St. Paul's Youth

Here are a few of the ways youth at Saint Paul's participate in our life together.

In Sunday school for all ages, engaging in God’s word every Sunday beginning at 9:15 a.m. with hands on activities.
As Acolytes, Crucifers, Book Bearers, Banner Bearers and Torch Bearers at our Sunday morning services (8:15 and 10:30) as well as Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil.
3On ministry Committees with adults, our youth have a real say in the way our church runs.
In monthly Sr. Youth (9-12) and Jr. Youth (6-8) engaging in supper, games, and devotion. Throughout the month the youth also focus on service, congregational life, Synodical events, fellowship (fun) and retreats.
Our confirmation training is structured in fellowship and learning with Discipleship Training for youth in grades 6 through 8 during the Sunday school hour and then meeting for supper, fellowship and Jr. Youth on Sunday nights.
As students and teaching assistants for VBS.

St. Paul's Youth LOVE to serve...Every year we participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring and donate our proceeds to a local program. We also look forward to raising money for several proceeds including Crop Walk, and Juvenile Diabetes. We also reach out to our brothers and sisters at the Lutheran Hospice.

We participate in synodical and national ELCA youth events, and look forward to sending youth to the 2009 National Youth Gathering in New Orleans. Each year, we send delegates to the South Carolina Synod’s LCY Convention in Newberry.

Besides service and LCY events, the St. Paul's youth also like to travel we enjoy getting back to nature. We spend many weekends up at Lutheridge camping, rafting, and skiing. We also enjoy nice church led weekends away at the Coastal or Kure-Beach Retreat Centers at the Beach.

Discipleship Training
Lutheran congregations are concerned that young people (usually middle-school age) are provided information about the beliefs of the Lutheran denomination, beliefs that are historical in nature and are, at the same time, always new. This course of study is usually referred to as confirmation ministry. Here at St. Paul's we call our confirmation ministry "Discipleship Training." What we are about in this ministry is to help our middle-school youth not only to understand the way we Lutherans “talk and live” our beliefs, but also come to know that Jesus calls each one of us to a life of discipleship, a life of following our Lord in everything we do.

Discipleship Training covers such topics as:
    · The Lord’s Prayer
    · The Ten Commandments
    · The Apostles Creed
    · Baptism
    · Holy Communion
    · The Old Testament
    · The New Testament
    · Martin Luther

Discipleship Training is our middle-school youth ministry. We eat together at each Learning Event. We have adult guides who sit with and lead the youth in discussions and activities. Relationships with each other are nurtured as well as the growing understanding of our Christian faith.

The teaching method is based on resources provided by Faith Inkubators (www.faithink.com). There are faith stories, skits, Bible time, the FINKmania Quiz Bowl, the Weakest FINK game, cartoons, and other learning experiences designed for each Learning Event. The learning experiences are creative, active, engaging, and many times fun.

We are serious about "growing" disciples here at St. Paul's. We invite guests to join us and see how our youth "learn the faith" today. We also invite St. Paul's members to serve in a variety of ways in this unique learning experience.