Youth Ministry at ORPC
Oak Ridge Presbyterian has a vibrant youth ministry that seeks to foster fellowship and discipleship among our young people. We are a community where youth can encounter Christ and grow in their faith accompanied by a community that accepts them for who they are. Any youth – sixth to twelfth grade – is welcome to join us for weekly youth groups during the school year and special events throughout the summer.
Youth Group
Youth group meets weekly in the evenings during the year. Food is an integral part of our ministry, so dinner is served (free of charge) every week at 6pm amongst middle schoolers, high schoolers, and the adult youth advisors to foster community. On the first and third Sundays of the month, middle and high school youth split off separately to study about the fall theme. The fall theme this year focuses on “Identity.” Alternatively, on the second and fourth Sundays, youth group is combined as we focus on community building and community service, respectively. See a schedule for the entire fall below:
Section Title
Dinner is every wek from 6:00pm-6:30pm
September 11th – Youth Kick Off! Games, painting, and get-to-know-ya’s – Combined 6:30pm-7:30pm
Parent meeting before youth group from 5:30pm-6:00pm
September 18th – Identity & Me (Who am I? Who does God say I am?) – MS 5:00pm-6:00pm // HS 6:30pm-7:30pm
September 25th – NO YOUTH GROUP – Congregation wide Day of Service after church
October 2nd – Identity & God (Who is God? What is God like?) – MS 5:00pm-6:00pm // HS 6:30pm-7:30pm
October 9th – Games & work on fall fundraiser – Combined 6:30pm-7:30pm
October 16th – Identity & Faith (What is our faith identity? How does that affect us?) – MS 5:00pm-6:00pm // HS 6:30pm-7:30pm
October 23rd – NO YOUTH GROUP – Congregation wide Trunk or Treat in the evening
October 30th – Service in the Community: bonfire and cleaning out ORPC’s community garden for next season – Combined 6:30pm-7:30pm
November 6th – Identity & Differences (How do we work together when we’re different?) – MS 5:00pm-6:00pm // HS 6:30pm-7:30pm
November 13th – Skyzone trampoline park & Dinner out afterward (bring money) – Combined 5:30pm-8:00pm
November 18th-20th – Keep Awake: High School Weekend “Matthew 25” Conference at Massanetta
November 20th – Identity & Gifts (What gifts do we have? How are we called to use them?) – MS ONLY 6:30-7:30
November 27th – Service in the Community: Serving in a local retirement community – Combined 6:30pm-7:30pm
December 4th – Identity & Change (What happens when our identities change over time?) – MS 5:00pm-6:00pm // HS 6:30pm-7:30pm
December 11th – Youth Group Christmas Party! – Combined, time and location TBD
December 24th – ORPC Christmas pageant; come as you are and youth will get a part! – 4pm
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Keep Awake: High School Weekend Conference
High schoolers are invited back to Massanetta Springs Conference Center for a weekend retreat, based on PC(USA)’s Matthew 25 curriculum. We leave quickly after school on Friday, November 18th and return on Sunday afternoon. If we’re lucky, it snows while we’re up there! Start the registration process here.
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October Youth Small Groups
ORPC will engage in a limited-time four week small group ministry in October! For four Sundays in October (10/9, 10/16, 10/23, & 10/30), small groups will gather around the church campus for an hour after worship (11:15am-12:15pm). Each small group has an awesome topical theme and way to engage in scripture, so you can find a way to connect no matter your interests! There will be adult education and children’s ministry small groups, but youth are eligible to sign up for one of four small groups (descriptions in the link). Sign up here for the small group you want to join!
Jesus’ Cookbook (MS) – cooking small group
The Messy Bible (MS + HS) – crafting small group
The Good Place? (MS + HS) – movie small group
Faith in Femininity (HS girls) – female empowerment small group
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Confirmation
Confirmation is completed for the current class. Congratulations to ORPC’s Confirmation class of 2022! Have an 8th/9th grader or an older youth interested in getting confirmed in PC(USA)? Contact Chris Morgan.
2023 Summer Trips
Massanetta
June 22th-25th
Massanetta Middle School Conference is a hands-on, faith filled experience in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Middle schoolers (rising sixth through graduated eighth grade) from across the country gather to participate in keynote, recreation, music, and small “Encounter Groups” led by an outstanding group of high school and adult leaders. The theme this year will be released in September!
Charleston Youth Mission
July 9th-14th
Charleston Youth Mission (CYM) is an opportunity to engage in meaningful and personal service in and around the Charleston community from our youth who are rising 8th grade and older. CYM combines worship, reflection, and service, so youth can serve at a different ministry site each morning and afternoon. We will develop a deeper sense of God’s call for each of us to love our neighbor. (This is similar to CROSS Missions if you have attended that in previous years).
Montreat
July 23th-29th
Montreat High School Conference is a unique faith space that gathers hundreds of Presbyterian high schoolers (rising ninth through graduated twelfth grade) for a week of deep faith formation. A day in the life at the retreat center in the beautiful North Carolina mountains includes keynote, music, energizers, small groups, recreation, and plenty of down time for rest and renewal. The theme this year will be announced in October.
Youth Staff Person
Chris Morgan (he/him)
Questions about youth at ORPC? Thinking about joining our group? Email Chris here or at chris.orpc@gmail.com.
Want to grab coffee? Schedule an extended conversation with Chris? Sign up here to connect.
Interested in receiving the weekly youth newsletter each Thursday in your inbox? Join the listserv here.
High School REMINDer text message sign up: Text @orpch to 810-10
Middle School REMINDer text message sign up: Text @orpcm to 810-10