St. Mark's Lutheran Church Youth and Family Ministry
Welcome back to a new year at St. Mark's! It was great seeing some of you at the Ministry Fair. We hope to see many of you this Sunday as we kick off Fall programming.
Email Youth Director Alice Real at youth@stmarks-elca.org with questions or to be added to the mailing list.
* * * In order to participate in activities, all youth/parents must register to provide up-to-date information for youth leaders,
as well as complete the 2025-2026 medical release/consent form. English or Spanish * * *
This Week at St. Mark's:
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Come to church at 11:00AM for the Bilingual worship service, followed by a community lunch and carol sing-along. All are welcome! Sunday School and Confirmation classes will resume on December 14th.
Confirmation: Grades 7 and 8
Teachers: Peggy Harris and Peter Weekly
Sundays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Room 217
This Week: no class this Sunday
High School: Grades 9-12
Adult Leaders: Alice Real and Jim Kyger
Sundays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Room 215 Youth Room
High School will explore the Bible this year, from Genesis through Acts and the birth of the church, seeking examples of God's love and call in the scriptures and in our daily lives.
This Week: No class this sunday
Synod Middle/High School Retreat
St. Mark's had a great time attending the Middle/High School Youth Retreat, "Called in Our Wandering," Nov 21-23 at Skycroft Conference Center in Middletown, MD. Organized and led by youth in the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) from the Metro-DC and Delaware-MD synods, we enjoyed large group worship, small group discussions, service projects, games, great food, and of course, a bonfire. Click here for a short video of the event compiled by St Mark's youth, Landon Snyder: https://youtu.be/irB5EpVTQu4?si=YxFHaaQz2gmKP_ja.
Photos below from recent Youth Group projects …
Calendar at-a-glance …
November:
11/30- No Sunday School/Confirmation (Thanksgiving Weekend)
December:
12/7- No Sunday School: Bilingual Service at 11:00 AM; Christmas Carol Sing-Along and Potluck Lunch, 12:30 PM
12/21 Christmas Pageant Dress Rehearsal (11:00 AM-12:PM)
12/24 Christmas Eve Bilingual Family Service and Christmas Pageant, 5:00 PM
February:
2/15 Shrove Sunday Pancake Brunch Youth Fundraiser (11:00 AM-12:00 PM)
Full youth ministry calendar
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For more information, contact Alice Real, Director of Youth and Family Ministries, at youth@stmarks-elca.org.
See you Sunday!
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See photos of our 2018-2020 gatherings and 2021 Youth Sunday below:
St. Mark’s Mission Trip to Red Bird Work Camp
July 2024
In July 2024, St. Mark’s sent a team to participate in Red Bird Mission Work Camp. Jim Kyger, Harriet Latta, Maureen Murphy, Alice Real, and Mary Crumrine (Alice’s sister) spent July 21 through July 26 in Beverly, Kentucky, working on home improvement projects in the surrounding community. Guided by Red Bird Crew Leaders, Brett and Kevin, they repaired and replaced a bedroom floor and water heater in an elderly couple's trailer home, and they mudded drywall and installed underpinning around an addition to the couple’s nephew's home across the street. The addition will be a new bedroom for several of the nephew's children.
Watch worship on St. Mark's Youtube channel!
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Youth Group Parent Handbook
Parents! Click HERE to download and view your Youth Group 2021-2022 Information Meeting Handout.
Youth Ministry Calendar 2025-2026
Looking Ahead
Save the date for these upcoming events. More details to come! A full youth ministry calendar is attached. Additional activities will be planned based on youth input.
Sunday, December 7—Bilingual Worship and Christmas Carol Sing-Along
Come to church at 11:00 AM for the Bilingual worship service, followed by a community lunch and carol sing-along. All are welcome! Sunday School and Confirmation classes will resume on December 14th.
December 24, 5:00 pm—Christmas Eve Bilingual Family Service and Pageant-
Youth are invited to participate in the Christmas Eve Family Service, this year at 5:00pm on Wednesday, December 24. There are openings for prelude and other special music, as well as acolytes, worship assistants, and readers. We will also participate with the Children's Ministry on the annual Christmas Pageant, to be presented during the service Youth rehearsals will be held starting Sunday, December 14th during the Sunday School hour, as well as a dress rehearsal on Sunday, December 21st from 11am-12pm. Sign up here to participate!
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In order to participate in activities, all youth/parents must register to provide up-to-date information for youth leaders, as well as complete the 2025-2026 medical release/consent form. English Spanish
Full youth ministry calendar
* * * * * * *
For more information, contact Alice Real, Director of Youth and Family Ministries, at youth@stmarks-elca.org.
The St. Marks Youth had a great time raking leaves at church member homes on a recent November Sunday afternoon!
