Grace Youth Programs
Church School
Grace Church School serves children ages 4 – 14 with classes that last approximately 45 minutes, immediately following the 9:30am family service on Sundays. Children and young people are introduced to our spiritual community through Bible stories, activities and music. Parents and other parishioners volunteer as church school teachers, supported by our Church School Director, Annie Hekker Weiss. Age-appropriate classes are held for each grade level. Children are also invited to take an active role in the 9:30am family liturgy, serving as readers and acolytes.
Middle school children in grades six to eight participate in Junior Youth Group (JYG) which takes places at the same time as church school. JYG focuses on relating Episcopal messages to relevant, age appropriate social issues. JYG also strives to develop a feeling of community through various charity projects and team building activities, some of which take place in addition to the regular Sunday meeting. Some always-anticipated events include Nightwatch, a community interfaith Thanksgiving project, and annual ski and rafting excursions.
Families are invited to try out the church school/JYG at anytime. You can contact the Church School Director Annie Hekker Weiss or just show up at a 9:30am service and head up to church school afterwards.
Anyone in church school must complete a Church School Registration form so that we have appropriate emergency contact information on hand.
Middle school children in grades six to eight participate in Junior Youth Group (JYG) which takes places at the same time as church school. JYG focuses on relating Episcopal messages to relevant, age appropriate social issues. JYG also strives to develop a feeling of community through various charity projects and team building activities, some of which take place in addition to the regular Sunday meeting. Some always-anticipated events include Nightwatch, a community interfaith Thanksgiving project, and annual ski and rafting excursions.
Families are invited to try out the church school/JYG at anytime. You can contact the Church School Director Annie Hekker Weiss or just show up at a 9:30am service and head up to church school afterwards.
Anyone in church school must complete a Church School Registration form so that we have appropriate emergency contact information on hand.
Senior Youth Group
The very active senior youth group for high school students meets regularly at 6:30pm on Sunday evenings in the Fenton Room at Grace Church. The group works on team-building activities, focusing on topics related to spiritual growth and community service.
Several senior youth group highlights include a whitewater rafting trip down the Lehigh River, a tour of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC, a hike to Buttermilk Falls, and the Grace Church “Haunted House” fundraiser. Community service projects include distributing meals to the homeless in New York City with the Midnight Run program, hosting dinner for the Helping Hands program for the homeless and the important Church Youth Service Mission Trip, which in past years has included trips to Louisiana, West Virginia, Montana, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. Want to know more? Contact Joe Paskowski. Check out the Senior Youth Group's Facebook Page |
Confirmation
Confirmation is a sacramental rite that is undertaken as a mature, public commitment to living out our baptismal faith in the world. Therefore, confirmation is entered into only after a period of preparation in which the individual can discern if he or she is ready to claim for him or herself the commitment and responsibilities of being a confirmed member of the Body of Christ, the Church.
The Confirmation program at Grace Episcopal Church is designed to provide candidates with a myriad of opportunities through an engaging curriculum coupled with parish and community involvement (i.e. worship, fellowship, volunteerism, and liturgical service). Confirmation classes are held at the same as the regular Sunday School classes, 10:15 am -11:00 am, on the first and third Sunday of each month, beginning soon. Candidates will be required to participate in the life of the Church through service (i.e. acolyte, choir, volunteer ministry-midnight run). Candidates will have a choice as to where they will like serve. |
Bread For Life
BREAD FOR LIFE…our version as what is traditionally known as First Holy Communion.
As kids come up to the Eucharist we want them to understand what they are participating in, what the language means, what the manual acts are and what the communal event they take part in each Sunday. We want them to participate and appreciate the Eucharistic meal as well as understand the faith and the body of Christ. |