Youth at St. Mark's participate in programs sponsored by the Diocese of Kentucky as well weekly Christian education programs after the 10 AM service. Please visit the Youth page of the Diocese of Kentucky to learn more about upcoming campus and outings or 'like' their Facebook page.
Christian Education For Youth
Middle and high school youth follow the “Journey to Adulthood” (J2A) curriculum. "Journey to Adulthood" is a spiritual formation for young people that provides a liturgical frame for their experience in the modern culture and celebrates their individuality and their creative potential. They are instructed with skills needed for successful participation in church and society.
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The Journey to Adulthood is a youth ministry program of spiritual formation for 6th-12th grades. It uses Bible study, prayer, rites of passage, outreach ministries and both serious and playful activities to underscore its two guiding principles:
1. Manhood and womanhood are free gifts from God.
2. Adulthood must be earned.
There are three two-year segments of the program:
The "Journey to Adulthood" program is all about friends. We get them together and they form friendships. We want them to develop these friendships so that they have "fellow pilgrims" on the road to adulthood--a support network for getting through adolescence.
Getting them together also provides an opportunity for them to get to know an adult who is not to make. Finally, all this friendship is happening in an environment of faith exploration. They are moving from their faith being the faith of their parents to making the faith their own.
While meeting together they become involved in lots of outreach projects, social functions and weekly group discussions.
1. Manhood and womanhood are free gifts from God.
2. Adulthood must be earned.
There are three two-year segments of the program:
- Rite-13: The first two years (6th & 7th or 7th & 8th graders) that focus on celebrating the individuality of each young person and their creative potential. The Rite-13 liturgy (A celebration of Manhood and Womanhood) is the community expression of this and a rite of passage form childhood towards adulthood.
- J2A: The middle portion of the program (8th & 9th or 9th and 10th graders), engages youth with the skills and critical thinking involved in adulthood. The youth plan and embark on a pilgrimage together at the end of this segment. This experience is often the spiritual highlight of their youth.
- YAC: This is a mentor-based program that helps older teens (11th and 12th graders) discern and carry out a ministry within their church or in the larger community. Vocation and development of a personal credo are also emphasized. A final rite of passage sends them out into the world as ambassadors of Christ.
The "Journey to Adulthood" program is all about friends. We get them together and they form friendships. We want them to develop these friendships so that they have "fellow pilgrims" on the road to adulthood--a support network for getting through adolescence.
Getting them together also provides an opportunity for them to get to know an adult who is not to make. Finally, all this friendship is happening in an environment of faith exploration. They are moving from their faith being the faith of their parents to making the faith their own.
While meeting together they become involved in lots of outreach projects, social functions and weekly group discussions.
