What's Going On - Spring Youth Schedule Update & Greetings from Tina

[Click here for a printable hand out of this message and new schedule.]

Greetings St John’s Youth Families,

I want to thank everyone for such a warm welcome over the last few weeks and to update you on some of what our team is planning for SJC Youth in the next few weeks. I am so pleased to be here and have enjoyed beginning to get to know everyone. I hope your families will join in on many of these formational, service-oriented, and simply fun opportunities:

[Note: All events, including Super Sundays and Sleep-In Sundays will be open to both Middle & High School youth moving forward. We have replaced “First Fridays” with “Super Sundays” because of the difficulty of fighting traffic on Friday nights. This new time will still be used for fun, fellowship, and formation, just like First Fridays! Please contact me at tina@sjcathedral.org if you have any questions or need help figuring out rides to and from events!]

Sundays: High School Confirmation/Youth Group & Middle School Youth Group

Except on “Sleep-In Sundays” in addition to the added offerings listed below, we will still gather from 9:15 to 10:15 to continue our youth programs.

Sunday, 2/25, 9:15: Parent Coffee and Conversation with Tina Clark, St Francis Chapel

Please join me during the formation hour to talk about your ideas, suggestions, hopes, and dreams for children and youth formation at St John’s. And…what would fill your well as parents? Informal, no guilt book studies, Faith-at-Home workshops, Parenting support for certain ages…I’m open to all suggestions.

Sunday, 3/4: Super Sunday - St John’s Youth at the Movies

Fr Broderick is joining us to have lunch and see Black Panther at a local theater (TBD) following the 10:30 service. We’ll buy the tickets, but youth should bring $10 for lunch. Depending on numbers, we may need parent volunteers to help with carpooling. This movie is PG-13: we will have permission forms for youth under 13 that parents/guardians must sign. Go to https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/black-panther to see whether this movie is appropriate for your preteen. 

Please RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/youth-super-sunday so that we can secure tickets!

Sunday, 3/18, 11:30-1:30: Youth Service to St Francis Apartments at Cathedral Square

Faith in Action is arranging for SJC to cook and serve lunch at the apartments, and as part of confirmation our youth will bring dessert and games to share with the residents and staff. Middle School Youth are also invited and encouraged to join us in this service to our new neighbors.

Saturday, 3/31 7pm: Confirmation at the Easter Vigil

Join us to support our confirmands and celebrate with refreshments in Dagwell after the service.

Sunday, 4/1: Easter and Youth Help with the Easter Egg Hunt

Youth are invited to tiptoe out of the service after they’ve taken communion to come help hide the Easter eggs for the hunt. Easter treats for youth helpers will be provided.

Sunday, 4/8, 11:30-1:30: Super Sunday Lunch and Cathedral Games

Youth fun and formation will take place after the 10:30 service. 

9:15-10:15: “Books & Bagels”

Room 300 will be open for youth to bring homework, play games, and just hang out before church.

Friday, 4/20-4/22: QUEST Diocesan Youth Retreat

I attended Quest for the first time last October and had a really good time. The program was dynamic and theologically open, everyone was extremely welcoming. I’d love to take a group of St John’s Youth! Quest is designed by youth for youth, so check out this year’s theme below:

What is our value in the world? Sometimes it can be hard to remember that we are unconditionally loved children of God. In God’s eyes we are already more than enough. But what about our neighbors — the people next door, the person sleeping in the doorway, the people crossing borders to find a new home, the people in the world we completely disagree with? As believers in God’s unconditional love for all, there is no place for hate, prejudice, and apathy.

So let’s reverse it! Reverse the hate, the prejudice, the apathy. Let’s live into our baptismal covenant and strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.  With God’s help, we can begin planting the seeds of change and when we find injustice, reverse it!

Go to http://episcopalcolorado.org/programs-ministries/children-youth-programs/quest-youth-retreat/ to register.

Sunday, 4/29, 4:30-7: Sleep In Sunday and Wilderness Worship Service

Sleep in, then join us at 4:30 for snacks and Youth Group before we attend the 6:00 Wilderness Service together.

Sunday, 5/6: Super Sunday…

...it’s a surprise, but we will have a great time!

Sunday, 5/13: YOUTH SUNDAY at the 10:30 Service

We will celebrate all of our youth, and especially our graduating seniors, with a youth-led worship service. Join us after the service for a reception celebrating our seniors and youth and children’s volunteers.

Sunday, 5/20, 4:30-7: Sleep In Sunday and Wilderness Worship Service

Sleep in, then join us at 4:30 for snacks and Youth Group before we attend the 6:00 Wilderness Service together.

June 3-9, 2018: YES Service Travel to Clendenin, West Virginia

We will travel by air and stay at a local church, in partnership with Next Step Ministries, a non-profit that combines short-term mission teams with long-term community development. This is a community in which unemployment and poverty were exacerbated by flooding in 2016. We will be helping with recovery and rebuilding work while making new friends with youth from around the Diocese and learning from experience what it means to truly love our neighbors. Cost is $799; some financial aid is available. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at tina@sjcathedral.org for more information. Open to High School Youth (includes rising 9th graders). 

Go to https://www.sjcathedral.org/ChildrenYouth/HighSchool to register.

July 22, 5pm – July 27, 12pm, 2018: YES DENVER JUICE Mission, Denver, CO JUICE…Justice: Urban Immersive Cooperative Experience

St John’s will host youth from around Colorado to explore social justice issues and provide meaningful community service right here in our own backyard. This will be a dynamic, education, and fun week and is open to all Middle and High School Youth, and we want all St John’s 6-12 th graders to join us! Cost is $200, financial aid is available.

Contact tina@sjcathedral.org or john@sjcathedral.org for more information. Go to https://www.sjcathedral.org/ChildrenYouth/MiddleSchool to register.

In Peace,

Tina Clark