationships, stress, choices, identity, kindness, inclusion, how we treat other people, how we handle difficult situations, and what it means to see God in the middle of everyday life.
Sometimes.
Sometimes we'll have serious conversations.
Sometimes we'll ask really hard questions.
Sometimes we'll serve our community.
Sometimes we'll worship.
And sometimes we'll spend three hours launching ourselves down a giant water slide. 😂💦
All of it matters.
Because faith isn't just something we talk about for an hour on Sunday. It's something we live out—in our friendships, our schools, our families, our communities, and in the way we treat one another.
Our goal is to create a safe, welcoming, inclusive community where everyone has a place, everyone is valued, and everyone has the opportunity to grow.
So come kick off the year with us! Bring your friends. Bring your swimsuit. Bring your towel, sunscreen, and appetite. And definitely bring your best water-day attitude!
Middle School + High School Youth — YOU ARE INVITED!
Let's make this year one filled with friendship, faith, service, laughter, questions, kindness, and a whole lot of fun.
Questions?
Contact: Kadi Strong, Youth Director
Email: kadi@saintmatthewschurch.org