Youth (Inside Out)

Some of our youth after Montreat Youth Sunday on Sept. 25th, 2011

Some call it the domino effect. Others refer to it as the ripple effect. Whatever you call it, it is real, it is powerful, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Once an impact is made INSIDE a person, it can then move OUTwards, impacting everyone that it comes into touch with along the way.

We are all making impacts on others, it's just a matter of whether we're making positive or negative impacts. What does it look like to make a positive impact? A lasting impact? What role can Jesus play in this?

At Second Church, we are committed to investigating this together.

If you are a middle or high schooler reading this and have even just an ounce of interest in exploring this, please join us! If you aren't interested in what making a positive and lasting impact looks like, but are interested in having a ridiculously fun time, that's cool too. The only thing you have to lose here is an awesome opportunity to make great memories! If you are a parent of a middle or high schooler, please encourage your child or children to come join us for the year of adventure we believe God has in store!

Our Vision

It is becoming altogether more difficult to refuse to believe what our culture says we need to do and have in order to be of value. In light of this, we at Second Church feel a great sense of urgency to teach about Who true worth comes from to the younger generations so that they might stop judging themselves by worldly standards, stop settling for temporary fulfillments, and instead choose everlasting fulfillment through a life lived with Jesus Christ.

Our chief objective is to motivate the younger generations within the church to first desire and then grow in a personal relationship with their Heavenly Father. It is our deep hope to help them build their lives on a solid foundation...to help them build their lives on the only foundation that is truly solid:

Jesus Christ.

Our Mission

At Second Church, we believe in incarnational ministry. Or in other words, the power of presence. This belief comes from countless scriptural observations of transformation that took place in the lives of those who spent time with God; spent time in His presence. After all, Jesus went outside of the church, outside of the temple. He met with people where they were, as they were, earning the right to be heard.

Church buildings and youth programs can- without a doubt- be awesome tools through which to present the extravagant love of God, but the impact made by time spent in these buildings and programs will almost certainly fail to be long-lasting if personal investment in the lives of the youth involved is lacking. When buildings and programs become more important than personal relationships, it is inevitable that things will go awry very quickly, and opportunities for true growth will be stunted. This is why investing on a personal level with the youth of our church is a huge priority to us.

What we ultimately hope to communicate to the youth at Second Presbyterian Church through time spent with them and love poured out to them is God’s deep delight in spending time with them and God’s love that He longs to pour into their lives. Along with this hope is a hope well-expressed in the Mission Statement of Young Life, a non-denominational youth ministry. The hope is as follows:

“To nurture kids so they might grow in their love for Christ and their knowledge of God's Word and become people who can share their faith with others.”

At Second Church, we are particularly passionate about this. That is, particularly passionate about investing in discipleship. We firmly believe in the impact that one changed life can have on another, the impact that that life can then have on another, and so on and so forth. It is because of this belief that through sharing in God’s ministry, our aim is to go deep before going wide. This takes time, patience, and most of all trust in the Lord’s faithfulness to complete every work that He begins.

How to Connect

Upcoming Youth Events- Mark your calendars!!

Who: Middle and High School Youth
What: Youth Vday Bash
When: Fri., Feb. 17th 6-10pm
Where: The Roddey’s house, in Hollywood, SC
Why: Plan to enjoy an outdoor fire, cider and cocoa, and roasting hotdogs and marshmallows! We’ll be meeting at the church at 5:15 and carpooling out to Hollywood and back. Please RSVP to Caitlin Binda by Feb. 10th and...invite your friends!

Who: Middle and High School Youth
What: Flour War
When: Sat. Feb. 18th @2pm
Where: Second Pres Courtyard
Why: Because who doesn’t enjoy running around like a crazy person, covering and getting covered by flour!? As usual, it will be a Youth Alliance event. Invite everyone you know! Oh, and bring $5 if you want an awesome Tshirts that will be available!

Friday March 2nd- Sat. March 3rd Joint Youth Retreat w/ Grace Episcopal.

As you may remember, last summer we were invited by our friends at Grace Episcopal to go out to Walterboro where one of their members has a farm house. A couple of 2nd Pres kids came, and we had a blast! We've been invited out again, Friday March 2nd- Sat. March 3rd. We will be leaving Grace around 5pm on Friday, March 2nd, spending the night at the Bridges’ farm, and returning to Grace on the 3rd around noon. Please RSVP to me as soon as possible, but no later than Feb. 23rd. More details on what to bring for those who RSVP!

April 22nd!! Youth Sunday

Mark your calendars, our next Youth Sunday will be April 22nd!! We want all hands on deck!! Ideas welcome. Please talk with Caitlin Binda.

Community Service

Following Christ means living a life marked by servanthood. More than it being the ‘right’ thing to do, it is the life-giving thing to do! We were wired to serve; created with gifts that when used to the glory of God, make us come alive. Through pursuing ways in which we can meet the needs of our community, our deep desire for the youth of Second Presbyterian Church is that they grow in their desire to live lives of service- not for the sake of mere Christian duty, but for the sake of love.

For it is the love of Jesus that compels us. 2 Corinthians 5:14

Service Project

Super Bowl Sunday is coming up, Feb. 5th, and there are a couple of things to say about it.

*As usual, we will be doing the Souper Bowl of Caring as a congregation, where the youth will help collect the offering at the end of the service. See website for more information on this mission if you are not familiar with it. http://www.souperbowl.org/

*Our youth group (middle and high schoolers) has been invited to a Super Bowl party at the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul, located on the corner of Coming St. and Vanderhorst St. The party will begin at 5pm and last until however long the football game lasts. Please RSVP if your kid is planning on coming, and have them bring a 2 liter soda and a snack to share if you can.

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All of the information on this page can also be found on the brand new Facebook group called Inside Out. Please join if you are interested in keeping up with events this way!

See photographs from recent events.

Questions

For any questions at all, don’t hesitate to shoot Caitlin Binda (our new Director of Children and Youth Ministry) an email at: cbinda@secondpresbyterianchurch.org or give her a call at (540) 471-4825. She would love to talk with you.

And the Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us.
John 1:14

We loved you so much that we delighted to share not only the gospel, but our very lives with you as well. 1 Thessalonians 2:8

Fun, fruitful, and HOT trip to Carowinds July 20-23, 2011

It is such a joy to see our youth becoming more and more involved in worship services!

A whole lot of love.