Click here to obtain the form (in pdf...you need to have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer). Print it out, fill it out, and send or bring it to the office or to Raymond Garcia!
Student Ministries
We believe that the teens are the church of tomorrow while remaining the church of today. Therefore, our Middle and High school teens are an integral part of our whole worshipping and serving congregation. We believe that teens need to be reached out to in love and personally affirmed and encouraged to become a very important part of the life of the church by integrating their enthusiasm and creativity in the total ministry of the church.
God has shown us through Christ that God calls us to love one another. Therefore, our Student Ministry seeks to build relationships between teens, their peers, parents, adult leaders, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Our hope is that through meaningful relationships with others, young people might grow in their love and knowledge of God. In order to foster these relationships and build trust within our group, we offer a weekly program and encourage regular participation.
Middle School & High School students will meet at Grace during this allotted time, though they will not meet together. Both the High School and Middle School Sunday Night Fellowships include a 10-20 minute time of devotions. They will be aimed at connecting students to one another, helping them to better understand their faith journey with Jesus Christ, and looking at Practical applications of Biblical texts.
The MS/HS will be split. We will offer ONLY opportunities for students that are interested in and willing to make a time bound commitment. We are suggesting that we offer opportunities of committed study for 6 weeks. The small groups could meet at an agreed upon time that would NOT necessarily be on Sunday Morning. The Curriculum will be chosen by the Student Ministry Planning Team and will be offered for parental review prior to classes via contacting Raymond.
There has been a lot of discussion around the format for Educational opportunities. Our key thought:
Requiring students to make a commitment to the individual studies, will allow for greater commitment to the sessions, in attendance and participation as well as providing a greater level of commitment to one another as well.
Wednesday Nights at Grace
This is a Middle School only outreach that is lead by adult leaders and High School Student Leaders. This outreach is an evening of food and games, with the purpose of building relationships, with the Student Ministry and with other students. 6:30-8:30
Outreach
As well as ministering to our own young people, we seek to reach out to other
teens in our nearby communities who do not have a church home and make them feel
welcome in our church family. We encourage teens to bring friends to all
Student Ministry activities.
Leadership
We believe that the Student Ministry program should not be centered around a
Student Minister but around several adult "Student Ministry Leaders" who have
direct contact with teens on a weekly basis. This concept of team ministry
provides long-term continuity to the Student Ministry program. If you know of
someone who should be a part of this leadership team, please connect them with
Raymond Garcia.
Mission
Believing that Christianity is both something we believe as well as something we
do, we provide an opportunity for Students to participate in Mission.
Assisting a small church, helping at a mission table, working with small
children in a Vacation Bible School or with hammers and saws in building some
much needed facility--these are but a few of the many ways students put faith
into action. Along with the Bible study, prayer and fellowship, this offers a
truly unique opportunity for our Students, as well as for those adults who
accompany them. This year we are planning to participate in two week-long
Mission Trips.
Worship
Worship is, of course, at the center of all that we do. Teens are encouraged to
worship each Sunday as a part of what it means to be a Christian. From time to
time, some of our students may assist in services as ushers, greeters, passing
out welcome folders or as lector. There are two special services when our teens
not only assist but lead us in worship: the Christmas Eve Family Service and
Student Ministry Sunday.
For more information, contact: Raymond Garcia, Director of Student Ministries. RaymondEGarcia@aol.com
Click here to obtain the form (in pdf...you need to have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer). Print it out, fill it out, and send or bring it to the office or to Raymond Garcia!
Student Ministry Leadership Team
The volunteer leaders are the backbone of our ministry. None of our programs could exist without the people that sacrifice their time, finances, and overall sanity for the sake of sharing Jesus Christ with teenagers.
RAYMOND GARCIA (Student Assistant & Director of Student Ministry)
Raymond’s not actually a VOLUNTEER leader, which means he’s not as cool as the other leaders. He grew up down in Vineland, NJ. He majored in Youth Ministry at Eastern College, is currently enrolled at Palmer Seminary pursuing his Masters of Divinity and has been a paid youth worker for eight years. His number one belief about student ministry is that showing up, and infusing God into life is the number one thing that an adult can do in hopes of leading teens to Christ as well as in their relationship with Christ.
JULIA HUDSON (Student Fellowship Leader & Contact work GURU)
Julia is a strong part of our relational ministry, especially in terms of communicating with our females. She is a volunteer leader with Student Fellowship. She works part-time at Friendly Planet Travel, which is an internet-based tour operator, doing clerical work. When she manages to find free time, Julia is up for anything from drinking tea and reading a good book to going out and playing Lazer Tag with friends.
CURT EQUI (Student Fellowship Leader, Confirmation Year 2 Teacher)
Maria Lorenz
Patty Cline
TRIPP DAVIS (Middle School Fellowship Leader)
BRUCE WILSON (Student Ministry Planning Team Meeting Chair & High School Fellowship Leader)
Fiona Bayliss
Michelle Thomas
We are always looking for more leaders. The group has been experiencing wonderful growth. The two issues that come with growth are facilities and leadership. The leadership team is always trying to grow so that we can continue offering the same quality of ministry.
They don’t need to be “good” at student ministry. We are looking for people who love Christ, and love teenagers. Everything else we can teach!