Youth Program Year
Sunday School and Youth Group for you grades 6th-12th runs from September to May each year.
Weekly Youth Activities
Youth Sunday School
Youth (6th—12th grade) meet in the LOFT for Sunday School each week. With snacks & hot chocolate, the youth explore Bible Stories and connections with their own lives. During Advent, we pause for a four-week Film & Theology class. Sunday School participants will get to vote on which film to watch in the weeks leading up to Advent.
Youth Group
Sunday Nights from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, September through May.
Each year has a different theme, allowing youth to encounter familiar bible stories anew in age-appropriate ways.
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Dinner is shared to begin youth group each week. Dinners are lovingly prepared by congregants or youth families.
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Recreation looks different each week as we all like to play in different ways. From Board Games to Basketball to Cookie Decorating. There’s something for everyone.
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Worship youth lead an abbreviated worship service introducing their peers to the Scripture passage they will study in Small Groups.
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Small Groups provide the chance to gather in a smaller cohort of students in similar grade levels to explore connections between the biblical story and their life and engage in spiritual practices that help them know God.
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Mission Projects range from packing up College Care Packages to collecting items to help the The Least of These Ministry.
Special Events
Lock-Ins
Once a year, we gather at the church for an all-night lock-in filled with fellowship, food, games, and a mini mission project.
Fall Festival
The last Sunday of October the youth run a community outreach event and fundraiser for the RCPC Preschool. This event is comprised of many moving parts including an Organ Spooktacular, Dinner, a Games Hall, and Trunk or Treat. Youth work in pairs or trios to run the Games Hall during the night. After cleaning up the Games Hall, youth are invited to go through the Trunk or Treat before being picked up.
The Least of These (TLOT)
Each November, we collect items needed by The Least of These Ministry, which helps our neighbors currently experiencing homelessness. Youth canvas the Raleigh Court neighborhood, alerting them to the urgent needs, and return a week later to pick up items neighbors place outside their homes.
Progressive Dinner Party
To celebrate the Christmas Season, the last Youth Group of the Fall semester is a Progressive Dinner Party. Youth meet at house #1 for appetizers, walk to house #2 for the main course, and walk to house #3 for dessert and pick up. There are games at each stop and sometimes singing in-between the stops. Church members, a mix of youth families and older congregants, open their homes to host.
Youth Sunday
On this Sunday, youth lead worship at both the 9:00 AM & the 11:00 AM service. The youth write the liturgy, sermons, and prepare the music in the weeks leading up. On the day of, youth do it all from ushering to leading liturgy, preaching, and leading music. It’s the youth of RCPC’s chance to share the Good News of the Gospel with their wider church family.
Senior Send-Off
Each May, we celebrate our graduating seniors through a liturgy during the 11:00 AM worship service and a special youth group complete with a photo slideshow, and leaving a painted handprint in the children’s library.
Summer
Hometown Mission Week
A three- day mission experience in Roanoke for rising 6th graders – graduated seniors. Participants gather each day for worship, service with two local mission partners, and fellowship activities. Youth learn about systemic issues in Roanoke while being equipped to serve as the hands and feet of Christ not just during the week but at all times.
Massanetta Springs Middle School Conference
Massanetta Springs Middle School Conference is a transformational four- day program that welcomes hundreds of middlers (middle schoolers – rising 6th graders – graduated 8th graders) and their leaders from all over the country each summer. Participants attend keynotes, recreation, workshops, and worship designed by the Advocates (high school leaders) with them in mind. Encounter Groups provide an opportunity to reflect and learn alongside youth from other places, led by Advocates.
Montreat Youth Conference
Rising 9th graders through graduated 12th graders are invited to attend Montreat Youth Conference. A week-long transformational conference with hundreds of youth and leaders from all over the country. Youth spend time together in worship and keynote, small groups, recreation, and back home time with the youth they’ve travelled there with.