Winter has been anything but quiet in St. John’s Children, Youth, and Families, and that’s a very good thing. Thanks to an incredible community of staff and volunteers, our kids and teens have been learning, serving, and showing up for one another in meaningful ways.
Right now, our CYF programs are in full swing, including Nursery, Godly Play, Sunday School, Children’s Chapel, Youth Group (5th–7th grade), Pilgrims (8th–9th grade), and Confirmation (10th–11th grade). Each group brings its own energy and questions, and together they create a vibrant, caring community.
There have been many highlights this season. Our Sunday School students raised money for First Nations Kitchen and collected more than 20 packs of diapers for local churches delivering food to immigrant families. We also had a youth and family service night, when we gathered and accomplished an incredible amount in just one evening:
- 70 handmade cards created for art kits going to Minneapolis Public School students learning from home
- 25 art and fun kits distributed through La Viña and Minneapolis schools alongside food deliveries
- 25 school supply kits for students learning at home
- 21 letters written to members of Congress advocating around our local situation
- 21 Valentine’s Day cards made for St. John’s college students and senior citizens
- 20 boxes of diapers (plus wipes) delivered to La Viña and DHH Church for food distributions
Our 2027 Pilgrims are spending time discerning their values and spiritual gifts while also engaging topics like immigration, migration, racism, and crossing boundaries. The Confirmation class recently met with their mentors and have been wrestling with what it means to be Episcopalian and how to live into Jesus’ Way of Love. On Valentine’s Day, they’ll have the opportunity to serve at the Minneapolis Crisis Nursery.
All of our youth have had opportunities to serve at Casa Maria, and we’ve launched a weekly newsletter highlighting ways children, youth, and families can continue helping our neighbors across the Twin Cities.
This weekend over 30 youth and parents are heading to Duluth for some much-needed fun and community time together. We’ll be skiing, dog sledding, playing D&D, and worshiping together family-style with a chance to rest, laugh, and reconnect with one another and with
God. It truly feels like a gift in the middle of a heavy season. A huge thank you to the parents who are volunteering as chaperones. We simply couldn’t do this without you, and your presence makes these experiences possible.
Minneapolis is experiencing a time of great pressure, violence, and unrest and that can be deeply scary for children, youth, and adults alike. In our gatherings, we’ve been intentionally talking about how to listen for God, how to navigate storms, how to regulate our bodies and emotions, and how to be helpers when the world feels overwhelming.
We are truly blessed with thoughtful, compassionate kids and families who are leaning into their church community with courage and care. And we need you. Our children and youth need church adults who are present, supportive, and willing to show up in big and small ways.
If you’d like to learn how you can make a difference for our kiddos, please reach out to Heather. There is a place for you here and your presence matters more than you know.
