Everyone: As always I wish to thank all the parents and chaperones, who continually supported the Youth Ministry programs and events throughout this past year. I truly appreciate all the help that you have given, and I encourage all parents, especially of Middle School Youth – to join in at any time! Working with youth of all ages is a wonderful blessing and always challenging. All of us want our Youth Group programs to be the best and the most spiritually inspiring that they can be. We always try to be receptive to new ideas. By all means let me know whenever you have one. With God’s help we will continue to grow in our ministries to the youth of St. Paul’s.

MSY & HSY: United Cerebral Palsy of Rhode Island: Are you interested in local community outreach? Please join us for the 1st annual United Cerebral Palsy 5K “Walk & Roll” through Roger Williams Park on June 13th. Ken, Roberta, Craig McDonald said UCP of RI’s mission is to “advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities”. For more information & to pre-register please contact me at 294-4357 x105 or youth@stpaulswickford.org. Thanks!!!

HSY Missioners: The 18 HSY missioners & 4 adult chaperones had an amazing mission to Campo de Transfiguration, Jarabacoa in the Dominican Republic. I don’t know of a more life changing experience than teens participating in a mission to people in a different culture. God was with us through the wonderful Dominican children, and with our Dominican brothers and sisters too. A very special thank you to all the missioners and their families, Fr. Phil, Bonnie Brayton-Simmons, Dave Lamb and each and every parishioner who helped make this possible.

Dominican Scholarships: There has been great interest in helping with the tuition of the youth attending Episcopal School Mount of Transfiguration in the barrio of el Pedregal, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. We are still working out the logistics and welcome your input.

ECC: Throughout the summer the Diocese of Rhode Island offers a variety of week-long camps for teens of various ages. If you are interested in one of them it is not too late to sign up. Contact ECC directly at 568-4055.

• June 27 – July 3: Music and Creative Arts Camp for grades 8 – 12 (ages 13-17)
• July 4 – 9: Teen Camp for grades 7 – 9 (ages 12-14)
• July 25 – July 30: Camper’s Choice Week for grades 8 – 12 (ages 13 – 17)
• August 8 – 13: Summer’s End for grades 7 – 12 (ages 12 – 17)

The Mission - It is April 15, the eve of the long-awaited mission to the Dominican Republic. Everyone is excited. The 18 youths and many of their parents have gathered at the Parish House with luggage and passports. It is time to weigh in, to make certain that all of our bags weigh less than fifty pounds. It is also time to pack extra bags with school supplies for the children at the Episcopal school, which serves the barrios of El Pedrigal. Paul Knott’s senior project at NKHS is to collect, transport and distribute the supplies to Transfiguration School. It is a time of excitement and a bit of anxious hustle and bustle.

We leave tomorrow evening. At 5 pm we will gather for last minute questions and instructions. The kids, their parents, and the mission leaders will do our last minute shifting of belongings. We will talk. We will pray together. We will share Communion. We will pack everything onto the bus, say our farewells, and begin the ride to JFK in NYC. From there we will check in to Jet Blue for our midnight flight to Santiago, DR. We will arrive before 4 AM, and will be met by buses from Campo Transfiguracion, led by Pablo (the camp property manager) and Deacon Carlos (the camp director). And then we will head to our destination.

As it stands we are planning to finish building a dormitory on site. We will be doing lots of work, praying, playing, and sharing with each other and the kids of the barrios. That is all I can say about it, right now, since the deadline for this newsletter is midway through our mission. You will hear all about it, after we return, at the Mission Forum and on Youth Sunday. Until then, please keep all of us in your prayers.

Confirmation - Members of this year’s Confirmation Class will be confirmed by Bishop Wolf on Saturday, May 1st, at 10 AM in the Cathedral. Please pray for them to have a meaningful spiritual experience at their confirmation.

Mission Forum - There will be a presentation about the St. Paul’s Youth Mission to the Dominican Republic on Sunday, May 2nd, at 10:45 AM in the Parish Hall. The missioners will share their photos, memories and experiences with parishioners at that time. Everyone is welcome to join us. Please show your support for the teens by coming to the Mission Forum. It should be very informative and entertaining.

~ God’s Peace, Trish ~

MSY Spring Fling - Are you in Middle School, a parent of a MSY member, or Sunday School teacher who would be interested in helping put together a MSY Spring Fling Music Fest on Friday, May 14th? If so, please contact Trish at the Parish office (294-4357 x105 or youth @stpaulswickford.org).

Youth Sunday - Sunday, May 23rd, will be Youth Sunday. Beside members of the High School Youth Group offering the sermon at the 5:15 service on Saturday and at the 9:30 service on Sunday, teens and members of the Emmaus Class will lead the 9:30 service. The Emmaus kids will receive their first Communion as a group and will receive a Bible to mark the occasion. We will recognize the new Confirmands and give them Prayer Books to mark the occasion. We will also recognize the missioners. There will be a reception in the Parish hall after the service. Come and support our wonderful St. Paul’s kids.

Scholarship Sunday - June 6th will be Scholarship Sunday. We will be celebrating the upcoming graduation of our high school seniors. And we will also be giving scholarships from last year’s Art Festival proceeds to students from the parish who will be continuing their education. Please remember to get a scholarship application from the parish office and return it by May 14th. Contact Trish if you have any questions

St. Paul’s Variety Show 2010: Our annual variety show, Philanthropic Follies, was a smash because of all the parishioners who helped in so many different ways! Thank you, Tina Butler, for all your behind the scenes leadership and hard work. Thank you to our dynamic duo June Spink and Norm Poulin for being such fun-loving MCs. Thank you, Tom Spink, for providing and monitoring the sound system. Thank you, Ted Seymour, for building the set. Thank you, Martha Parks and Gerri Smith, for cast management. Thank you, Mimi Dyer, for typesetting the program. Thank you, Betsy Steinman, for delivering sweets. Thanks to all those exceptionally talented performers and members of the cast! Thank you, senior high school youth, for creating the backdrop, setting up staging and chairs, welcoming guests, providing refreshments, and being your wonderful selves. Thanks to all who contributed and joined in the fun, the audience and friends. Over $1,000 was raised for charities.

How many pizzas can 18 teens make and bag in 3 hours? Almost 400! Wow! Saturday, March 6, the members of the mission team gathered in the parish hall to make the 371 pizzas they sold for their mission to the Dominican Republic. Thanks to all who helped and for the special contributions of Roch’s Market, which provided the fixings free of charge, and Dawn Jordan for doing lots of legwork. And thanks for all the parishioners who ordered pizza. Great job! Eat well!

Well everything’s set. Twenty-two of us will be traveling to the Monte de l a Transfiguracion Episcopal Camp in the Dominican Republic on April 16 and back again on April 24. While we’re there we will work, play, eat, pray, and just sit and talk with our Christian neighbors in that entirely different culture. As anyone who has ever participated in such a mission to a different culture can tell you, we will receive far more than we give. We will give of our time. We will give of our physical abilities (we don’t have much building know- how). We will give of the money we have been given or raised. And we will give ourselves. That’s the important thing, and it will be through it that God gives us more than we can imagine. Thank you for all your support! Please pray for us ~ for God’s Blessings and His Grace to guide and strengthen us. The eighteen HSY members .... and four adult chaperones: Fr. Phil Tierney, Bonnie Brayton-Simmons, Dave Lamb and Trish Nugent.

There will be a special Youth Forum for every parishioner who is interested to hear about the Mission to the Dominican Republic, after we return, on Sunday, May 2, at 9:45 am in the parish hall.

With your continued support, encouraging words and spiritual beliefs, the youth programs at St. Paul’s will continue to be a meaningful and fun- filled experience. If you are interested in joining us, you can do so at any time during the program year. Upcoming events are posted on our website and in the Narthex, listed in the Communicant and the Sunday Bulletin and announced during the service. Please contact me at 294-4357 x105 or email address above to specify which event(s) you’d like to sign up for. Chaperones are always needed, delightfully welcomed & encouraged to join in.

Plans are underway for an evening of bowling on Friday, April 9. If you are interested in joining us, please RSVP by Monday, April 5.

On February 5-6 a group of middle school youth enjoyed the Nightwatch program at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. The program brings together youth from different places and denominations through worship, play and an informative tour of this historical and magical cathedral. Thank you to Leslie Kershaw for your navigational skills and snack coordination and to the rest of the group for your enthusiastic participation.

St. Paul’s Variety Show 2010: Philanthropic Follies Our annual variety show was held Sunday, February 28th at the Parish House. I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to everyone who donated their God given talents to benefit the people of Haiti & the Dominican Republic.

Dates to keep in mind:
3/6 HSY ~ Pizza Fundraiser (9:00-12:00) Parish House
3/28 MSY & HSY ~ Seder Eucharist for Youth (5:00-6:30) Parish House
This is an important opportunity for our youth to learn about our Jewish roots, the Last Supper of our Lord and the Eucharist. What is a Seder? It’s a full dinner – a dinner that commemorates the Passover.The meal will be prepared by our missioners to the Dominican Republic and enjoyed by our middle school youth. Each dish of food has a symbolic meaning for Jews about the Passover and for Christians about Christ and the Lord’s Supper. MSY please RSVP by Sunday, March 21st.

Mission trip:
The following team building meetings will be held in the Parish House on Sundays (11:30-1:00) 3/7, 3/14, 3/21 & 4/11

The eighteen HSY members and four adult chaperones eagerly anticipating their participation in St. Paul’s mission to the Dominican Republic. The missioners destination will be Monte de la Transfiguracion Episcopal Camp. The dates of the mission will be April 17th through April 24th. There is much to do prior to our departure and I ask that you pray for us ~ for God’s Blessings and His Grace to guide and strengthen us.

With your continued support, encouraging words & spiritual beliefs, the youth programs at St. Paul’s will continue to be a meaningful & fun filled experience. If you are interested in joining us, you can do so at any time during the program year. Upcoming events are posted on our website & in the Narthex, listed in the Communicant & the Sunday Bulletin and announced during the service. Please contact me (see above) to specify which event (s) you’d like to sign up for. Chaperones are always needed, delightfully welcomed & encouraged to join in.

St. Paul’s Variety Show 2010: Philanthropic Follies - Our annual variety show will be held Sunday, February 28th (3:30-5:30) at the Parish House. If you are interested in sharing your God given talents to benefit the people of Haiti & the Dominican Republic – we need you! Calling all ages (1-101) and all talents (singing, dancing, acting out a monologue, poetry reading, playing an instrument, stand up comedy, magic, slight of hand tricks…) or, if your specialty is behind the scenes (lighting, sound, stage set-up or clean-up…) we need you! Please email your name, the name of your performance/talent as you would like it to appear in the program, approximate time needed and if you need an accompanist to youth@stpaulswickford.org. Thanks!

Dates to keep in mind:

• 2/1 HSY ~ Parental meeting (5:30-7:30) Parish House
  
• 2/5 MSY ~ Nightwatch program at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, NYC
• 2/22 HSY ~ Meeting (5:30-7:00) Parish House
• 2/27 MSY & HSY ~ Dress Rehearsal for Variety Show 2010: The Philanthropic Follies (1:00-3:00)
• 2/28 MSY & HSY ~ St. Paul’s Variety Show 2010: The Philanthropic Follies (3:30-5:30)
• 3/1 HSY ~ Meeting (5:30-7:00) Parish House
3/6 HSY ~ Pizza Fundraiser (9:00-12:00) Parish House
• 3/28 MSY & HSY ~ Seder Meal for Youth

The eighteen HSY members: Zach Eland, Rachel Izzi, Nicole Jordan, Nick Jorgensen, Paul Knott, Matt Lamb, Dave Mather, Jaclynn Mobley, Andrew Nutt, Sam Palmer, Zach Roch, Rachel Shippee, Neal Simmons, Lindsey Streich, Rachel Tierney, John Tillotson, Dylan Turner, Trefor Woronov and four adult chaperones: Fr. Phil Tierney, Bonnie Brayton-Simmons, Dave Lamb and Trish Nugent are eagerly anticipating their participation in St. Paul’s mission to the Dominican Republic. The missioners destination will be Monte de la Transfiguracion Episcopal Camp. The dates of the mission will be April 17th through April 24th. There is much to do prior to our departure and I ask that you pray for us ~ for God’s Blessings and His Grace to guide and strengthen us.

With your continued support, encouraging words & spiritual beliefs, the youth programs at St. Paul’s will continue to be a meaningful & fun filled experience. If you are interested in joining us, you can do so at any time during the program year. Upcoming events are posted on our website & in the Narthex, listed in the Communicant & the Sunday Bulletin and announced during the service. Please contact me at 294-4357 x105 or youth@stpaulswickford.org to specify which event (s) you’d like to sign up for. Chaperones are always needed, delightfully welcomed & encouraged to join in.

Happy New Year! May St. Paul’s youth parishioner’s pure compassion for others continue to fill your hearts with joy and inspiration. Their generosity and genuine concern for those less fortunate is a wonderful testimony to their belief in the ways of our Lord Jesus Christ. A very special thank you to Bonnie Brayton- Simmons, Emma Simmons, Sarah, Hanna and Claire LeBlanc, John & Camilla deRochambeau, Martha Parks, Phil Tierney & Molly who helped make “Live Nativity” a great success. Also, thank you to all the High School Youth who helped deliver over 100 Christmas Baskets to needy families within North Kingstown. Without you this could not have been accomplished in such a timely fashion. What a fun and heartwarming experience! Thank you, thank you thank you!

Mission trip: 18 HSY members and 4 adult chaperones are eagerly anticipating their participation in St. Paul’s mission to the Dominican Republic. The missioners destination will be Monte de la Transfiguracion Episcopal Camp. The dates of the mission will be April 17th through April 24th. There is much to do prior to our departure and I ask that you pray for us ~ for God’s Blessings and His Grace to guide and strengthen us.

With your continued support, encouraging words and spiritual beliefs, the youth programs at St. Paul’s will continue to be a meaningful and funfilled experience. If you are interested in joining us, you can do so at any time during the program year. Upcoming events are posted on our website and in the Narthex, listed in the Communicant and the Sunday Bulletin and announced during the service.

Please contact me at 294-4357 x105 or email (see link above) to specify which event(s) you’d like to sign up for. Chaperones are always needed, delightfully welcomed and encouraged to join in.

St. Paul’s Youth Group’s pure compassion for others fills my heart with joy & inspiration. Their generosity & genuine concern for those less fortunate is a wonderful testimony to their belief in the ways of our Lord, Jesus Christ. There’s no better way to celebrate our Lord coming to save us than to help others in need at this time of year.

Mission trip: 17 HSY members have secured a position & are eagerly anticipating their participation in St. Paul’s mission to the Dominican Republic. The missioners destination will be Monte de la Transfiguracion Episcopal Camp. The dates of the mission will be April 17th through April 24th. There is much to do prior to our departure & I ask that you all pray for us ~ for God’s Blessings and His grace to guide & strengthen us.

I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to our youth and their parents who helped make “Halloween Happenings” a howling success! With your support, encouraging words and spiritual beliefs, the youth program at St. Paul’s will continue to be a meaningful and fun- filled experience. If you are interested in joining us, you can do so at any time during the program year. If you should have any suggestions, ideas or concerns, please contact me. My email address is youth@stpaulswickford.org or I may be reached at 294-4357 x105. Upcoming events are posted on our website and in the Narthex, listed in the Communicant & Sunday bulletin and announced during the services.

• Sunday, October 25th MSY Parental Meeting at 10:45 in the Guild Room
• Friday October 30th – “Halloween Happenings” 6:00-9:00
• Monday, November 2nd – HSY Gathering 5:30
• Friday, November 6th – MSY St. John’s Cathedral NYC – *rescheduled –
  *Friday, December 4th – MSY St. John’s Cathedral NYC ($46.00 p/p, will need commitment of at least 10 MSY and 3 chaperones (male & female) by November 15th)
• Friday, December 4th – MSY Live Nativity – 6:00-8:00

• January 24-25 or 29-30 - A 30-Hour Famine (World Vision offers this program)
• April 16th - St. John the Divine, NYC (Grades 9-12) If you are interested in attending, please let me know.

Our plans for this year’s mission trip to the Dominican Republic are well under way. We are planning our trip during spring break (April 17-24). I ask that you pray for us ~ for God’s Blessings and His Grace to guide and strengthen us.

I would like to thank the youth, parents, & chaperones for your continued support. With your encouraging words & spiritual beliefs, the youth program at St. Paul’s will continue to be a meaningful & fun filled experience for our youth. If you are interested in joining us, you can do so at any time during the program year. If you should have any suggestions, ideas or concerns, please contact me (see email address and phone at top of page) Upcoming events are posted on our website & in the Narthex, listed in the Communicant & Sunday bulletin & announced during the services.

Our program year has begun with the MSY & HSY events well attended. Due to inclement weather, we opted to have the MSY BBQ indoors at the parish hall rather than suit up in raingear at the town beach. My special thanks to Gus Godley, Connie Calabrese, Leslie Kershaw & Camilla deRochambeau for your invaluable help! At our HSY BBQ & music on the Greenway, we played a “getting to know each other” game of volleyball, and with Fr. Phil’s expert guidance, a game of croquet. Thank you Bonnie Brayton-Simmons & Jerome Simmons for the much needed & well appreciated help!

I recently met with a few adult leaders connected with the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island who are interested in planning some diocesan youth events, specifically to offer young people from different parishes the opportunity to meet each other. Of particular concern are the parishes that may have a small number of young people being given the opportunity to join with others of faith.

The following events have been scheduled: BBQ, Sunday, September 27th 3-7pm in the pavilion at ECC (grades 6-12), A Great Day of Service, Monday, 10/12, A 30-Hour Famine (World Vision offers this program) January 24-25 or 29-30 & a trip to St. John the Divine, NYC on April 16th. (Grades 9-12). If you are interested in any of these events, please let me know.

Our plans for this year’s mission trip to the Dominican Republic are well under way. We are planning our trip during spring break (April 17-24). If you are interested, please let me know a.s.a.p.
MSY: Friday, September 25th – Bowling Night
HSY: Monday, October 5th at 5:30 – Gathering at the Parish Hall
MSY & HSY: Friday, October 30th – “Halloween Happenings”

Thank you to those who have already signed up to help with our annual “Halloween Happenings”! In order for this to be a successful event again this year, I will need additional help! Please contact me if you are interested in helping out. Thank you!!!

~God’s Peace

Trish

As always I wish to thank all the parents and chaperones who continually supported the Youth Ministry programs and events throughout this past year. I truly appreciate all the help that you have given, and I encourage all parents, to join in at any time! Working with youth of all ages is a wonderful blessing and always challenging. All of us want our Youth Group programs to be the best and the most spiritually inspiring that they can be. We always try to be receptive to new ideas. By all means let me know whenever you have one. With God’s help we will continue to grow in our ministries to the youth of St. Paul’s.

Middle School Youth (MSY): The MSY met on Sunday, May 3rd, in the Parish Hall for frisbee, popcorn and devotions. There were only a few of us there, but we had lots of fun and some important discussion about anger. We have tentative plans for a beach party & picnic on Saturday, August 29th, at the town Beach in Wickford. I’ll update you when we are able to make our final plans. Meanwhile I hope and pray that everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer.

ECC: Throughout the summer the Diocese of Rhode Island offers a variety of weeklong camps for teens of various ages. If you are interested in one of them it is not too late to sign up. Contact ECC directly at 568-4055.

• June 28 – July 4: Music and Creative Arts Camp for grades 8 – 12 (ages 13-17) $345
• July 5 – 10: Teen Camp for grades 7 – 9 (ages 12-14) $335
• July 12 – 17: Older Bays Camp for grades 5 & 6 (ages 10 – 11) $340
• July 19 – 25: Older Girls Camp for grades 5 & 6 (ages 10 – 11) $340
• July 26 – August 1: Musical Theatre Week for grades 8 – 12 (ages 13 – 17) $345
• August 9 – 14: Summer’s End for grades 7 – 12 (ages 12 – 17) $335

High School Youth (HSY): What can I say about our High School teens? They are an exceptional group of young men and women! You already know about the mission to the Dominican Republic and the powerful affect that mission has had on our teens and the people of Pedregal, which is the barrio surrounding Camp Transfiguration. But I am so proud of all our missioners, not only for the work they did there and for the spiritual friendships they forged there, but also for how courageous they were in the DR and here. Jessica Walsh’s video presentation to the congregation was truly heart touching. As Jeff Manickas said, you could see how powerfully parishioners of all ages were struck by the video. It made some of the experiences we had and the people we worked with come alive for the parish. I am proud of the way the teen missioners spoke with the vestry, at the forum and then in church on Youth Sunday. Thank you Jess, Grace, Allie, Alexis, Dylan, Shelby, Ship-Ship, Rachel, Jackie, Emily, Kaitlyn, and Paul – for your commitment, your strength, your faith, and most of all your love! All of you have blossomed into real Christian leaders. We couldn’t have done it without the tireless leadership and support of our mission chaperones, of course. Thank you Tina Butler, Jerome Simmons, and, of course, Father Phil. You were great! I want to express appreciation to one more group – the parents of the missioners. Thank you for all your support, your follow through, and especially your trust, for entrusting your youths into our care!

Scholarships: Several of the young men and women from our HSY group will be graduating and continuing their education. Seven in all have applied for scholarships from St. Paul’s Church. Thanks to the hard work and the success of St. Paul’s participation in last year’s Wickford Art Festival each of those applicants will receive a $1,000 scholarship for their higher education. The scholarship recipients include: Tom Briggs, Emily Burton, Melanie Donnelly, Allie Elliot, Ellie Gettman, Kaitlyn Lamb, and Grace Palmer. We are so proud of each one of you and we will miss you, but we are so happy to help in supporting your dreams for the future! The scholarships will be awarded during the 10:30 service on Sunday, June 7th.

Calling All Teens for the Wickford Art Festival: I just mentioned how important the Wickford Art Festival is for raising money for scholarships. We need help for this year. The Art festival will be Friday, July 10th, through Sunday, July 12th. More than 1/3 of the openings for waiters, runners and bussers have already been filled. So please do not wait too long to add your name to the schedule. Each student will receive a meal during their shift and a theatre pass. Donations will be used for youth activities.

That’s about all for now. Meanwhile, if you should have any questions, suggestions or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact the youth office (294-4357 x105)

~ God’s Peace, Trish

Lots to come … Just look for further information to MSY and HSY by e-mail and in the bulletins.

The Episcopal Conference Center: ECC’s application forms for summer 2009 are available. If you have any questions about scholarships, please contact Trish at ext. 105

The HSY missioners whole heartedly appreciate your continued support in their efforts to prepare for St. Paul’s mission to the Dominican Republic. I ask that you continue to pray for us – for God’s blessings and His grace to guide and strengthen us.

At our last meeting, the excitement escalated over the mention of “Mardi Gras”& the possibility of forming a band to perform at the Variety show. So, to accommodate those who are going away for school vacation, the date has been changed to Sunday, March 1st at 3:30. We will have a dress rehearsal Saturday, February 28th. Please contact me a.s.a.p. to sign-up, as the show is filling up.

St. Paul’s presents…“Mardi Gras” ~A Variety Show~ on Sunday, March 1st @ 3:30. Calling all ages & all talents! If your specialty is behind the scenes (lighting, sound, stage setup or cleanup) we need you as well. Please contact Trish at x105, youth @ stpaulswickford.org or Tina Butler

Last year’s Variety Show was a great hit! The Second Annual Variety Show will be held on Sunday, February 22. Once again the proceeds will help fund the Youth Mission to the Church in the Dominican Republic. If you’d like to perform anything or help in any way, please contact Trish at the parish office (294-4357, ext. 105) or send email to the address above. We need you! It’s all good fun, so don’t be afraid of any critics in the audience, just go for it!

Do you have an outdoor portable basketball hoop that you’d like to donate to the Youth Group? If so, please let us know. Thanks!

October 5 was our second MSY gathering of the season. The rising generation of 23 started the meeting with Team Devotions & Prayer ~ hesitantly striking the match to light the candle, earnestly reading the Collect & Lesson, meditating quietly & sharing their thoughts in voices that had much volume. What struck me most was their genuine concern for those in need – truly eager to pray to God for them and thankful to Him for their faithfulness. Then it was on to pizza, a Harry Potter film & plans for the Halloween Happenings – at which time their enthusiastic youthfulness was in full force. Their excitement and involvement in the Haunted House made it a howling successful event. Heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. Our next MSY gathering will be Sun., Nov. 2 at 5 pm in the Parish House.

The HSY group gathered on Monday, October 6. After our Team Devotions & Prayer, it became apparent that the demands of school, sports, SATs, PSATs, ACTs… can be so overwhelming. Here they sat at HSY meeting (because they had it on their calendar), saying, “UGH!” But within a few minutes of sharing their thanks, concerns, intercessions and praise, their tension subsided. I feel truly blessed to have been given the privilege to observe you open your hearts and minds to God’s peace. Thank You!!! We discussed the Mission Trip and all that needs to be accomplished prior to the scheduled departure to the Dominican Republic on April 12. There is much to be done ~ and I need your help! With your faith in God and your willingness to take that (sometimes exhausting and scary) step forward, this amazing spiritually filled experience will happen. Our next HSY meeting will be Mon., Nov. 3 at 5 pm, in the Parish House.

Jane Rawlings, you’re an awesome docent! The “Halloween Happenings” was greatly enhanced by your willingness to help. The children were amazed by the “talking ghost head” or was that a real spirit in the Old Church?

A special thanks to Kaitlyn Lamb, Gus Godley and Ellie Gettman for sharing during the October 19 “Gathering” service.

Mission trip applications have been sent out to HSY youth. If you would like to join in on the Mission trip, please return your application by November 10. If you did not receive one and are interested, please contact me (294-4357 x105).

God’s peace,

Trish

Youth Sunday: Congratulations to the 22 youth members of the Emmaus class & the 13 youth members of the Confirmation class. May you continue to witness God’s love in abundance.

• 7/6-11   Grades 7-9   Teen Camp
• 7/13-18   Grades 5-6   Boys Camp
• 7/20-25   Grades 5-6   Girls Camp
• 7/27-8/1  Grades 9-12   Conference
• 8/4-8   Grades 2-4   Children’s Camp
• 8/10-15   Grades 7-12   Summersend

As the youth group has always played an important role in the success of St. Paul’s Wickford Art Festival food sales, we’re asking for youth volunteer waitresses/waiters, bussers & runners. Please sign up in the Narthex, call the youth office or e-mail us.

MSY: We are planning an outing to Six Flags on Saturday, August 16. Chaperones are also needed. Please let me know if you are interested.

MSY: Monthly meetings for the Middle School Youth Group will begin Sun,.Sept. 7. The meeting will be held in the Parish House, 5-6:15 pm. Parental support is much needed & appreciated.

HSY: Monthly meetings for the High School Youth Group will begin Monday, September 8. The meetings will be held in the Parish House from 5-6:15pm.

Parish Day: Sunday, September 7 is St. Paul’s Annual Parish Day. Following the 10 am service there will be games for all ages.

Mission Trip: Thank you, thank you, thank you, to the missionaries who provided the sweat equity and the parishioners who provided the financial resources to cultivate and encourage the relationship between St. Paul’s and the Christians in the Dominican Republic. Through your efforts our faith and commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ has been strengthened.

Middle School Youth (MSY): Please sign-up for Nightwatch, which is held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC. We are planning on attending Friday, May 2.

High School Youth (HSY): “Happening” ~ Any teen in 10th, 11th or 12th grade ~ Applications are in for the next “Happening” which will be held May 2-4 at LaSalette Retreat Center.

If you are interested in any of the programs at ECC, please contact St. Paul’s youth office.

Wickford Art Festival: Are you interested in assisting the Youth Group during the Art Festival? There will be an informational meeting in the Chapter Room on May 13 at 7 pm.

St. Paul’s Church Recycling (Green Team): A subcommittee of the Stewardship Task Force has been formed, and we are seeking any and all youth to become involved. If you are interested, please contact the youth office.

Did you know………The bulletin board in the Narthex is updated with youth group “What’s Happening”.

If you should have any questions, suggestions, ideas…, please do not hesitate to contact Trish@ the youth office 294-4357 x105 or email

Halloween Happenings: St. Paul’s “Amazing Youth Group” did it again! As retired Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey indicated, sometimes all it takes is a few fun-filled Christian events to keep our youth involved in the church. St. Paul’s Youth Group’s enthusiastic involvement, coupled with the support of their adult counterparts, produced an event so fun and successful that the hope is this will become an annual event for the community. This event not only strengthened the spirituality and faith of our Youth Group, but also helped strengthen the fellowship within the community. My sincere appreciation to all who helped!

Youth Mission Trip 2008 The Dominican Republic: As the excitement grows with the realization that through their willingness to become involved, their faith and a lot of fundraising (& still some), 16 youth members and four adult chaperones will be traveling to Mount Transfiguration Episcopal Camp, located in the mountains near Jarabacoa, this coming April.

Childcare for the Holidays: On December 9, 16 & 23 (1 –5 pm) the Youth Group will provide you with the opportunity to shop, wrap, cook or….while they entertain your children with holiday movies, games & crafts. The value this fundraising event will provide during this busy holiday season will be well worth it. Please contact the youth office (294-4357 x105) for further information.

Christmas Baskets: Calling all youth!!! Your help is needed on Fri., Dec. 21 & Sat., Dec. 22. This Christian outreach program provides the perfect opportunity for you to assist in the preparation of approximately 100+ Christmas baskets which are delivered to needy families within our community.

New Year’s Eve Youth Lock-in: Start the New Year off right with an overnight party followed by snow tubing at Yawgoo Valley. This youth event (open to all High School Youth, grades 9-12) will be held at St. Paul’s Parish House on December 31 beginning at 7 pm with a Projection Screen Movie Theatre, karaoke, games, food & much more. A pancake breakfast, followed by snow tubing at Yawgoo Valley, will take place the following morning. Please contact the youth office (294-4357x105) for further information.

Please contact the youth office (294-4357 x105 or youth@stpaulswickford.org) with any questions, suggestions or ideas!

Trish Nugent-Miller
      Youth Coordinator

Village Faire: Our amazing youth did it again! They pitched in and helped out with the Village Faire, and had a great time doing it. Between Saturday and Sunday, more than 26 teens came out to help and enjoy the Faire. Thanks in large part to you, it was a great success because everyone had so much fun. More than one actually said, “I can’t remember when I’ve had so much fun.” Of course that’s what youth ministry, here, at St. Paul’s is meant to be – fun. Thanks to all those who helped make the Faire so much fun and to their parents for transporting them!

Plans: On September 5 we had a Youth Gathering from 7 to 8 pm – 13 teens were there. It was a Wednesday night with all kinds of homework, sports and other activities. Live and learn: I think I won’t be scheduling youth gatherings on weekday nights if I can help it, because of all the conflicts. Anyway we did have a great meeting with lots of ideas. Here is what we came up with:

Wednesday Night Live: Fr. Phil is going to offer a discussion each Wednesday night, starting on September 26 at 6:30 pm, that some youth might really find interesting. It’s called What’s Harry Potter Got to Do with Anything Anyway?, and it will involve discussions of the Harry Potter series and also of Celtic spirituality. Come if you’re interested. Come for dinner, too, if you want. The food’s at 5:45 in the Parish Hall. By the way, if anyone wants to help out with cleanup, the food will be free and service hours are available.

Music: Mark Steinbach wants me to let you know that any youth who plays an instrument, the drums (that’s an instrument, isn’t it?) or sings is welcome to help out with worship music—all styles of music welcome.

Pumpkin Patch / Haunted House: A lot of enthusiasm’s been expressed by youth in the Youth Group for selling pumpkins to the community and doing a haunted house for kids in town. The dates will be Friday, October 26, through Sunday, October 28. If we build it they’ll come, but we need you to come to help build it. Let me know!

If our Youth Group’s involvement in the Wickford Art Festival is any indication of their desire to become involved in our youth ministries programs, then we certainly are on our way to becoming a very blessed church! My sincere thank you & heartfelt appreciation to our amazing youth – because of you (83 youth sign-ins!), this event was an enormous success! IOU movie tickets are in; please contact me.

Youth Group Car Wash: A car wash was held August 18 with 100% of the donations going directly to our Youth Group Programs.

Confirmation: Jean Whatmough will be teaching our confirmation class. Thank you, Jean! Due to a prior commitment, Jean cannot teach on the 4th Sunday of each month. Please contact the office if you are interested in teaching one Sunday a month.

The Village Faire: This event will certainly be entertaining. Cotton candy, popcorn, face painting, dunk tank…Please contact me if you’re interested in volunteering.

Wednesday Night Live: Begins Sept. 26 – Interested in volunteering? Please give the office a call (294-4357).

A Youth Group meeting will be held Wednesday, Sept. 5 @ 7 pm in the Parish House to discuss future youth events. Also, if you have not been receiving emails from youth{at}stpaulswickford{dot}org & would like to, please let me know. I may be reached at 294-4357 x105 or above address.

Trish Nugent-Miller

When Fr. Phil approached me about St. Paul’s need to continue the youth programs, I agreed to coordinate the planning & communications of events on a volunteer basis. Having had the opportunity to meet with members of the MSY/HSY & Graduates, I find the youth members of our church to be a wonderful & amazing Group!!! I believe the programs have helped strengthen the faith & spiritual lives of those whom are an integral part of St. Paul’s future.  Also, I believe that youth ministry has an extremely positive impact on a young person’s life:  The realization that through their willingness to become involved, coupled with their faith; anything is possible!

What a great turn out for our informational meeting held on June 6^th (to be exact, 23 interested parishioners were in attendance). And, what a wonderful opportunity this is for the adults who are interested, to become involved in helping our youth in their pursuit to help others, utilize their unique gifts, & to live out their baptismal covenant.

The mission trip to Mount Transfiguration Episcopal Camp is scheduled to be held during Spring Recess (April 14^th -18^th). The number of young adults who will attend this mission trip will be determined by a number of factors – i.e.:  interest, the availability at “Camp Transfiguration”, their involvement in St. Paul’s… (All participants will have the approval of Fr. Phil). A valid passport is required. Information may be obtained at http://travel.state.gov/. The cost of the mission trip will be approximately $2,100. -  $2,400.  As discussed at the meeting, we are hopeful that each participant can raise 1/3 of the total through fundraising efforts.

Wickford Art Festival: This event has been very successful in raising funds for our youth groups in the past & with your involvement, can be an enormous success this year.  Please sign-up on the youth chart located in the Narthex.  Amy Sutton has agreed to help organize this event. Clare Parker has suggested and agreed to organize the sale of soda & water (separate & apart from the Parish Hall). Also, please contact Damon Rivard if you should have any questions.
(Note: personal phone numbers are not published on our site, please call or email if you need a person's phone number)

Dave’s Marketplace (Tower Hill Road):  Has agreed to allow the youth of St. Paul’s to “can” outside their store. The  date they have reserved is Saturday, August 4^th. Please contact me at 294-4357 x101 for further information.

E.C.C.:  It’s not to late to sign-up for summer camp!!! Questions? Please call ECC at 568-4055 or email them at eccregistrar {at} verizon.net ~ ECC Summer Camp link

Nightwatch: For more than 30 years, The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, located in New York City, has introduced many youth groups to this unique ministry program. The program, which is open to both MSY & HSY, states that it’s “a time of wonder & worship, retreat & renewal”. Interested? Please call me.

If you should have any questions, concerns, suggestions or ideas, I may be reached at 294-4357 x101 or youth@stpaulswickford.org.

~Peace~

Trish Nugent-Miller