Youth Ministry at New Hope Presbyterian Church is for 6th through 12th graders. Our hope is to provide a safe, nurturing, and encouraging place where youth can be themselves and get to know adults in the New Hope congregation. We meet twice a month for programs or service opportunities. Traditions of our program are:
- Fall leaf raking for homebound members
- Gift wrapping for Prospect Hill Community Health Center
- Reading for the Christmas pageant
- Christmas caroling and party
- Working on the New Hope Elementary School nature trail
- Leading worship for NHPC
- End of the year lake party
Current program: Our youth meet together in one class (6th through 12th grades) and are studying people from the Old Testament and their stories using Re:Form: Ancestors: Old Testament from Sparkhouse. We have a team of teachers who rotate teaching/facilitating discussion. Youth also share their “happies and crappies” of the week and engage in prayer for one another.
Mission is important to our youth and families. In years past we have participated in The Appalachia Service Project, The Pilgrimage in Washington D.C., the Asheville Youth Mission programs and the CROSS program at Myers Park Presbyterian Church.
We will be offering the opportunity to attend one of our Presbyterian Youth Conferences. Massanetta Middle School Conference for 6th through 8th grades, and Montreat Youth Conference for rising 9th through graduated 12th grades.
With New Hope Camp and Conference Center in our back yard, we frequently have programs around the camp — using the low ropes course, providing service to the camp, or walking the beautiful labyrinth. Many of our youth participate in the camp program over the summer, which provides high school youth the opportunity to be Counselors in Training (CIT).
Confirmation class is offered to our 8th grade students and consists of a weekend mission trip, leading a worship service, writing a faith paper, engaging with an adult mentor, as well as class time spent studying the Bible, what it means to be a Presbyterian / what Presbyterians believe, and how to be a faithful member of a congregation.
For more information about our youth programs, youth conferences, or mission trip opportunities, please contact Mary Todd Peters.