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Welcome to Family Ministries!
Youth Group meets in person on Wednesday nights, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Dinner is provided.
Sunday School happens on Sundays, at 10 AM in the Ryon Building. All kids in pre-k through 5th are invited.
Church on the Green is an informal outdoor evening service at 5 PM every second and fourth Sunday on the field behind the Parish Hall. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the service and a sunset! Church on the Green has concluded for the season. Church on the Green will resume in November.
GROW Sundays are always the third Sunday of each month at 9:00 AM, when we have Christian Formation for Everyone. Adults, teens, and children all have a place to go for engaging interaction. Online versions are available for the adult program, Rector's Forum. GROW Sunday will resume in September.
Do you have Questions? Comments?
Let David Dixon, Good Shepherd's Youth & Family Minister, know. We want everyone to know that we are still connected, even if you aren't ready to return to in-person activities yet. Contact us below to let us know what you're doing!
What's Happening
Youth
Youth Group (Grades 6-12)
PLEASE VISIT OUR CALENDAR
Faith formation for young people in grades 6-12. Activities are designed to build community, establish trust and safety, and remind youth that this is their church and they are welcome within it. Youth Group meets on Wednesday evenings during the school year in "The Barn," our newly renovated youth space! Bring a friend and come check it out!
Acolyte Guild (Grades 5-12)
Youth are encouraged to participate as acolytes helping clergy and lay members of the parish during worship services. Youth in grades 5-12 are welcome to train for this important role. Contact the office for more information.
Mission Trips and Pilgrimage
Each year, members of Youth Group embark on a distance service project or spiritual pilgrimage. Destinations may be regional, national, or international, but the experiences are always close to the heart of those participating. These experiences encourage community and establish lasting bonds among those attending. Contact David for information.
Youth Confirmation (Grade 9 and above)
High School age youth are encouraged to seek confirmation preparation as an outward acknowledgement of commitment to the Baptismal Covenant. This one-year program meets weekly and culminates in confirmation with the Bishop at a special service in the fall. Please contact David to get more information or sign up online. We will have an orientation for high school students and their families on Sunday, August 21 in the Parish Hall at 11:45, following the Sunday service. Refreshments will be provided.
5th Sunday Contemporary Worship at 10 AM
Quarterly, when there is a 5th Sunday of the month, our 10 AM service is youth-led with contemporary live music and teen participation in most aspects of the service. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear the perspective of our teen parishioners and what they are discovering on their spiritual journey.
Click below for a brief video of their October 31 message.
Youth Pilgrimage 2023
Nova Scotia Youth Pilgrimage 2023
What is a Pilgrimage?
Pilgrimage has been part of the Christian tradition for centuries. A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey to a sacred place. The journey can be near or far — as close as a neighboring church or as distant as halfway around the world. It can be a day-trip, a weeklong excursion or any other duration.
Years ago, people went on pilgrimages in larger groups for safety, to protect themselves from bandits on unfamiliar roads in foreign lands. Our youth pilgrimage consists of 10 High School youth and 4 adult chaperones. Father Derek will travel with us giving us the opportunity to celebrate Holy Eucharist. We will share in other forms of communal prayer and experience fellowship and connection with other people.
Why go?
There are a number of good spiritual reasons to make a pilgrimage. For our youth pilgrims it is like a retreat, a time away from home and the regular routine to concentrate on spiritual life without distractions — a time for prayer and meditation, learning and enrichment.
Nova Scotia
Beautiful and wild, Nova Scotia provides a sort of ruggedness one cannot easily find in today’s industrialized world. The natural landscape of Nova Scotia is indisputably fantastic, with incredible wildlife, dense forests gouged by rivers of black water and heart-stopping views of the ocean. Nova Scotia also boasts a long history with a rich tapestry of cultures and stories.
Nova Scotia is a place that encourages us to unplug from our frequent distractions and experience the wild beauty and strength of God. Here, our pilgrims will have a chance to stumble upon new and old tales as they journey through the Canadian north on their mission trip.
Hello
Game on!
Join us in The Barn, our cool youth/community space for an all-ages game night on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 6-10 p.m. Bring your own beverage. We have games or you can bring your own. This is a community event on the Good Shepherd campus. The room is in the office building. FREE
Sunday School and Nursery
Sunday school (Grades Pre-k - 5)
PLEASE VISIT OUR CALENDAR FOR UP-TO-DATE COVID SCHEDULE CHANGES.
Adventure Kingdom is Good Shepherd's Sunday school program -- an engaging way for children Pre-K 3 through 5th grade to discover their own special place in Christian Community. Age-appropriate materials allow children to use all their senses for learning with a focus on Jesus' parables, Bible stories, and the liturgical actions that show us what it means to be Episcopalian.
Adventure Kingdom is an opportunity for your kids to encounter God and leave changed!
Register for Sunday school! (one registration form per child, please)
Nursery (infant to 2-years old)
Children under three years-old may attend our nursery staffed by caring professionals. Nursery happens every week, even in the summer.
Vacation Bible School
VBS at Good Shepherd
Children of the parish and the greater community are invited to a fun-fulled week of Christian learning and fellowship. With a summer camp atmosphere, VBS is about music, games, story, enrichment, and even snacks! The program changes each summer. Watch the announcement page for information and dates.
We are always grateful for volunteer assistance from adults and Youth in grades 6 - 12. To volunteer in any of a variety of roles contact the office for more information.
Resources for Kids & Families
Try this with your kids!
Try this with your kids!
Try this with your kids!
This Bible app for kids features vivid illustrations with touch-activated animations, along with games and activities to help kids remember what they learn.
Together@Home
Try this with your kids!
Try this with your kids!
Have you enjoyed our Together @ Home activity packs that have been paired with our weekly Summer Sunday School video series? No need to wait til the weekend: you'll find lesson plans from other parts of the Bible at the website here.
Resources for Youth
Daily Five-Step Reflections
Daily Five-Step Reflections
Daily Five-Step Reflections
This week's theme:
Wondrous Love
Daily Devotions for Youth
Daily Five-Step Reflections
Daily Five-Step Reflections
A Bible verse, a real-world situation, & how God might be calling you to respond.
Resources for Parents
You're not in this alone!
You're not in this alone!
You're not in this alone!
A web resource that provide tips for parenting kids at any time, let alone during COVID season! There is also an app that provides age-appropriate guidance.
