We are moving to mostly stand- alone programming for Sunday morning--because many kids cannot come regularly due to travel sports or other activities or due to shared custody situations that don’t allow them to be here.
We are looking for their time at All Saints, when they are able to land, to be a place of welcome, a place where they can be real, a place to be invited to go beyond themselves in their thinking and a place to get support for the nurturance of a spiritual life.

We have about 15 names on our roster. Of those we have a group of about 7 that meet regularly.  Last year we had 7 of our young people graduate from high school and this year we have 5--new 7th graders--in the group .  We are doing the work of settling in as a new community.
We dressed as Saints to host a Saints’ Day event in Pinder Hall for all of the Sunday School children. It was a wonderful opportunity for our teens to minister to their younger church family members…and wonderful parents of young children moved in to help…even donning costumes themselves. Children moved between 12 Saint Stations to hear some about the Saint’s story, to receive a symbolic sticker and Saint’ autograph. We ended with a piñata which Saint Nicholas provided: a sack filled with candy!

We packed and delivered “Christmas boxes” filled with school supplies, toys and hygiene products as part of Samaritan’s Purse: Operation Christmas Child. We delivered them to the local drop site for all local churches from which they will be shipped by containers and delivered to impoverished children around the world.

We hosted  the Annual Advent Wreath Making breakfast…the proceeds will go to our outreach efforts. We are in the process of exploring mission trip options for the Spring.

Segar has graciously continued to facilitate a group for parents of teens. This meets the 3rd Sunday of every month.

The most celebrated element for us as mentors is the relationships that have developed between the young people. The youth have connections together outside of church. They will sit with one another in church frequently. There is a spirit of playfulness and affection. They will now pray in the group…and have gradually begun to reveal some of their personal struggles. This feels pretty significant-- in that the lives of young people these days are often about ruthless schedules of doing…without opportunity and support for being and deep connecting.  This is a wonderful gift for our church to give.