explore faith + embrace community + expect & make a difference
Youth Formation 2022-23
Sunday Formation
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 hour, and Sixes on Sundays.
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A Prayer for Losers
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Freedom From Fear
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Judging, Asking, Blessing
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God and Bad Fruit
Every Sunday, the youth rooms are open from 9:30a to 10:30a providing space for students to process their weeks and consider how life and faith intersect. Students also dig into Holy Scripture, explore liturgy and the prayer book, and build relationships with adults of faith.
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Sunday Formation 2022-23
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What If Jesus Was Serious?
a book by Skye Jethani
A close look at the Sermon on the Mount
invites us to rethink assumptions and
apply Jesus’ teachings to today’s cultural realities.
The following will be discussed:
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Who is really blessed?
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Christians and Culture
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Inside-Out Righteousness
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Love in Action
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Be Smart
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Think. Believe. Do.
Each lesson invites students to use their experiences, Christian tradition, and the Bible to wrestle with a theological idea and test that idea out in the world. We will be journaling, asking questions, and engaging in group discussions to figure out what teenagers believe, and also why they believe it.
​Racial Healing
In our diverse and polarized world, how can we as Christians be agents of healing the wound of racism in our nation? Join us as we explore this topic in a safe, non-shaming, and welcoming environment for all.
​Depression, Anxiety, and Mental Health Issues
Experiencing mental health issues is not a failing of your character or faith. Even Jesus experienced moments of deep sadness in the Garden of Gethsemane. So this year, joined by a local mental health professional, we will take some time to explore common struggles, strategies for coping and growth, and how faith can help.
Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense
Why is justice fair? Why do we crave relationships? Why are so many people
pursuing spirituality? For two thousand years Christianity has claimed to answer these mysteries, and in Simply Christian, renowned biblical scholar and Anglican Bishop N. T. Wright demonstrates that Christianity still speaks to our deepest questioning and longings.
Costa Rica Service Learning Trip - 2022
SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 25 - 6:00p
DINNER & A MOVIE
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All youth and parents are invited to dinner and a viewing of the movie Angst. This movie removes the stigma and opens up conversations around anxiety. It will help us understand and manage symptoms and know when (and that it’s okay) to reach out for help. Angst shows people that they are not alone, that anxiety is common, and that it is 100% treatable.
Dinner: 6:00p
Film: 6:30p
Discussion: 7:30p
$10
Dinner & Movie
Confirmation Retreat
Confirmation is an opportunity for young adults to make a mature public affirmation of their faith.
Confirmation Sunday is traditionally in mid-to-late April depending on the Bishop’s visitation schedule. If you’d like to be confirmed (Grade 6 and higher), you must attend Trinity’s Confirmation Retreat,
March 17 - 19 at Lake Logan. The cost of this retreat is $175.00. (Scholarships are available, please let us know if you have need.
Space is limited to 15, so register by Dec.1. Payment is due January 17, 2023.
Other Faith, Fun, and Formation Opportunities for Youth
Sixes on Sundays
Sixes on Sundays is back in person and back to its traditional FOOD, FUN, FAITH format. We know that the year can be busy, and attendance every Sunday morning can be almost impossible for many of our families. So we are offering six-core gatherings. Please make these Sundays a priority. These six Sundays, each starting at 6p, will combine food (dinner together), fun (games), and faith (each Sunday will focus on one core aspect of our faith as Episcopalians.)
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dates for 22-23
SEPT 11
OCT 9
nov 13
JAN 22
FEB 19
MAR 12
lenten path
lent 2021
Service Learning Trips
Each year we take at least one week-long trip the last week of July. We’ve been all over the map, from Houston to Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. We went on a Freedom Ride to Atlanta, Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery in 2021. This past summer, we went to San Jose, Costa Rica to help Ascension Episcopal church.
On these life-changing trips, typically alternating between international and national locations, youth develop and practice skills in intercultural competency, leadership, and service-learning while also building deeper relationships with adults of faith and expanding their view of the world.
Service Learning Trip for 2023
Stay tuned for more details for our summer trip in 2023. Details will be announced no later than October 31.
Retreats and Camp
Part of the beauty of the Episcopal tradition is that individual parishes belong to the larger Church body. Retreats — whether weekend retreats or a week at Camp Henry — are essential, monumental times for students to meet other Episcopalians their age, go deeper in faith, and have some fun!
MIDDLE SCHOOL RETREAT
Beginning in the Middle — Saturday, September 24 to Sunday, September 25, at 1p at Lake Logan Conference Center, in Canton, NC. For these Diocesean-sponsored retreats, you inform Debbie Cox that you want to attend and then register directly at diocesewnc.org. Debbie will generally take all Trinity youth to and from in our church van. Be sure to let her know you want to ride the van. The cost for this retreat is $145.
HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT
This Diocesan-sponsored Fall Conference is held on Friday, November 18, from 7p — Sunday, Nov. 20, 1p at Lake Logan Conference Center. Again, for these Diocesean-sponsored retreats, you inform Debbie Cox that you want to attend and then register directly at diocesewnc.org. Debbie will generally take all Trinity youth to and from in our church van.
There is also a Spring Conference: Friday, March 3 at 7p — Sunday, March 5 at 1p. For each retreat, the cost is $165.
Youth in Worship
As our youth grow we encourage them to begin taking their place in all the spaces of our church life. This includes regular Sunday worship. Regular worship is not just for adults and church is not an adults only space. All ages are welcome.
Acolyting
This ministry, which begins in third grade and extends throughout middle and high school, gives our youth an active role in worship. It offers a unique opportunity to develop skills in leadership and peer mentoring, service, learning, the Episcopal liturgy, Bible, and intergenerational relationships. Acolyte training for the 2022-23 year will be on August 21and January 8.
Worship Ministers (Grades 11-12)
As students move into adult faith, we welcome them as lectors and chalice bearers, serving in worship by reading the day’s lesson or distributing the consecrated wine.
Youth Ministry Calendar
AUG 28
SEP 11
SEP 24-25
SEP 25
OCT 2
OCT 9
NOV 6
NOV 13
NOV 18-20
DEC 1
JAN 8
JAN 18
JAN 22
FEB 5
FEB 8
FEB 19
MAR 3-5
MAR 12
MAR 17-19
APR 9
APR 23
JUN 11
JUN 26-30
JUL 24-30
Kick-Off Sunday - Youth Formation begins
Sixes on Sunday, 6p, Youth Rooms
Middle School Retreat (Grades 6-8), Lake Logan
Dinner and the movie ANGST, 6p
St. Francis Day Service, 4p
Sixes on Sunday, 6p, Youth Rooms
Saints Dinner, 6p
Sixes on Sunday, 6p, Youth Rooms
High School Fall Retreat, Lake Logan
Confirmation Retreat Deadline
Acolyte Training, 12p, Nave - ALL Acolytes
Confirmation Retreat Payment Due
Sixes on Sunday, 6p, Youth Rooms
Youth Ski Day
Music Revue/Steak Night, 6p, Youth encouraged to participate.
Sixes on Sunday, 6p, Youth Rooms
High School Spring Retreat
Sixes on Sunday, 6p, Youth Rooms
Confirmation Retreat Weekend
Easter
Confirmation (date is tentative)
End-of-the-Year Pool Party
Vacation Bible School - Youth encouraged to help
Senior High School Service Learning Trip
