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Youth Ministry
Offers Fun Summer Opportunities for Our Junior and Senior High Students
F
or youth, summer can offer a much-needed reprieve from the busyness of the school year. But the fun continues for junior high and senior high students through the Youth Ministry’s summer program. Using the Lifeteen program, Tayler Culbertson facilitates the Youth Ministry activities catered to freshmen to senior students. In June and July, Tayler will host two miniseries for weekly Monday night meetings. One session will be on the issues facing Generation Z (6 to 24-yearolds) and another will be on the lies we often tell ourselves. The sessions will begin with a meal and discussion will follow. “Lifeteen and youth groups are about making friends and finding community with those who have the same foundation as you,” Tayler says. “It is really helpful to our faith to have a community that believes the same things as you.” In July, Tayler will lead a group of ninth through 12th-graders on a trip to the Steubenville Youth Conference in Atlanta. The conference was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Tayler is especially looking forward to introducing youth to the universal church and experiencing the power of a large, Catholic conference. There will be virus mitigation procedures throughout the
Tayler Culbertson led a group to the Steubenville Youth Conference in 2019.
conference. “This allows teens to realize the Catholic Church is so much bigger than our church,” Tayler says. “There are amazing talks, great praise and worship, and a really powerful Eucharistic Adoration component. Steubenville allows us to praise Jesus in the Eucharist with people from all over the southeastern United States.” Throughout the summer, there will be additional opportunities for senior high youth to attend social activities, like going out for ice cream.
There are also various social events and service projects planned for the fall. Tayler also makes sure there are continuing opportunities for confession and Eucharistic Adoration. “We want the youth to be able to spend time together and see Christ in those we serve and spend time with,” Tayler says. Middle School Religion Coordinator Molly Andorfer will be leaving her position in midJune, so summer events will be on hold until a person is hired in her place. Molly has enjoyed being a part of this program with continued on back cover
