RITE 13 is a two-year program for ages 11 to 13. The name comes from a liturgical rite of passage we celebrate with young people around their 13th birthday. The rite is loosely based on the Jewish bar/bat mitzvah tradition and it's a way for the entire congregation to celebrate the unique gifts and abilities of its young teens. The two years of Rite 13 focus on recognizing the gifts God has given us, celebrating our creative potential, and learning to interact as a community of faith. The program introduces Bible study, prayer and service projects.
Journey to Adulthood Program
At St. Christopher's, we participate in the Journey to Adulthood curriculum, a youth ministry program of spiritual formation for 6th to 12th grades. There are three sections of the Journey to Adulthood program: Rite 13, J2A and 4WARD. Each section of the program lasts for two years and that two-year grouping will stay together until they graduate from high school. Journey to Adulthood has an underlying three-part structure: Spirituality, Society, and Self. These reflect the Christian call to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Lessons are a combination of learning about the Christian faith through this lens of love for God, others, and self, and putting that faith into action. In each level, youth are introduced to different spiritual practices. Each level also has opportunities for youth to serve their local community in a meaningful way. For more information, please contact Director of Youth Ministries
Melanie Kingsbury.
The second segment is J2A, an acronym for JOURNEY TO ADULTHOOD. It is a little
confusing since the name of this segment has the same name as the entire program, but the reason
for this is that the bulk of the work gets done in these two years, building on the foundation of the
Rite 13 experience. During these years, teens learn and practice six basic skills of adulthood:
active listening, negotiation, assertion, research & information management, partnership and
leadership. The end of the second year of J2A is marked by the group designing and going on a
Holy Pilgrimage.
The last two years of the Journey to Adulthood program are referred to as 4WARD. Students are encouraged to accept more adult
responsibilities and to contribute their time, talent and treasure in ways that support the ongoing
work of the church. Teens write a personal credo of beliefs and rely on their trusted group of
peers as they explore their faith more deeply and struggle with the details of transitioning from
teenager to young adult in today’s world.
Confirmation classes
We offer Youth Confirmation Classes to help our younger Christians who are ready to take a next step in their life of faith.
These fun and engaging classes focus on the promises we make at our Baptisms. Where do we witness evil in the world, and how do we renounce it? How can we be faithful in following the apostles teaching and in gathering for the breaking of bread and prayers? How do we go about respecting the dignity of every human being?
Confirmation is a sacramental rite in the Episcopal Church through which individuals receive an empowering of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by a Bishop.
If your children are at a point in your own spiritual journey where they are ready to explore some of these questions in a safe and supportive small group, feel free to contact our church office to sign up for the next Confirmation Class being offered.
