Grades 6 - 8
Middle School Youth Group

  
6th - 8th Grades: Middle School Youth Group:
6th Grade Class at 9am
7-8th Grade Confirmation Preparation Class at 9am

As both youth group and confirmation preparation, the 6th-8th grade youth group will meet twice a month at 9am, and have one other monthly gathering devoted to more “youth groupy” activities- lock-ins, service opportunities (including the 5th Sunday service Sundays), and other fun gatherings.  The hope is that attending church will become a habit for these middle schoolers- something that they can be involved in, help in participation with, and in particular plan and lead one or two worship services through the year.

Though the sixth through eighth graders will both be taught at 9am on Sunday mornings, they will have separate classes in Memorial Hall, and be taught by separate teachers.  The seventh through eighth grade class will be team taught Matt Carriker (Assistant Pastor of RE) and Rich Miche.  The sixth grade class will be taught by a group of teachers led by Molly Campbell, including Jacqueline Brodnitzki, Denise Arena, Jen Vuong, and Jim Gorman. 

During the second and last year of confirmation preparation for 7-8th graders (confirmands will be confirmed in the spring of 2012, date TBA!), Matt and Rich will explore scriptures and stories from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, nurturing youth in giving voice to their understanding of God and faith.  Topics to be discussed include Spiritual Practices, Prayer, Mindfulness, Journaling/Truth telling; Conscious decision making, God, Jesus, Eternal Life, Welcome, Friends, Relationships, Forgiveness, Play, Creation, Stewardship, Bodies/Sexuality, Stuff/Money, Time/Sabbath.

For the 6th grade group, the primary curriculum will be learning about world religions.  The book that will be utilized is “A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World’s Religions Through the Eyes of Children.”  This book explores Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and other faiths.  Some lessons from “A Joyful Path: Spiritual Curriculum for Young Hearts and Minds” (and potentially other curriculum) will be adapted for the 6th grade group to expose these youth to the best possible range of lessons about faith, love, service, peace and justice, spirituality, and God. 

Weekly lesson plans will also include outreach projects, community service, and cooking.  It is the hope that middle school youth will participate in the Eliot church 5th Sunday “Service Sundays” as well as other service projects throughout the year.

Respecting the process of faith formation as young people grow into their spiritual identity, lessons will encourage the youth to engage in the language and habits of worship- of prayer, silence, music, and ritual. Teachers will help youth to articulate the language of faith in applying scripture to their own lives.  Respecting all youth as partners in ministry, young people’s contributions will be valued and encouraged. Teachers will be facilitators, not gatekeepers, in nurturing young people’s relationships to God and the sacred.

Starting in September, this group will meet at 9am, before church starts, on two Sundays a month (usually the first and third Sunday of each month, with some exceptions).  After meeting at 9am, the 6-8th grade youth will attend the 10am worship service.

Eliot Church’s Religious Education program and larger governing body is adopting a “Safe Church Policy" to ensure religious education and youth group activities at Eliot are safe for youth and adults. The safety and well-being of each and every child and adult at Eliot Church is the number one priority and goal of our church. Our Religious Education classes are a safe place where everyone is able to feel welcome, comfortable, and valued. The Safe Church Policy includes guidelines relating to topics such as “The Two Adult Rule,” an “Open Door Policy,” “Visibility,” “Touching,” “Field Trips” and more. The final Eliot Church Safe Church guidelines will be available for members to read after the September Parish Committee meeting.  

Questions?  Contact Matt Carriker at <mcarrike@hotmail.com> or Molly Campbell at
<msc98@verizon.net>