Our Youth Ministry is a sanctuary for teenagers and works to form them as disciples. We focus on the basics of faith and how to put them into practice.
All the volunteers in our Youth Ministry are trained on our Abuse Prevention Policy, background-checked, and educated on the goal of making Greenwood Forest an inclusive and safe place for teenagers to thrive.
Alpha & Omega
On Sundays from 4:00-6:00pm, we worship together, hear Scripture and teaching, engage in music education, and share a meal each week. All newcomers should come to A&O first thing if they want to get involved! Runs September to May.
Faith Formation
We form our faith through various activities on Sunday mornings, ranging from participating in the Backpack Buddies program to liturgical art projects!
Retreats
While on retreat, we reflect on what matters and spend time with each other. On Fall Retreat, we spend some time in in-depth discipleship. On Spring Retreat, we take some time to rest and reflect on the past year. On Senior Retreat, graduates reflect on purpose, vocation, and adulthood.
Summer Trips
Each summer, we go on a week-long trip as a youth group. Year to year, we alternate between going to Passport Camp and on a mission trip. When we go to camp, we go to Passport Choices, a creative youth camp that allows participants to customize their experience. All youth share worship, discipleship, and recreational activities; however, they get to pick from multiple afternoon activities according to their interests, as well. When we go on a mission trip, we go to learn from and serve with organizations that are pursuing God’s mission in the world. Missions trips also serve as a spiritual pilgrimage where we go to places of significance where we know God has been present (e.g., the sites of the Civil Rights Movement were the focus of our most recent mission trip, a Freedom Ride to multiple locations in Alabama.)
Youth in Worship
Youth participate in worship all year, helping to usher, read Scripture, and more. Two Sundays each year emphasize youth in particular, however. On Youth Sunday, youth communicate some of what they’re learning about that year through their own songs and prayers. On Graduation Sunday, our seniors have a special role in sharing with the congregation what church has meant to them.