Youth
Our Theology of Youth Ministry
- Youth contribute and serve in all the work and ministry of the church – this is our foundational understanding of youth ministry - that every ministry includes young people.
- You don't have to be a member of St. Mark's, or any church to take part in youth group - you just have to come with a heart and mind willing to serve, and learn, and share
- Youth ministry is relational - it is about showing up and being fully present
- Confirmation is a rite of passage into the community, not out of it
- Youth will speak in the language of faith, if that is how we speak to them
Youth Fellowship 2026 & 2027
Young people in grades 6-12 are invited to gather with Malinda Collier & Ryn Kennedy on 2nd Sundays at 12:15pm. We'll use our time together to reflect on life and plan our community service and fellowship activities. Bring a friend.
The 2026-2027 youth schedule will have some great opportunities for fun and fellowship, service and learning. We'll volunteer at PRIDE in mid September and maybe do some cookie baking to support KAIROS Prison Ministry. In October we'll have the opportunity to talk with a woman who was a Freedom Rider and Jackson MS sit-in participant about her civil rights activism. In preparation for this we'll be reading a few chapters from Freedom's Children: Young Civil rights Activists Tell their Own Stories by Ellen Levine.
November will found us back in service to Richmond's street population providing breakfast and food bags for those reached through our Food Pantry Ministry.
And in December we'll have some Christmas fun at the CARMAX Park Winter World!
In 2027 we'll continue exploring opportunities to serve our community through local non-profits such as Shalom Farm and CARITAS.
Youth Service & Learning Opportunities:
- 2nd & 4th Saturday Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen: Set-up starts at 8:30am and serve our guests from 9:00 - 10:00am. Come and help provide welcome and care for those who need our help and support.
- Service Learning Opportunities with community-based non-profit and social justice organizations such as A Servant's Heart, Shalom Farms, FeedMore, CARITAS, Richmond Slave Trail, Indivisible, and others.
- Young Leaders in the Church, teens are invited to serve in all of our ministries. Find out what feeds your spirit in service and worship!
- St. Mark's Reads Book Group A Justice and Advocacy group that encourages the thoughtful consideration of contemporary issues of race, social justice, and equality.
Image by Dyversions from Pixabay
What we did one Covid Summer:
Summer 2020 No-Contact Mission: Justice and Advocacy
July & August 2020
Activity One: The Legislative Process and your Voice: Fostering civic engagement
Zoom call with GA Rep Dawn Adams about being in government – 20- 30 minutes
Education around 3-4 topics of interest (climate change, racial equality, gender equality, health & science around the pandemic)
Write a letter (template provided to a government official of your choice expressing your concern as someone who will soon be a voter)
Government officials: Dawn Adams, Abigail Spanberger, Tim Kaine, Levar Stoney, Ralph Northam, Bobby Scott, Mark Herring, and or your city council person, county board person.
Activity Two: Your Voice: Who do you want to thank for their courage during this virus pandemic?
Education: a quick look at some of our local/state/national leaders rap sheet on the issue
Write a letter of thanks for this person’s courage and persistence
Government officials: Levar Stoney
Other officials: Bishop Susan Goff, school superintendents & teachers, health care workers, first responders
Activity Three: Just Mercy – is our justice system “just”
Zoom call with Rev. Dorothy White & Malinda and our other leaders.
Read the YA version of the book
Activity Four: Love of Neighbor - Family Outreach
Sign up as a family to:
work at the CARITAS Furniture Bank,
help with the opening of the CARITAS center