Youth Enrichment

The Journey to Adulthood Program

Our program for youth includes six years of spiritual formation that provides a liturgical framework for the teenage experience of modern culture, celebrates youth’s individuality and their creative potential, and offers training in some basic life skills needed for adult living and interaction. It is based on two key concepts: womanhood and manhood are free gifts from God, and adulthood must be earned. It includes an in-depth exploration of self, spirituality, sexuality, and society and follows the imperatives of the Baptismal Covenant, enables youth to discover and experience the love of God, and provides a sacred space for teens to question, wonder, and work on their relationship with God and each other.
Christian Formation is a lifelong process. This program gives young people a firm foundation on which to build. The program falls into three distinct phases, each of which is two years in length: Rite-13, J2A Journey to Adulthood, and YAC Young Adults in the Church. The J2A program meets on Sunday mornings September through May during the Enrichment Hour from 10 to 11 AM. Questions?

RITE-13: 7th and 8th grades - Room 213
The first two years of the Journey to Adulthood program is called Rite-13, a name that comes from a liturgical rite of passage we celebrate with the young people around their 13th birthday. This rite is loosely based on the bar/bat mitzvah tradition and is a way for the entire congregation to celebrate the unique gifts and abilities of their young men and woman. The Rite-13 program assists young people as they begin to take the first steps of independence from their families into their own lives. During these two years, the community acknowledges the gift of gender, celebrates the amazing creative power and potential of these young people, and creates a safe haven in which to explore new ideas, new interests, and new abilities.

J2A: 9th and 10th grades - Room 214
The second two-year segment of the Journey to Adulthood program is J2A. It may seem a little confusing for this second phase to have the same name as the entire six-year program, but this section was the first piece developed, and many young people find that the bulk of their formational work gets done in these two years. In many ways, the J2A years are the heart of the entire program. During the J2A phase, teens learn and practice six basic skills for adulthood: active listening, negotiation, assertion, research and information management, partnership, leadership. In addition to the skills listed above, teens learn different methods of Scripture reading, prayer, and community building. After two years, they are acknowledged as being equipped for new levels of responsibility and given an opportunity to be confirmed with some additional lessons. They are also invited to make a Holy Pilgrimage at the end of the two years.

YAC: 11th and 12th grades - Youth Annex
The last phase, Young Adults in Church—YAC, encourages older youth to take on more adult responsibilities, both in their church and in their community. They are challenged to become good stewards of their time, talent, and treasure. They work on identifying their gifts and commit to a specific ministry that uses those gifts. They study some of the church’s ancient creeds and then write their own statement of beliefs. They look back on what they have studied, learned, and experienced over the last six years and use that as a basis for their own growing spirituality.

Dominican Republic Mission Trip Events

Lenten Service Fair – March 14
Need odd jobs done around the house? Winter cleanup? Baby-sitting? Dog walking or other services? Let one of our talented and hard-working youth members help you while supporting our upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic. Look for the signup table at the back of the Church and at Coffee Hour on Sunday, March 14.

Dimes for DR
Would you like to donate to our Mission Trip to the DR? Look for the Dimes for DR collection bottle at Coffee Hour on Sunday mornings. Thank you for your support!

J2A Youth Pilgrimage Events

Spaghetti Dinner – March 12
Join us for spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, dessert, and drinks in the Parish Hall on Friday, March 12 at 6:30 PM, sponsored by the J2A Youth going on Holy Pilgrimage to Italy this summer. The cost is $3 for children and $8 for youth and adults. Click here to RSVP.

Charcoal Pit Fund-raiser – March 16
Join us for our next Charcoal Pit fund-raiser on Tuesday, March 16 from 5 to 9 PM at the Concord Pike location. A percentage of the proceeds from this night will benefit our youth pilgrims for their trip to Italy in 2010. Click here to download the flyer you'll need to present at the Charcoal Pit on March 16.

Garage Sale – April 17
The J2A Pilgrims hope to raise funds for their upcoming pilgrimage to Italy by holding a Garage Sale on Saturday, April 17 from 7 AM to 12 noon in the Parish Hall. Please support this fund-raiser by “decluttering” your home of clean, gently-used items and donating them to a terrific cause. The following type of donations are particularly needed: artwork, toys, new and vintage collectibles, clothing, books, cookware, and household items. Drop-offs can be made in Parish Halls A and B on April 15 and 16. We will help with unloading and even picking up your donations if needed! Just give us a call. Contributions of baked goods are also much appreciated and can be dropped off on April 15 and 16 too. The event will be open to the congregation as well as the public, and payment can be made by cash or check.

Please contact Linda Boyden, Barbara Curran, or Rosanne Miller with questions or for assistance with donations. Click here for a tax receipt. Many thanks for your generous support!

30-Hour Famine - March 26 & 27

30-Hour Famine is a worldwide movement of students who are serious about serving God and fighting hunger—all on an empty stomach. For 30 hours, participants get a taste of hunger by not eating—something more than a billion people around the world experience every day. Eight other Episcopal churches will be joining Christ Church to participate this year. The students begin fasting after lunch on Friday, March 26 and gather in the Parish Center at 7 PM for games, fellowship, and worship. They will go out into the community on Saturday and participate in service projects in Wilmington including a Homeless Walk, service at the Food Bank, Clothing Bank, and Saturday Hospitality for the homeless. The fast will end with Eucharist and a simple supper at 5:30 PM. Parents are invited to join us for the Eucharist and supper. Pickup will be at 6:30 PM. Arrangements can be made for those who cannot fast. 30-Hour Famine counts toward school service hours too. All money raised will go directly to Haiti to help feed those affected by the recent earthquake. Questions? Interested in registering? Contact Lynne Jensen.

Junior High Mission Trip to Harrisburg, PA - June 20-25

While there, we will partner with local organizations and programs that seek to address the very basic needs of residents. Students may serve at places like: Children’s Programs or Camps, Elderly Centers, Soup Kitchens/Homeless Shelters, and Thrift Centers. We ask that you come with a willing and flexible spirit! Evening activities are designed to give participants insight into the lives of local residents and the culture of the area. Our group will have the opportunity to enjoy the city of Harrisburg, spend time with the community, and spend time together as a large group. On the way home on Friday, we will spend the day at Hershey Park. We will purchase tickets ahead of time for a group rate. Spending money will be needed for this end-of-trip event.

Senior High Small Group Meetings - Wednesdays

The Senior High Small Group meets regularly on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM in the Youth Annex. Come join us for lively discussion, prayer, and Bible study. This is for those teens who would like to go deeper into exploring their faith.

Permission Slip for Youth Activity, Transporting Children & Youth, and Medical Release Form

Please download, print, complete, and return these forms to the Church Office. These are necessary for all youth and adult participants in Youth Events and Activities at Christ Church.

Download Permission Slip for Youth Activity

Download Transporting Children & Youth in a Motor Vehicle

Download Medical Release Form

All forms are in Adobe Acrobat format, and you'll need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to open them. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for your computer if you don't already have it.