Opportunities To Expand Your Faith

Youth Groups

Jr. High Youth Group – Meets on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at the church from 5-6:30 p.m. We start with some devotion time, and move to service time, and sprinkle some game time in with it all.

Sr. High Youth Group – Also meets on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at the church from 5-6:30 p.m. We start with some devotion time, and move to service time, and sprinkle some game time in with it all.

Open’d

This group is for Sr. High and meets during the Christian Education hour on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:15 a.m. Join us for “open ended” discussions on topics important in your life.

Confirmation

Confirmation classes are offered each year to anyone wishing to reaffirm their baptism. Classes are held with 8th graders in mind, but anyone above that age may participate. We use a modified version of the United Church of Christ curriculum Affirming Faith. Through prayer and study, participants will learn about the history of this particular church, the wider church, the Bible, God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, covenant with God, Jesus, and each other, and how all of this ties into their own lives.

Opportunities For Service

(And to expand your faith)

Youth Choir

Singspiration is for those in 7-12 grades that love to sing. Share your gifts and talents by singing or playing an instrument. Come and make a joyful noise!

Youth Board

The Youth Board is made up of 3 Sr. High and 3 Jr. High youth, 4 adult advisors, and the Youth Director. They meet once a month to discuss scheduling, mission, and whatever else the youth are involved in. Other youth and adults are always welcome.

Wacky Wednesday

First Congregational Church offers a meal from 5-6:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings for $2 made by individuals/groups within the church. Singspiration choir meets from 6-6:45 p.m. Other choirs and Kids clubs meet on this night also.

Lock Ins

1st Congregational Youth Group holds a lock in about 4 times a year. Join us as we do some worship together, some fun together, some Sardines together, Guitar Hero together, some movies together, some more fun, some more worship, some breakfast, and for those who might want it, a little bit of sleep worked in there somewhere.

Mission Trips

This is a great opportunity to live as Jesus lived by helping those who are less fortunate than us. It is also a challenging way to grow in your faith. In 2006, we traveled to Dulac, LA to help do reconstruction after Hurricane Rita. July 13-20, 2007, there will be 18 people going to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to help out one of the poorest areas in America.

Opportunities For Fun

(And raise money for missions to expand your faith!)

Flamingoing

Spring is in the air, trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and our little pink friends are getting Spring Fever! The flamingos have been sitting in their boxes all winter long, and are getting anxious to get back into business. The youth take orders to “flamingo” (plant the pink yard ornaments in someone’s yard) to celebrate anything from a graduation to prom to birthdays and anniversaries. The cost is a donation to the youth group. Once the order is taken, the youth get together on that evening after dark and flamingo the yard. The whole idea is to do this without being caught. If we do get caught, we owe the recipients some yard work! This group has become very “stealth!” To “step things up a bit” the youth will be doing some RANDOM FLAMINGOING. This means that anyone can get flamingoed by the youth, at the choice of the youth, unless they have purchased insurance.

Birdies for Charity

This fundraising project is the easiest way for the youth to raise money. People guess how many “birdies” will be made at the John Deere Classic Golf Tournament. Whatever money is raised by the youth group, Birdies for Charity will double it. What a fun way to raise money for a good cause.

Valentine’s Dinner

For 3 years in a row, the youth have put together a spaghetti dinner followed by comic skits that were written by them. This year’s theme was Once Upon A Time, which all the skits were based on Disney movies. They also had a silent auction to sell Disney themed cakes which were donated by people in the congregation. Plans are being put together for next year’s dinner! DAN (The youth would like to have a DVD trailer of this year’s show. I have it in my office, if you can do it.)