Youth Ministry
Welcome to Youth Ministry at St. Thomas More Parish!
We are so glad you stopped by! We have three great programs for youth 6th-12th grade, and special events as well! Please take a look, and remember that registration is ongoing and drop-ins are welcome for all programs except Confirmation. Program descriptions and schedules are available below.
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Easter Baskets for Foster Kids |
Junior High Rally |
- Programs:
| ENCOUNTER (grades 6-8) | EMPOWER (grades 9-12) | Confirmation |
- How Can I Support Youth Ministry?
| Youth Ministry Volunteering |
Easter Baskets for Foster Kids
This Lent, Youth Ministry will be assembling Easter Baskets for foster kids through Catholic Community Services. Donations are needed of Easter baskets, grass, candy, small toys, books and art supplies, ribbon and cellophane rolls. Items can dropped in the "Easter Basket Donation" box in the Narthex, in the Parish Office or at Youth Nights, by Sunday, March 18th.
All 6th-8th graders are welcome to join us for faith, friends and fun at the Archdiocesan Junior High Rally on March 10th! This is an awesome event, with around 500 Junior High youth, live music, a cool MC, large and small group games, great speakers, prayer, youth testimonials, and Mass with Bishop Elizondo! The cost is $55 before Feb. 26th and $65 after, with the deadline on March 5th.
Register for Junior High Rally
Our Junior High youth group, ENCOUNTER, meets on Wednesday evenings, from 6:30-7:45 PM in the Youth Room, located in the basement of the Parish Office. This time is particularly advantageous for families with younger siblings attending Children’s Faith Formation on Wednesday evenings. Please do note that the Youth Nights last fifteen minutes longer than the Children's Faith Formation sessions, which means that those parents will need to pick up their children first and wait a few minutes to get their teens.
This year we will encounter Christ in the Gospel of Matthew! Last year we began the T3:The Teen Timeline scripture study series hosted by Mark Hart with Ascension Press. We will continue this year to the next in the series, "T3: Thy Kingdom Come." This promises to bring us up close and personal with the mission of our Savior through fun videos, interesting activities, and fellowship.
EMPOWER, the Senior High youth group, meets on Sundays, 6:30-8:00 PM, September-May, in the Youth Room (Parish Office basement). Whether regulars or drop-ins for a night or special event, all were welcome!
This year we are empowered to enter the "Mystery of God" with Bishop Robert Barron! This program confronts the claims of modern atheism with the astounding Catholic understanding of who God is and why He matters in our lives. Our program includes: Atheism and What We Mean By God, The Paths to God, The Divine Attributes, Providence and the Problem of Evil, Exploring the Trinity, and The God Who is Love. With these topics, videos, activities and a little help from our friends, we'll come closer to our Lord!
Confirmation is a 2-year process. For the 1st year, youth must regularly attend EMPOWER, our Senior High youth group (no more than 3 absences), or a Catholic High School.
For the second consecutive year, youth must be aged 16+ by February 1, 2018, and attend the Confirmation group (no more than 2 absences). Confirmation sessions are Sundays, 3-4:30 PM, in the Youth Room (basement of the Parish Office). Parish-based service hours and attendance at the Confirmation retreat on Jan. 12-14 are among other requirements. Please see the Confirmation Info Pack for further details.
Eligibility requirements for Confirmation sponsors will listed in the Confirmation pack. Responsibilities are laid out in the Sponsor Guide. Sponsors are required to register online by Oct. 1st. Recently printed copies of Sponsors' Baptismal certificates with notations of First Communion and Confirmation will be due by Oct. 29th. It may take time to get these certificates, especially if the Baptismal parish is out-of-state or country, so requests should be placed ASAP. In the event that there is no possible way to obtain the certificates (for example, all records destroyed in a church fire), then sponsors may attempt to request that their current registered parish complete the Sponsor Verification Form.
Our Confirmation Mass will be Monday, April 16th at 7 PM. Candidates and sponsors will come early. The Confirmation Mass rehearsal will be on Thursday, April 12th from 7-8 PM in the church. Candidates and sponsors are required to attend the rehearsal.
Our Confirmation Retreat will be on Jan. 12th-14th. Candidates will register and submit payment for the retreat by Dec. 10th.
Confirmation Retreat Registration
Our Confirmation group will use the "Chosen" program by Ascension Press. Chosen is the top-rated Confirmation program out there, challenging candidates to re-examine the meaning of their lives and their ultimate call to holiness.
Youth Ministry would be impossible without caring adult volunteers! Whether you're interested in helping out regularly, just once for a special event, or every now and then, we can use you and your skills! To volunteer, you will need to send in a volunteer application form and a background check request, either by e-mailing the Youth Minister, or mailing or dropping it off at the Parish Office. Upon approval, you will be asked to take a Safe Environment training. To find a training near you, click here and look under the Seattle Archdiocese sessions. For the forms, see below:
Youth Ministry Volunteer Application Form
Many parishioners are not aware that the Youth Ministry program relies entirely on donations and program fees. We are not part of the parish budget.
A gift to the youth of the parish is also a gift to the donor. The young Church is our joy in the present and our hope for the future. Please consider laying aside some treasure in Heaven by giving up some treasure for them now.
Your donation makes it possible to:
- Get exciting new curriculum and program materials
- Provide program scholarships for families in financial distress
- Renovate the Youth Room
- Provide refreshments for sessions, activities, and sacramental receptions
- Cover event costs for chaperones
- Reduce activity fees
- Show appreciation to catechists
- Go on Mission Trips
...and more!
Your support is greatly appreciated!
Questions? Contact the Youth Minister, Becky Harmon, at rebeccah@stmp.org or (425) 743-2929 x106
