Youth Ministry
Youth ministry at Hope is for tweens and teens in grades 7-12 and their families. Our hope in youth ministry is to walk alongside and support youth as they begin to take more responsibility for their faith formation, taking bigger steps and asking bigger questions. As with younger ages, we focus on building healthy relationships, allowing youth opportunities to participate in the life of the church, serve their community, continue to learn and grow together, and have a lot of fun!
Have questions?
Confirmation Ministry
Our junior high ministry at Hope is our two-year confirmation program that leads up to youth affirming their baptism. The goal of confirmation is for youth to begin to take responsibility for their own faith formation and to build healthy relationship with youth and adults in the church. Throughout confirmation we dig deeper in the Old and New Testament, Worship, Prayer, what we believe, and how that faith connects and can be lived out in daily life. Along with meeting as a small group, youth participate in worship leadership, service activities, and fellowship.
Combined Youth Activities
While both junior high and high school youth have their own groups, they also come together on Sunday mornings during the faith formation hour for Bible study and discussions. They also work together in service projects, both within the congregation like hosting a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Backpacks of Hope, and outside the congregation serving at activities like Habitat for Humanity’s Rock the Block and Services trips.
High School Youth Group
High school youth group offers youth the chance to continue to ask questions, continue to grow in faith together, serve others, and most importantly have a safe space to be themselves. Youth are encouraged to become a part of ministries at Hope that they love which has led to youth serving as worship leaders, sharing special music, leading DIT and helping with VBS, and participating in multi-generational mission trips or service projects. The high school youth group does gather regularly to pray, study, serve, and most importantly be kids away from outside pressures for a little while.
ELCA Youth Gathering
2023 ELCA Youth Gathering: Created To Be
July 16-20, 2023
New Orleans, LA
Every three years, high school youth at Hope gather with youth from across the ELCA for 5 days of worship, service, learning, fellowship, exploration, and a lot of fun. Part of the gathering is to show youth how big the church is and let them experience the diversity of the church. There are “mass gatherings” for all participants (usually 30,000-40,000) everyday in the stadium with speakers, music, and prayer, along with at least one communion service. There is also an interaction center for the ELCA colleges, universities, social service agencies, service activities, and some fun activities like high ropes, climbing walls, or large inflatables. All participants join in a day of service somewhere in the host city. And there is also a day of worship and learning with other participants from our home synod.