MILESTONES FOR KIDS & YOUTH

 

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well established upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanks giving. (Colossians 2:6-7 MSG)

Every Sunday, we, as a congregation, pray over our students and youth with these words:

“O God, we turn our hearts toward our children and youth, whom we welcome and cherish as members of Your church and reflections of Your goodness and love. May they grow in faith to love and serve You as Lord with all of their hearts for all of their lives. And may we, as their community of faith, support and guide them in receiving and giving away God’s hospitality, God’s restoration, and God’s shalom. Amen.

These Milestones are how we hope to cooperate with God, as a community of faith, in the hopes embedded in this blessing.

RECEIVE (Birth to K)

For our youngest members (Birth to Kindergarten), we hope to introduce them to the love of God and the body of Christ in the church. We hope that they begin to learn that they are loved and accepted by God and the church in these earliest days. Alongside our regular activities, we celebrate these milestones for our little ones:

  • Dedications (May & June) - Every Spring, we take time to bless children who have been born in the last year, dedicating them and their parents to the care of God. Dedications are the first act of receiving that most of our kids will experience at All Souls.

  • Kindergarten Entrance Celebration (August) - Every Fall, we take time to celebrate this early milestone, blessing our children as they transition into the next season of life.

 

DEEPLY ROOTED (1st to 5th)

For our elementary through 5th-grade kids, we seek to create a space where they can explore faith and practice. We want them to learn how to read the Bible, pray, participate in worship, be active in the church, and serve their local community. The milestones we mark during these stages are:

  • Receiving the Story Celebration (September) — Every fall, we present our rising 3rd graders with their own copy of the Bible, blessing them as they explore the earliest stories of God’s pursuit of us in more depth.

  • Kids Formation Class (March & April) - We hold a five-week formation class for all 3rd-5th graders in the spring. This class typically takes place an hour before Worship. During our time together, we begin to explore the answer to these questions:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What is the gospel?

  3. Who am I?

  4. How do I follow Jesus?

  5. Why do we do that? (During this class, we cover different elements of our Worship Liturgy.)

WELL ESTABLISHED (6th-12th)

For kids from 6th through 12th grade, we desire to support them with tools to create independent stability in their spiritual journey. The milestones for this age group help to support and celebrate this independence and ownership:

  • Rising Middle School Blessing & Celebration (May/June) - Every Summer we take time during a service to celebrate and bless students transitioning from elementary to middle school. This event marks their transition from Children's Ministry to Youth ministry. These students are presented with a Youth Study Bible.

  • High School Graduation Blessing & Celebration (May/June) - We celebrate our graduating high schoolers at the end of the school year. We throw a party to celebrate and present our graduates with blessings written by members of our community.

  • Confirmation (January-May) - Confirmation is something new for All Souls. Becoming well-established in relationship with God and the church is a pilgrimage. Taking place over the course of four months, students are invited to participate in weekly classes, meetings with mentors, retreats, and service projects culminating in a Confirmation Celebration on Pentecost Sunday.

  • 11th-12th Grade Pilgrimage (Summer) - Beginning in 2024, Juniors and Seniors are invited to participate in a pilgrimage experience. This is a culminating trip for students involved with Youth ministry and helps them look ahead to the ongoing pilgrimage of life with God.

  • Sending Out Blessing & Celebration (August) - For students moving on from the All Souls Cville community (for work, continued education, etc.), we take time to bless and celebrate their lives and the journey they are embarking on.

Want to learn more about confirmation at All Souls Cville? Click here. (link coming soon)