Welcome to the Youth Ministry program at Lancaster Church of the Brethren! It is exciting to share the many activities that youth have the opportunity to participate in while at LCoB.

This is a youth ministry which seeks to equip youth to engage in a Christ-centered life as understood by the Church of the Brethren within and beyond Lancaster Church of the Brethren.
This is a youth ministry which seeks to identify and respond to the individual needs of youth.
This is a youth ministry which seeks to nurture youth.
This is a youth ministry which seeks to minister to parents.
This is a youth ministry which seeks to develop adult leaders of youth.

Click here to see the Youth Event Calendar

Sr. High
The Senior High youth ministry program is intended for youth in grades 9-12. At this level, youth are encouraged to develop a personal relationship with Christ, develop a lived ethic of discipleship, and enter into intentional discernment for God’s call in their life; all in the context of peer Christian community.

Sr. High programs include Sunday School, Drop-ins, Ministry Action Teams, Seventh Day youth band, Contemplative Worship Nights, participation in Church of the Brethren district and denominational youth events, and workcamps. Please follow any of these links to learn about the specific programs. Click here for a complete current calender of Sr. High youth activities (updated monthly).

Jr. High
The Junior High youth ministry program is intended for youth in grades 6-8. At this level, youth are encouraged to form a strong, peer Christian community, begin to explore what discipleship means in their lives, and commit their lives to following Jesus.

Jr. High programs include Sunday School, Drop-ins, Contemplative Worship Nights, Peace Weekend, participation in Church of the Brethren district and denominational youth events, and workcamps. Please follow any of these links to learn about the specific programs. Click here for a complete current calender of Jr. High youth activities (updated monthly).

Sunday School
Christian education is an important part of youth ministry at Lancaster Church of the Brethren. Each Sunday, Sunday School classes are held for Jr. and Sr. High youth.

Junior High Sunday School classes are taught by Susan Adsitt and meet in the Jr. High Room # . Classes are taught in series that include basic Biblical concepts, Church of the Brethren history and practice, Heifer International, and other electives.

Senior High Sunday School classes are taught by Pastor Marie Rhoades and meet in the Sr. High Room # . Classes are taught in both series and elective form. Series include Bible study, peace/conscientious objection to war, and responsible consumerism. Electives use Linc, a curriculum produced weekly by Cokesbury to connect current events with scripture.

Drop-ins
Each Wednesday evening throughout the school year, youth have the opportunity to “drop-in” to spend time with their friends at Lancaster Church of the Brethren.

Junior High Drop-in meets Wednesday evening from 6:30-7:30pm in the Youth Room # . During Wednesday Night Live season, Jr. High are encouraged to share a meal in the FLC at 5:15pm; when WNL is not in session, pizza will be provided. Upon gathering in the youth room, Jr. High engage in an organized game followed by check-in and devotions.

Senior High Drop-in meets Wednesday evening from 7:45-10:00pm in the Youth Room # . Sr. High are welcome to stay for as long or as little of that time as they would like- that’s what makes it a “drop-in.” Less formal than the Jr. High Drop-in, Sr. High gather for an unstructured time of fellowship with one another. At 9:00pm, the youth gather together for a time of check-in and prayer.  Friends are always welcome!

Ministry Action Teams
Ministry Action Teams (M.A.T.s) are small groups of youth who seek to discern how God is calling them in their lives to do ministry and then follow through and actually do ministry. These groups of six-eight youth serve to support one another on their spiritual and life journeys, practice discernment together, develop deeper relationships with God, and continue the work of Jesus through active ministry. These new groups are at the core of LCoB’s youth ministry program.

Seventh Day Youth Band
Seventh Day is a praise worship band compromised of youth grades 8-12 who seek to
worship and lead worship through their gifts of music, form an encouraging community that holds one another in prayer, grow in their technical skills of music and worship leadership, all while having fun.

Seventh Day meets under the directorship of Jon Metzger on Wednesday evenings from 6:15-7:30pm. The band has lead worship in Morning Psalm, praise worship services of Lancaster Church of the Brethren, at the Church of the Brethren’s Cross Cultural Consultation and Celebration (2006), and at the Atlantic Northeast District Sr. High Winter Retreat (2006).

Contemplative Worship Nights
In the midst of our busy lives, it can be rare that we experience silent moments in reflection on God’s presence. Contemplative Worship Nights provide the opportunity for youth to engage in prayer and worship activities to help them center their lives and focus on God. Youth can drop-in to the youth room any time between 6:00-8:00pm every other Sunday evening. The worship is self-directed and paced to each youth. There are opportunities for scripture reflection, silent prayer exercises, expressive artwork, and one-on-one conversations. Youth- please make these nights a priority in your schedule, they may prove to be life-giving and life-changing.

District and Denominational Events
District and denominational events connect youth from Lancaster Church of the Brethren with those at other churches. For more information on these events please click on the links below.
Atlantic Northeast District Youth Events- http://freewebs.com/cobyouth/
Church of the Brethren Youth Events- http://www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/index.htm

Workcamps
Each summer, the church encourages youth to participate in a workcamp. These experiences are designed to put your faith into action and provide opportunities to grow as a group, learn about the world beyond your everyday life, and meet Jesus among the least of these.

For this year’s Sr. High workcamp, we will partner with the Church of the Brethren Office of Youth and Young Adults to participate in a denominational workcamp. Youth have the choice to participate in one of the two workcamps:

Camp Mardela is one of two Church of the Brethren camps located in Maryland. There will be work on the camp property doing minor repairs and building bridges as well as the possibility of working with children in the community for a short day camp experience. This workcamp will be held from Monday, July 16 through Sunday, July 22, 2007.

Roanoke, Virginia is a city in south central Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. This workcamp will provide opportunities to serve in the inner city and surrounding communities- in thrift shops, soup kitchens, and with maintenance. This workcamp will be held from Monday, July 23 through Sunday, July 29, 2007.

Jr. High will engage in care for animals (goats, sheep, cows, llamas, camels, chickens), learning sessions, and a Global Village overnight experience. It will be a week that stretches youth to consider their way of life as they learn about Heifer International. This workcamp will be held from Thursday, August 2 through Tuesday, August 7, 2007.

The workcamps are open to youth from Lancaster Church of the Brethren. (Friends interested in attending are welcome, but must contact Marie concerning costs.) For more information, please contact Pastor Rhoades.

Peace Weekend
Each May, Lancaster Church of the Brethren sponsors a “Peace Weekend” for Junior High youth. The weekend is designed to introduce youth to the concept and call of the peace church and to equip them to be peacemakers in the schools and communities. Topics include desensitization, conflict resolution, and advocacy. In the past, we have partnered with On Earth Peace Assembly and the Brethren Witness/Washington Office to provide leadership for this event.