TRINITY CHURCH
ANNUAL REPORT - 2023
YOUTH MINISTRIES
Debbie Cox
Director of Youth Ministries
Sunday Formation, Grades 6-12
Every Sunday, Trinity’s youth rooms are open from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. as a safe space for youth to process their week and how it intersects with their faith. Youth ministry at Trinity is active, thriving, and comes in many forms, all working together to build adult faith in our students from 6th to 12th grade. Formation comes through acolyting, service learning trips, retreats, community service hours, Sunday formation hours, and Trinity EYC.
For the first part of 2023, the middle and high school classes were combined. We split the classes into middle and high school classrooms on Sunday, August 27, 2023.
Adults who help with youth: Debbie Cox, Dave Hensley, Nanette Popa
Forma Conference 2023
Alexandria, Va. (January 17-19)
Beth and I went to a Forma Conference this past January for our continuing education. What is Forma? The Annual Conference is an opportunity for Forma to encourage and develop Christian educators, inside and outside the Episcopal tradition, to grow in how they educate and minister. This year, our theme is "Called to Covenant." Our four plenaries will be focusing on how we are called, through Micah 6:8, to "do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God."
Youth Sunday​
Youth Sunday was Sunday, May 14. We had 5 seniors, Henry Holland, Andrew Johnston, Thompson Murray, Riley Oswald, and Olivia Williams. Debbie Cox, for the first time, gave the homily virtually and in person. Henry Holland read the first lesson and Riley Oswald read the prayers of the people . This year, we recognized 5 high school seniors and 9 college students in the service and on our website.
Confirmation
Amy Peterson and I held a Confirmation Weekend in March at Lake Logan. Confirmation Sunday was Sunday, May 14, 2023. We had 5 confirmands confirmed: Amber Guzy, William Whisnant, Ashe Hornthal, Owen Peterson, and Collin McCormick.
Sixes on Sundays / EYC
Trinity offers six core gatherings, which are called Sixes on Sunday. . These six Sundays are a priority as we build our community. Trinity is meeting monthly beginning this past August. It will be fun, social, and building fellowship with one another.
Keeping Lent in Home
For this Lent, we sent home for children and youth the “Faces of Easter” wreath. Each family had a wire wreath, copies of the Faces of Easter cards from Godly Play and a devotional booklet to use in conjunction with the “Faces” cards.
Palm Sunday Walk with Church Street Churches
This year we were able to resume our annual “walk” with First Presbyterian and Central United Methodist. Families join together on Church Street and process with a donkey and palms to Pritchard Park for a short service.
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Vacation Bible School
Holy Moses: Rescue, Freedom, and the Law
This past June was our annual Vacation Bible School, this year Nanette Popa and I took the fifth-grade group to do service projects at the following non-profit organizations: Transformation Village, Manna Food Bank, and Haywood Street Congregation
Saint O'Lantern Dinner
This year, we are continuing to tweak our All Saints Dinner. On Wednesday, November 1st we will celebrate with an All Saints’ Candlelight Dinner featuring a lovely autumn meal on tables laid with white tablecloths,and lots of candlles! Several of our youth will be dressed as saints while serving the tables. The meal will be followed by an “All Hallow’s Eve costume parade, with the children processing across the stage in their Halloween costumes. It will be followed by our costumed youth sharing information about the saint they are representing in costume.We’ll finish the evening with a candlelight walk to our Memorial Garden for a reading of the names of those interred there. Donation jars will be on the table to help raise money for our upcoming youth mission trip.
Advent Wreathmaking Event
This annual celebration involves all families creating an Advent wreath for their home, as well as taking home a Devotional Guide (Godly Play based) to mark the season.
Lessons and Carols for Children and Youth
This year we are offering a separate service for children and youth that will run in conjunction with the usual Lessons and Carols service.
Submitted by
Debbie Cox
Director, Youth Ministry