“If we love one another, God abides in us, and God’s love is perfected in us.”
1 John 4:12
Youth and Family Ministries
All are Welcome! In our First Pres Youth Ministries, we hope to invite, encourage, lead and cultivate space for youth to grow in community and connection to God and one another. We seek to provide inclusive, safe spaces where youth feel accepted and loved no matter what. We do this by creating opportunities for members of our community to share space with youth using stories as a way of growing in our discipleship and empathy as we create room for identity formation. We open ourselves to be curious and imaginative as we ask questions of God, our sacred stores, our faith, and the world.
Sundays at First. Sunday mornings we meet with Faith Formation opportunities for middle school, high school, and our Confirmation youth. Sunday evenings our youth Middle School and High School Youth Group meet. There are several other opportunities to gather together for fellowship, serve in our community, go on missions and immersion trips, and encounter God in our midst.
Mission and Values of Youth Ministry Formation. Faith formation opportunities seek to create space for our youth to grow as disciples of Christ: growing in community, connection, empathy, curiousity, and inclusivity.
Our Faith Formation practices these values:
- Relationships
- Contextual learning
- Creative experiences
- Leadership development
- Reciprocity in the life of the church
Values for Youth Ministry and Mission Engagement. Our mission opportunities prioritize local engagement with our local mission partners here at First Pres. We believe it is important for our work to be rooted where we are, while also expending and moving outside our particular community. Leaning on the work of Elizabeth O'Conner and Howard Thurman, there is an inward/outward movement to our mission practices that begin with each person's spiritual formation individually and collectively. There are formed by opportunities such as: 1) Local mission/service projects, 2) Local pilgrimage, 3) Service learning and immersion trips, and 4) global pilgrimage trips.
Faith Formation on Sundays
All youth are invited to join us during our faith formation hour at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays.
Note: Schedules are subject to change during the summer months.
WHAT IS FAITH FORMATION?
Faith Formation is an intentional time for learning and growing in our faith. Faith Formation is for All Ages, at 10:45 a.m. and offers multiple new and returning interactive learning opportunities, including bible study, worship dialogue, and discussion groups. Attend a gathering that catches your interest on any given Sunday, or join a group for a multi-week study. Children, Youth, Adults and College faith formation groups also meet at this time. Classes are subject to change during the summer months.
Youth Group Connection
Middle school (MSYG) and High school (HSYG) continue this month on Sundays from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the church. We meet in the Social Hall if it’s raining. We would love to have you join us - all are welcome!
Bring a friend, all are welcome! Contact Pastor Mark with any questions or for more information at mmares@firstpresbyterian.org
Art Fair Parking Fundraiser
Warner weather is upon us, which means summer is just around the corner! Which means, the Art Fair parking fundraiser is just around the corner too! Artists, vendors and shoppers will all come to Ann Arbor July 21 - 23 this year. We are looking for some youth and adult leaders to help us as we raise funds for our youth ministry program.
If you are interested and willing to help, please contact Pastor Mark.
Summer Immersion Opportunities
Camp Fowler (Middle + High School):
This summer, Pastor Mark is inviting middle school and high school youth to join him as he travels to Speculator, NY, to spend a week at Camp Fowler August 7 - 12. Camp Fowler is a children’s camp "grounded in openness, hospitality, and compassionate Christianity… aiming to provide space for children to be themselves, learn from those who are different from them, and intimately experience wonder and love." Deadline to sign up is Friday, February 18. If you have any interest in volunteering as a cabin counselor or another place in the camp, or would like more information, please contact Pastor Mark (mmares@firstpresbyterian.org
Frontera de Cristo Immersion Trip (High School only):
All high school students are invited to join us as we travel down to Arizona for an Immersion Trip, June 19 - 25. We’ll visit Frontera de Cristo, a presbyterian border ministry that works with churches and other organizations on both sides of the border to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Deadline to sign up is Friday, February 18. If you have any interest in volunteering as a cabin counselor or another place in the camp, or would like more information, please contact Pastor Mark (mmares@firstpresbyterian.org)
Follow us on Instagram: fpa2youth or sign up for our weekly Youth and Family email newsletter here! You will receive updates about all of the activities and service opportunities for our Youth!
Check out Faith Beats here - a First Pres Podcast!
Opportunities to Serve
We are grateful for the volunteers who help us teach youth about God. If you are interested in serving in the Youth Ministry, we look forward to hearing more about your desire to join our students in their faith journey. For the safety and security of all our students and volunteers, each person working with youth will be required to complete a background check and comply with the Child Protection Policy.