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 First Church youth group activities are filled with fun, fellowship, mission work, and a continuous effort to build our relationship with God and our church family.
Junior high (6th through 8th grade) and high school (9th through 12th grade) groups meet separately for their meetings, and join together for dinner between. Youth Group is held in the Oxford Room and consists of card games, ping pong, air hockey, foosball, chair races, loud music, and FOOD! What more could you want?! We encourage active participation to create an environment of trust and an opportunity to develop new friendships and spiritual goals. Some of the youth activities include:
• “Sleep Out Saturday” homeless families awareness (the youth sleep out on the church lawn overnight in November and are “homeless”)
• “Souper Bowl” Sunday Food Drive (donations made to the Elmhurst Food Pantry)
• Youth Homemade Candy/Bake Sale (St. Patrick's Day “Go Green” Fundraiser to raise funds for recycling at First Church)
• Memorial Day Parade Refreshment Stand (summer mission trip fundraiser)
• Fastathon for food pantry (November 2008; several youth and adults, together with Muslim Students from UIC, fasted for one day to raise awareness and funds for the Greater Chicago Food Depository
• Summer Mission Trip - This is an amazing service experience that our youth will never forget! In 2008, we volunteered at the Special Olympics Summer Games in Normal, Illinois. You have to see the pictures!
• PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) - We make up beds, serve dinner, make sack lunches, clean-up the kitchen, and reach out to guests who are staying at a homeless shelter.
• Shop & Wrap – The youth group offers a Christmas Gift Tree Shopping Service for inner city children.
• “Outreach” - We give our youth an opportunity to participate in UMC-Northern Illinois Conference youth related events and retreats. In December, we will be caroling at Lexington Square nursing home in Elmhurst, a new event for us.
• Youth serve as ushers and greeters on the second Sunday of the month for the 10:30 a.m. service.
• Ski Trip - a winter weekend trip offering social, spiritual and bonding opportunities. And plenty of laughs!
• Road Rallies - Christian-themed races where the kids are put into teams and are given clues to follow. Prizes awarded to the winning teams (which, of course, is all of them)
• Movie night at the York Theatre
For more information, contact Director of Youth Ministry Lisa Rogers at jlrogers204@comcast.net or (630) 834-2440, ext. 103.
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