Activities focused on youth are an important part of the life of St John’s.
Sunday School for Youth – September – June
Our youth in grades 7 – 12 join together for lively discussions and study in a combined Junior/Senior High Sunday School class each Sunday at 9:00 am in the Fireside Room, near the elevator on the lower level of the church. This large room is especially set up and used for youth activities. The youth room is set up with comfortable couches and chairs, a large screen television and a pool table.
Youth Sunday – March
Each year in early March, St. John’s holds a Youth Sunday where the youth of the church plan, prepare and participate in all aspects of the worship service, including music, scripture readings, leading the Children’s Time, and presenting a play with a sermon-type message.
Congregational Dinners – September/October and January
Our youth participate by helping to serve the dinners to the congregation. (Yes, you get time to eat, too!)
Vacation Bible School – June
Our youth serve as teacher assistants/helpers for four nights each June during our week of Vacation Bible School (VBS). Over the years, some youth have been led into teaching careers from helping out with this experience!
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – January
For many years, our youth with adult leaders have participated in service activities during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service weekend in January. Some of the recent activities have included working with other UCC youth at Old First UCC’s Winter Shelter in Philadelphia, traveling to Bethany Children’s Home in Berks County for an afternoon service project on the Sunday of the weekend, and a local project making ‘walker bags’ for the residents of Elm Terrace Gardens in Lansdale (home to St. John’s members and other local residents).
Over the years, our youth have participated in projects in Philadelphia, Chester, and in our own community the weekend of that holiday. One of the highlights was a project of cleaning up a park in Chester, Pa. in 2009 named for Dr. King, next to the Chester public library, near where Dr. King had attended Crozier Theological Seminary. When we returned to work there the MLK holiday weekend in 2010, we found a beautiful bust-sculpture of Dr. King had been erected in that park!
Coming in 2020: UCC National Youth Event at Perdue University
If your child will be between the ages of 13-18 in July 2020, they are eligible to travel with us and attend the UCC National Youth Event held at Perdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana! If you are interested in being a part of that group, it is important that you be a part of the fundraising efforts in 2019 & 2020! Please let Pastor Addie know if you are interested in going to National Youth Event so she knows who to keep in the loop as more information is made available. Watch the UCC & PSEC Youth page on this website for more information.
Please watch the Herald and Enlightener for upcoming special youth events! There is also a special bulletin board just across the hall from Pastor Addie’s office just for news and pictures from youth events! You can also keep up with the latest events on our St. John’s Facebook group just for members and friends. Ask Rev. Sue, Pastor Addie or our social media administrator John Hendricks to let you join the Facebook group!
Links to Youth News & Events from the UCC and the PSEC:
Click here to connect with the UCC website Youth page
Click to connect to the PSEC website Youth page
Help a Friend…Help Yourself – Important Notice to Youth
Have a friend or family member having trouble coping with life right now? Never assume ‘they’ll get over it’ – talk with them, show your support, offer them the chance to speak confidentially with our pastors. Teenage & adult suicides is a reality in Montgomery & Bucks counties. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – call this toll free number: 1-800-273-8255. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
Did You Know? The UCC offers scholarships and grants to UCC members? The United Church of Christ Undergraduate Scholarship provides annual scholarship assistance to UCC members entering their sophomore, junior and/or senior year of an accredited 4-year college in the United States. Awards range from $500 – $1,500. Contact: Associate Director for Grants Administration, Local Church Ministries at [email protected] for further information. There are also scholarships to UCC-related colleges – for more information, visit the UCC website: http://www.ucc.org/scholarships/