Youth Ministry
Angela Busby, Director
(301) 570-8125
Visit the Saint Peter's Youth Ministry website
"This is what is needed: a Church for young people, which will know how to speak to their heart and enkindle, comfort, and inspire enthusiasm in it with the joy of the Gospel and the strength of the Eucharist; a Church which will know how to invite and welcome the person who seeks a purpose for which to commit his whole existence; a Church which is not afraid to require much, after having given much; which does not fear asking from young people the effort of a noble and authentic adventure, such as that of the following of the Gospel." (Pope John Paul II. 1995 World Day of Prayer for Vocations)
Youth Ministry is for all young people in grades 7th-12th grades in the parish. It is for those who attend public schools, private schools, Catholic schools, and home schools.
Parish Life is how we are all connected - Catholics who try and live our faith in community. This type of community will exist throughout your child's life. It is best if he/she knows how much they are needed now, so that they know how to plug into a new Church community in college and beyond. Finding ways to be connected now will only help in those transitions.
Youth ministry, at its best, is characterized by the following five hallmarks:
~ discipleship ~ connection ~ giftedness and growth ~ comprehensive ~ entire church involvement ~
- High School Youth Group: Is open to all 9th-12th grade students. The primary focus is integrating the Faith into our daily lives. Meetings are on Sunday nights from 7:00-9:00 pm in the Youth Center
- Bible Study: Is open to all 9th-12th grade students. Through the use of a printed resource, teens are able to talk about their faith in light of the upcoming Sunday's Gospel. The group meets on Thursday nights in Lent.
- Sacramental Classes (RCIT): For 9th-12th grade students who need sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation). The class meets on Wednesday nights during the school year from 6:45-8:15pm.
- Adopt-A-Grandparent: Nine month service opportunity for 7th-12th graders. Each participant is assigned a resident of Sandy Spring Friends home as a "grandparent" that will be visited on a monthly basis. The group visits on the first Sunday of the month.
- St. Peter's Club: Middle School Youth Group for 7th and 8th graders from any school. The club meets on Saturday nights twice a month for service and social events.
- Retreats: Retreats are offered throughout the course of the year for on going spiritual growth and community building. Day and weekend retreats are offered.
- Youth Mass: The 6pm Sunday Mass geared to our young people. Teens take part in liturgical ministries as lectors, singers, musicians, and ushers. The music has a younger feel to it.
- Birthday Card Ministry: Young people in 9th-12th grade in the parish receive a birthday card in the mail from our youth ministry.
- Summer Workcamp: To connect our Catholic Faith to Service, we attend a week long service camp fixing up the homes for the poor or providing services in social service organizations.
- Conferences (NCYC, WYD): The high school teens travel on occasion to national and international conferences. We have traveled overseas to attend World Youth Day, hosted by the Holy Father.
- Living Stations of the Cross: During Lent, the teens present the Stations of the Cross through freeze-frame; reflection and music. The presentation is for the parish on Good Friday at 12 noon.
- Social Activities and Trips: Throughout the year we partake in community building activities such as paintball, movie nights, amusement parks, skiing, beach trips, etc.)
- Fundraisers: We are actively engaged in fundraising for youth ministry activities. Our annual events include: spaghetti dinner, Christmas bazaar; pizza/cookie sale and Mardi Gras dinner.
- Service and Justice Activities: The teens make sandwiches for a soup kitchen, pray at abortion clinics, march for life, coordinate parties for foster kids, etc. throughout the year.
- Special Blessings: The teens receive blessings throughout the year - for young people, for graduates, for confirmation candidates, for new drivers, etc.
- Baccalaureate Mass: To celebrate the accomplishments of our graduations, we offer a Baccalaureate Mass for those who have graduated from high school or college in the springtime.
Needed: Adults to Walk With Young People on Their Journey of Faith
"As Jesus with the disciples of Emmaus, so the Church must become today the traveling companion of young people…" Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day 1995
Attributes of Faithful Adults Called to Work with Youth (7th-12th graders):
~ practicing Catholic ~ strong faith ~ comfortable with own identity ~ able to pray with young people ~ able to witness faith through words and actions ~ active in the faith community ~ genuine love of youth ~ open an accepting ~ willing to spend time with teens ~ a sense of mission and calling to this ministry ~