Click here to view the Chris' Youth Ministry Website
and the current "What's Up Sheet"

The Youth Group is St. Timothy's primary ministry to and with youth. It offers young men and women between the 7th and 12th grades an opportunity for spiritual and personal growth through fellowship and service to others. Led by Chris Battin, youth active in the group learn how to make Christ central to their own lives and to their relationship with one another within the group. They grow in knowledge of Christ, in knowledge of themselves as human beings and in sensitivity to others. They learn how to communicate their thoughts and feelings and how to respect others' thoughts and feelings.

The Youth Group meets almost every Sunday, September through May, between 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM. In addition to the weekly meetings, youth are involved in a number of important special activities.

What is Youth Group at St. Timothy's?

Thoughts on Youth Group:

We are called to be in a relationship with God. How we come to be in this relationship differs for each of us. To this end, we have adopted a youth program that includes spiritual inquiry and filling, a program which includes sharing and support, a program which takes our faith and transposes it into ministry. Weekly meetings provide programming which helps the youth look at issues in their lives and see how their relationship with God interrelates. These meetings are a time for experiencing a Christian Community, a time of sharing our stories as they relate to Biblical stories, a time where youth can support one another, a time of fellowship, and a time to explore issues of faith.

Many youth do not need another social group as they have their own through school and sports. However, they will tell you that youth group provides a safe haven where they can struggle with faith issues and where they can be themselves without having to put on any special masks or airs. Interestingly enough though, many of our youth do become friends and see each other outside of youth group. In my experience the youth group has provided some of our youth with an alternative group of friends who all share the same values and who support one another.

My goal is to facilitate and support the process of personal and spiritual growth. Some areas we look at regarding personal growth;
	Who am I as a Child of God?
	What are my gifts and talents?
	How can I be assertive?
	How do I affirm my own self worth?
	How do I make choices?
	How do I deal with conflict?
	Who am I as a member of a group?
	What are my leadership skills?
	How can I best communicate with others?
	How do I care and respect others and myself?
	What are my values in light of Christian values?
	How do I take healthy risks?

Some areas we look at regarding spiritual growth;
	Who is God for me?
	Who is Jesus for me?
	Who is the Holy Spirit for me?
	What do Scripture passages say to me and how I live my life?
	How do I identify with characters and situations in the Bible
	How do I nourish a Christian value system?
	How and when might I pray?
	How can I plan and be part of a worship service?
	So I am baptized, now what? What does that mean?

The youth group looks at the same ministry areas as the Vestry;
	Fellowship
		Food and fun
		Social Activities
		Being present in Sunday Activities etc.
		Pancake supper
		Pilgrimages
		Overnights and retreats
	Spiritual Growth
		Growing in a relationship to the living God
		Diocesan Conferences
		Theme overnights
		Weekly meetings
		Praying for each other and affirming one another
	Ministry
		Thanksgiving dinner with seniors at Louisiana House
		Work camp - for those who have completed 9th grade
		Ministry with the homeless through the Interfaith Hospitality Network and in conjunction with The Lutheran Church of The Master
		A new project with Habitat For Humanity where we will work with nine other churches, most of which are different denominations. Grades 7-9 will participate.
		Other smaller and shorter ministries

Weekly Meetings:

Youth group meets most every Sunday. The youth group schedule is in Tidings. For most of the time the youth meet together, grades 7-12. Once every five or six weeks they will break into grades 7-8 after church and grades 9-12 in the evening. As we have many youth we often will have a topic for discussion and then break into smaller groups. If I feel the topic would be better suited to separate the younger and the older kids I will do so.

Overnights:

The youth often are away overnight for a retreat or diocesan conference. Overnights or weekend retreats are always centered on a topic or theme and include spiritual work as well as fellowship. These gatherings allow us to develop a theme in a more continuous manner. Overnights are always well chaperoned and the boys and girls are separated at night with an adult female with the girls and an adult male with the boys.

Outings:

The youth group will several times during the year participate in activities away from the church. For example we may go bowling, ice skating, have a scavenger hunt at The Art Museum, or go for a Christmas dinner. I rely heavily on parents to chaperone and drive.

Support:

I am here to support not only your young people but you as well. I am available to the youth if there is a need to talk to someone other than parents. I am also available to you should you have any questions or concerns or pertinent ideas for a youth group meeting. Please know that I am here to support you in your parenting and have no need to be your child's parent. My role is to facilitate the group and to serve as a mentor is that is appropriate.

Confidentiality:

Your young people are told that what is shared of a personal nature in youth group stays in youth group. This is to build a sense of trust for them. At any time should I feel there is something you should know about I will let you know. I truly hope that they share with you the kind of activities we do in youth group, but if they don't please feel free to call me if you have a question or concern.

Boundaries:

It is important for your son or daughter to know, and I frequently tell them, they are always free to decline participation in any activity which makes them uncomfortable. For example, some youth do not want to read aloud at a worship service or share a comment about some topic we are discussing. I will, and have supported them, in maintaining their boundaries. Please let them know that no senior is forced to give a sermon during their senior year, although I find that most of them want to.

Parent Support:

I encourage parents to participate in youth activities. I would be happy to have you attend a youth group meeting at any time. Should you wish to do so, I would ask you to let me know ahead of time as it would not be helpful to have too many adults in the group at one time.

I also need a lot of support when we go to activities outside of the church. I ask parents to help drive and chaperone. Parents also help with special activities such as our Thanksgiving dinner with the seniors of Louisiana House, our new mission project with the homeless, our Christmas dinner, our pilgrimages, and many other outings.

We Celebrate Diversity:

Our Baptismal Covenant calls us to "Seek and Serve all people loving our neighbors as ourselves". As in their school worlds no two young people are alike. They wear different clothes, have different haircuts, and come in different sizes and shapes. My goal is that we each celebrate each other as children of God. It is what is on the inside that is important. Most all youth have some rocky times during these pre-teen and teen years, and I have found that the youth ministering to each other, in particular the older youth to the younger youth, has had a profoundly positive effect.