Youth Group Programs
Second Congregational Church has amazing Youth Group programs with many new opportunities to learn, grow, share and serve ~ this is truly a place where kids and their friends in the community can feel comfortable! You are invited to stop by and “check us out”. Our youth keep updated with our church activities through a monthly Youth Newsletter, Phone-vite service, Facebook and other social media sent from our Youth Director, Betsey Guest-Natale.
Children’s Youth Group – Grades K -6
Meets for seasonal activities 4 times a year. This group promotes fun and safe bonding opportunities for children and their families. Programs include pumpkin decorating and fall crafts at the Harvest Supper, the Advent Workshop, Valentine’s or winter games and crafts, and a spring event.
Middle School Youth Group – Grade 7 & 8
Meet once a month (or more) with youth events such as bowling, laser tag, movie nights and other fun activities. In the fall our group participates in a Mission Trip with another church youth group and also commits to learning programs at Overlook Farm in Rutland, MA, site of Heifer Project International.
Senior High Youth Group – Grade 9 through Grade 12
This group meets weekly for morning Sunday School and also meet monthly for camaraderie and fun offsite activities like ski weekend overnights, lock-ins, whitewater rafting, theatre, and much more! Opportunities to join in fundraising for social outreach programs with a yearly Dinner/Auction, Haunted House and Pancake Breakfast.
A popular new ministry is Cor Unum, an opportunity for our youth to travel to a nearby soup kitchen and serve guests in a restaurant style environment.
Special Youth Programs
Third Grade: “Bible Basics”
It is a long-standing tradition at Second Church to present Bibles to children entering the third grade. This class is a special four-week program where the students, along with a parent, become acquainted with using the Bible. They learn about the contents and the organization of the Bible and how to make using it a part of everyday life.
Fifth Grade: “Joyful Feast” Program
This Lenten course, with a participating parent, examines the Christian Sacrament of Joyfull Feast Communion. The material covers the Passover roots of Communion participating in an actual Seder meal, and compares our communion practices with those of other faiths. The program culminates in the class participating in communion during the Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Service. During the Tenebrae service the chalices that the students made during the program will be used and they will have their own kiln fired chalice to keep as a reminder.
Ninth Grade: “Confirmation Program”
The primary goal of the Confirmation program is discipleship: people who more 2013 Confirmation closely resemble, in lifestyle, beliefs and values, disciples of Christ. An adult member of the congregation works with each student as a mentor. Monthly lessons and meetings are combined with community service and fellowship. The program ends with Confirmation Sunday when the students become members of the church.
Mission Trips
As we were cleaning up, people started to walk out and when I looked at the back door, I saw a man standing there. He looked at me, smiled and gave me a thumbs up. Still to this day I can’t tell you why it struck me in the way that it did. There was a known peace between us of what had happened. He received his meal and his scripture and in his own way shown me what it had meant. At that moment he was telling me that today he was going to be ok. Maybe not tomorrow or the next day but today he had been given the tools to find happiness in his life.
future community leaders at work
Mission Trip 2021 Cherryfield, Maine Saturday, June 26 – Saturday July 3, 2021
Our church has been the Cherryfield many times. This year, we wanted to choose a location that was local and where we had lots of open space. Our work will be outside and may include roofing, skirting and painting. We are hoping that vaccines will be well distributed by the time we are ready to go but if not, we will have all participants be tested before we depart. For information about Cherryfield, our trip, trip costs etc., please review the Information Packet.
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Some of our recent mission trips:
Pine Ridge: A Learning and Serving trip to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation working with an organization called Re-Member. Check out our video presentation: Re-Member 2019 Manhattan Mission: a mission trip to NYC working with an organization called YSOP.
Check out our video presentation: Manhattan Mission, NYC Maine Seacoast Mission: In the summer 2017 we went to Cherryfield, Maine to work with Maine Seacoast Mission. Check out our video presentations: Maine Seacoast Mission.