Children/Youth


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Children and Youth

Children and Family
Every person that walks in the door is a member of the extended family of the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew. Children and families are the mainstay of our growing congregation. Our mission is to provide a nurturing environment, love, prayer and support for spiritual matters within the family structure – whatever the lifestyle may be. We at SPSA are committed to modeling Jesus Christ and the gospel message through the interaction of all the staff and congregation at both church services and community activities. The most important thing we want our children to know is that they are loved.

Children’s Education
Children are included in all activities of the church. In addition to intergenerational events, there is nursery care provided from ages 6 months to 3 years, Sunday school for age 3 to grade 5, and one week of Vacation Bible School in the summer. And, of course, the annual Christmas Pageant.

Youth
The Youth Ministry program at the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew is committed to offering young people (grades 6-12) in the church and community a place to be in fellowship, participate in service, and learn about and develop their own faith in ways that are effective for them. We are seeking to touch youth where they are: in their lives, in their schools, and addressing their questions.

The Youth Group meets on Sundays: Younger Youth (grades 6-8) meet from 1:00-1:45pm; all Youth in grades 6-12 meet together from 1:45-2:15pm; and Older Youth (grades 9-12) meet from 2:15-3:00pm. Once a month the Council on Youth Ministries meets from 3:00-4:00pm. Younger Youth and Older Youth meet separately for programming, which addresses issues in their lives and how their faith can be involved in these issues. Some of these programs have included: Anger, Cliques, Hope, Honesty, Truth, Welcome, Fear, Graces, Mission, Who is God?, and What the Heck was Jesus Talking About? Time is provided each week for the two groups to meet together for fellowship, worship, and lunch. Other fellowship activities have included: Progressive Dinner, Destination Unknown, movies, plays, and parties.

Community service and social justice issues are important to the church as a whole and to the Youth Group as well. We volunteer twice a month at West Side Campaign Against Hunger, make cards for homebound senior citizens for Westside Ecumenical Ministry for the Elderly, and participate with the greater church congregation in justice areas. Additionally, the Youth Group has gone on a week-long work mission in Appalachia and has raised money that was sent to help fund the building of a school in Nigeria.

A nine-person Council on Youth Ministries is elected each year to help make decisions about what the Youth Group will do in terms of programming, fellowship, and service. Six of the leaders of the CYM are youth, one of whom runs the CYM meetings.

Please click here to learn about our current activities in our monthly newsletter, The Fellowship. You may also email the Youth Minister, Emily Peck, at [email protected].

(1) Vacation Bible School. (2) Childrens Christmas Pageant. (3) Fieldtrip to Little Red Lighthouse. (4) Youth Group at Camp Quinipet on Shelter Island.