This year the programming for our middle and high school youth will be overseen by a Youth Ministry Team. The session approved that concept at September?s meeting and appointed to the Youth Ministry Team Bob Hicks, Nancy Gillis, and Jennifer Frings. At their initial meeting, the Team expressed a desire for the youth program to concentrate on service to people outside our specific community. They decided upon a theme for the year of " Service Beyond Our Walls ".

This theme is being supported by the curriculum that both youth groups are studying at their Sunday evening meetings. They are studying a five week curriculum called, " Mission Mania ".

In addition to the leadership being provided by the Youth Ministry Team, David and Traci Cleveland are leading our middle school youth and Jeff and Amy Thames are leading our high school youth. We are grateful for the gifts, the encouragement, and the model of discipleship that David and Traci and Jeff and Amy bring to the youth of our church. The Youth Council will also provide some guidance and leadership for the year?s activities. The Youth Council will be convened each month by one of our Youth Ministry Team leaders and will be made up of one elected representative from each grade in the middle and high school programs. The Youth Council members for this year are: Patrick Bond, Kaitlyn Davenport, Brittany Cleveland, Holly Frings, Corey McCormick, Samantha Mitchell, and Mary Beth Allen.

The time that our youth spend in PYF often forms much of their understanding about relationships and ministry in and through the church. It is a significant time of thier nurture and growth as people of God. In your routine of prayer, keep the work we do with our youth and the work they do for the community in mind. Pray for God to give guidance, direction, wisdom, compassion, and opportunity to and for the youth of our church to reach higher and discover the great joy in serving other people. May we see in their work and in their play the reality of our present and the vision of our future as a people of God.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Mark