WELCOME! We’re glad you’re here!
WHO ARE WE? WHAT DO WE DO?
All high school age youth at Bethel–including friends!–are invited to join us for our activities. Dates and events will be posted here (see below) and in Bethel Kids Connection. Watch your email and texts as well! Contact Deb Grupe or Sherman Lee for more information, or to get your contact information on our list! We also ask that you have a current medical release on file (the 2022-23 form is linked below). Forms need to be updated every school year (just like your activity/athletics forms for school).
Bethel Minor Release Form, current
We have a variety of social and service activities throughout the school year.
Examples: We hope to meet several times a year for an activity, which might be just social — like February’s ice skating event — or combine that with service, like our Diaper Packing shifts at the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank.
SUNDAY MORNINGS
We normally meet on Sunday mornings before worship to talk about faith and life and catch up with one another. We will meet every Sunday that there is also Sunday’s Cool and Confirmation. Usually it will just be us; sometimes we may be invited to join the adults in Fellowship Hall for one Sunday or a series (and of course, goodies to eat). We’ll keep you posted!
You can also sign up for a Sunday any time to serve as an acolyte, reader, Communion assistant or Steward (contact Jody Kluender to acolyte or steward, KJ Monahan to be a reader or Communion assistant). Many schools will allow you to use these activities as community service hours. Deb has other ideas for ways to serve in the greater community to meet these requirements!
Building for Covenant House!
On Saturday, December 3, five high schoolers competed to see who could assemble/decorate the best gingerbread creation — and congregation members voted with their dollars on December 4, funds going to Covenant House in St. Louis, which serves teens and young adults who find themselves without a home. We heard from their director of Community Relations at Adult/Youth Forum on December 11, who received the $154 collected after worship on December 4.
2024 ELCA Youth Gathering/Young Adult Gathering
Every three years, Bethel Youth members and leaders attend the ELCA National Youth Gathering which traditionally brings together over 30,000 youth in United States for faith formation, worship, study, fellowship, service, and fun.
Start planning now to join your friends in New Orleans! If you will be in grades 8 through 12 during the 2023-2024 school year, you are eligible for the Youth Gathering.
Those who have “aged out” of the ELCA Youth Gathering and are aged 18-34 may participate in the ELCA Young Adult Gathering, also in New Orleans and also July 16-20, 2024! Participants will be organized into age cohorts.
Service/Learning Trip: now accepting participants!
In the meantime…why not consider joining our 2023 Cross+Generational Service Learning trip? All ages are welcome. Those in Confirmation age and above, do not need a parent to accompany them. (Younger childen may attend with a parent or grandparent.)
WHO ARE OUR LEADERS?
Deb Grupe has been the Director of Bethel’s Child, Youth and Family Ministry since the summer of 2019. She served in a similar position at Atonement Lutheran, Florissant, MO from 2001 until 2018. She has four grown children, is married to Mike, formerly a biology teacher, who is a Research Assistant at Wash U. Deb enjoys gardening, cooking, and nature in general. We’ll add more bios of our leaders as we get them!
You are always welcome to contact Deb or Sherman Lee, chair of the Faith Formation board, to ask questions or offer help in planning, providing food, or executing plans.
