LATEST YOUTH NEWS - COMING IN THE SUMMER OF 2004  By Lee Thompson Summer of 2004 the 8th, 9th and 10th graders will be going on a mission trip. Our trip will take us to Logan, Ohio to work with Group Work camps.  While there we will help repair homes for those unable to do so themselves.  It will be a week of fellowship with youth from all over the country.

PAST NEWS -  

AUGUST 2003 - 
By Lee Thompson

In September I am starting a new and exciting program for 8th and 9th graders.  We will meet the first Sunday of each month beginning September 7th from 6-8 p.m. in the Rectory youth rooms.

"Velocity" is a 13-lesson Christian program designed for youth.  This is an exciting and scary age for children, and the Velocity program will help our youth to express their doubts, fears and triumphs.  It is a combination of music, stories of teens across the nation, and Bible study.

This program will also prepare the youth for a mission trip next summer. I am currently working on the trip details. The goal is to put into practice the things they learn in this study.

Fund raising will be a big part of this year's new Velocity program. The Juniors grades 6th-8th will be attending Shrine Mont from November 7th-9th.  Friday Fun Night will be held for the Junior and Velocity groups starting on September 26th and continuing on the 4th Friday of each month from then on.  There will be ping pong, board games, karaoke and fellowship.  Pizza will be served at 6 p.m. and the evening will end at 9 p.m.

We are still very much involved in our outreach work at the Gloucester
Mathew Humane Society.  It is a rewarding experience for all who attend.

This school year we are looking forward to ice skating trips, indoor swimming , fossil hunting, bowling and many more activities.  Our lessons are based on the YOUTH GROUPS TALKSHEETS LESSONS.  The youth really respond to this program and it helps them to talk among themselves regarding families, school, abuse, and most importantly their relationship with God.

- Lee

APRIL 2003

Leader Lee Thompson has started a "Coffee House" get-together one Friday night per month for Seniors from 7-10 p.m.  It is held at the Old Rectory in front of the Parish House and is open to Youth in 9th-12th grades.  It is a time for the older Youth to get together and hang out in a supervised setting.  Coffee, tea and soft drinks are provided along with snack food.  If it should be well accepted by the Youth, Lee plans to move to two Friday nights per month.  

In other news, the Juniors have taken on the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society as an Outreach program.

Juniors meet at the Humane Society's facility in Gloucester once every six weeks or so to do laundry, bathe and walk dogs, do yard work, and basically anything else that needs doing.  They are now in the process of raising money to help pay for construction of an addition onto the Society's "cat room".  So far $300.00 has been raised to this end.

Young people at Kingston Parish participate in activities that range from outreach within our community to fun times such as camping, hiking, bowling and blueberry picking. Volunteers are needed for supervision, transportation, and sharing time. The groups (Senior Group of 9th-12th grades and Junior Group of 6th-8th grades) meet monthly.

Every year our Juniors bake cookies for distribution by the Kairos Prison Ministry. This year they broke last year's record of 52 dozen by seven additional dozen! The Juniors have also begun an outreach program for the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society, visiting the animal shelter every six weeks to help care for the needy animals, and will take a three-day trip to Shrine Mont. 

This year the Seniors went on an art outing in Urbanna, ran a face-painting booth at our Fall Fair, and plan a Blue Ridge Parkway hike. 

If you or your child are interested in taking part in Youth Group activities, please contact Lee Thompson, Youth Coordinator, at 725-2175.