Worship in the House - Youth Ministry Reimagined

The youth team decided to scrap Sunday school over the summer, and replace it with an hour long youth focused worship service, where youth serve as the liturgists, the staff provide an engaging scripture/ sermon moment, and the youth band leads us in songs. ⁣
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This was not an easy decision. Change is never easy, and we have some amazing Sunday school teachers. After studying worship data closely, we realized that our youth were not in worship. If they are not taught how or why we worship, then we cannot expect them to return to the church as engaged adults. ⁣
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We decided to offer worship in the house as a teaching service. When we spill the grape juice at communion - it’s okay, because the youth house is a safe space. And when the students don’t know the order of service - it’s okay, because we’re walking through it together. And when the youth don’t know how to find the book of Jeremiah - it’s okay, because there’s room to turn and ask their neighbor. ⁣
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This service is a learning service, designed to be creative, engaging of all learning styles, and targeted towards the needs and maturity of our youth. I am excited and hopeful to see what God will do in this space, and hope you will continue to pray for our growth! ⁣

BY THE NUMBERS

• Worship in the house is 12 weeks old! 
• There are 8 members of the youth band who lead music every week. 
• 2 games of Jenga on the porch 
• Worship in the House runs on 2 canisters of coffee, 1 canister of hot chocolate, and 6 dozen doughnuts. 
• There are 6 adult volunteers who attend weekly to welcome and worship with our youth.
• We've had 3 sermon series: The Lies We Tell Ourselves, Hearts on Fire and Risking Something Big for Something Good 
• We share communion 1 time each month
• Top 3 favorite parts of Worship in the House (according to a survey)
• the youth band
• the way we study scripture together
• the sermon series
• We have had 2 guest preachers in the house- Rev. Kathy Lee Cornell and Rev. Matthew Ruffner.
• We have 1 Sunday a semester that is “Family Sunday,” where parents are invited to worship with their youth!