Under the leadership provided by our Youth Ministry Council and Associate Pastor, Scott Benner, Zion has active youth groups for both junior high and senior high age youth. In addition to Bible study nights, youth have the opportunity to participate in a variety of recreational activities and mission projects. For more information about Zion’s youth programs and activities, please call Pastor Scott Benner.

Junior High Fellowship

Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities throughout the year. Our ministry to our junior high students is focused on giving them the spiritual guidance and support they need during these difficult years. The Junior High will meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for Bible Study and fellowship in the Youth Department. They will be studying Group Publishing’s book, The 13 Most Important Bible Lessons for Teenagers. These studies focus on the basics of Christianity and will help students gain a better understanding of God and His love.

Senior High Fellowship

Students in grades 9 through 12 you are welcome to visit our times of fellowship and Bible study on Tuesday evening from 7-9 p.m. This is an excellent time for receiving spiritual development, while building relationships with fellow students. We work on developing these relationships through Bible study and fellowship activities. Our times of study focus on many different areas and are delivered in several different medians. Over the past several years we have worked through several different contemporary books, as well as doing Bible studies through Romans and Revelation. This time of fellowship offers a wonderful network of support for our senior high students, and will challenge them in their spiritual walk. We will also have some special guest and go on some trips to destinations unknown.

Schedules

SENIOR High Activities 2011-2012

September 9-11 Annual YPU Shore Trip Senior High students will pack thier bags for a weekend retreat in Sea Isle City, NJ. Juan Marrero, Associate Pastor at Second Mennonite Church in Philadelphia and also Executive Director at Crossroads. He is always a favorite of the teens at camp.

YPU Shore Trip Flyer  

September 22       See You At The Pole. This is an annual event, where students gather at their schools' flagpoles to pray for their schools, teachers, students and administration. Check at your schools for gathering times and locations.

October 8              Zion Fall Festival and Open House. Students will be asked to participate in this event. This is an outreach to the community and a chance to share the facility with those who come and join us for the day.  Students should plan on helping in a variety of capacities. Students will also be asked to update bulletin boards for this event.

October 9      Parent’s Meeting. We will have a brief meeting with the parents of our youth following Sunday school. We will talk about the calendar, expectations and encouraging student involvement.

October 16 Amazing Race. This is one of the most popular Zion events of the year. We will join with members from our Zion community to see who has the brains and brawn to complete the tasks given and get to the finish line first. This is one activity you won't want to miss!
 October 22 Guataemala Orphanage Fundraiser. The youth group will be asked to help support a fundraiser for an orphange in Guatemala. The money raised will go towards getting orphans an education - we would look to help cover supplies and education costs. Please look for more information about this student run event in the future.

November 2          NO YOUTH GROUP – Parent’s Event @ Salford Mennonite – Area Mennonite youth pastors have again combined their resources to bring in a guest speaker. This years’ special speaker is Nate Stucky. Nate will be using Kenda Creasy Dean’s book, Almost Christian as a platform to challenge parents to raise their kids to become more than nice people, but faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

November 12        Keystone Opportunity Center – Sleep Out for Homelessness. This event is going to be held at Zion Mennonite Church. Although we are hosting this event, this is an event sponsored by Keystone Opportunity Center and so many others will be joining us. The evening starts with a rally on the streets of Main and Broad, and will be followed by various events and speakers.

November 22             Material Resource Center – Senior High students will go to the Material Resource Center in Harleysville to pack school kits. This will replace our regular meeting night, please be here around 6:45 p.m.

December 2         Laura Story Concert.

December 10    Philabundance. Philabudance is the region's largest hunger relief organization. They acquire food and distribute it through organizations serving people in need.  Our group will help by sorting food in their warehouse, so you might want to bring along a sweatshirt and closed toed shoes (they are required). We're scheduled to work from 12:30-3:30, so we will need to meet at church at 11:15 a.m., so that we can get there on time and ready to work.

December 20 Christmas Carolling Teaming up with the Fellowship Committee to have Christ  

December 30 Winter break Photo Scavenger Hunt!. This is definitely going to be a fun one. We might even join up with another youth group for this exciting event. This is one activity you won’t want to miss! Grab a few friends and plan on getting some seriously funny photos.

January 10           SOUPS ON!  We will be making the soup that will be served at the Table of Plenty on Martin Luther King, Jr. day. We will have a shortened time of Bible study so that we will have plenty of time for preparing the soup.

January 16           Table of Plenty.  This is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a holiday from school, so plan on being at the Table of Plenty to serve soup. Students should arrive no later than 10:30 a.m. to help set up tables, chairs and place settings. This has been an annual event that has truly been a blessing to all those that have attended.
                             
TBA         YOUTH SUNDAY. Zion's youth will put together a service. This is our day to serve and lead the congregation in worship. Students will serve as ushers, greeters, and worship leaders. If you have aspirations of being a preacher, this is the Sunday to test the waters.

February 7 Tuesday's with God We are looking forward to hearing from Justin Hange adn Brandon Keeler from Five Mile Fall. Justin and Brandon bring some wonderful gifts and passionate worship style that you are sure to enjoy.

February 17-19    Winter Retreat at the Loft. Hey gang, last year we had a great year at the Loft, so grab your winter gear and a friend for another amazing weekend in the mountain! We will enjoy snowball fights, football, sledding, singing and polish ping-pong. Nate Stucky will be our speaker and song leader!

Medical Form
Retreat Flyer

March 4      Annual YPU Volleyball Tournament.  Maybe this will be Zion’s year to be volleyball champions or maybe NOT! Either way, I am sure we will all have fun playing volleyball and visiting with friends from other Mennonite congregations.

April 3 Tuesday's With God. We are looking forward to hearing from seniors Haley kuhns and Neha Rampogu. Haley and Neha will share their gifts of song with us, so lets all attend and support Zion's youth.

April 21   canoeing in the New Jersey Pine Barrons. This will be a day trip to New Jersey. We will need to leave bright and early and will will plan on returning home late in the afternoon or early evening. We need to have students sign-up early, so we can get a scheduled time.              

May 6    Couch Derby.  The Couch derby allows youth to develop a wheeled couch that holds several team members that are pushed by other students.  They navigate a course and their couch design is judged for the decoration connected to the designated theme. Franconia is the host of this year’s Couch Derby! (Raindate – May 15)

June 5 Tuesday's With God In June we are looking forward to hearing from Nate Stucky again. Nate will lead us in 40 minutes of worsip. You can look forward to blue grass, some hymns and lots of fun!

                             
The Senior High will continue to meet every Tuesday night from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for bible study and fellowship. These fellowship nights might get interrupted from time to time with service events and other special activities.

Although this is a pretty good list of activities, it is by no means the final version. You can plan on having several unscheduled activities throughout the year! Scott will try to keep you informed of any changes or updates to this schedule by sending out individual flyers for activities.  

Junior High Activities 2011 - 2012

December 2      Laura StoryConcert. Laura Story will be coming to Zion to play an acoustic set of Christmas songs and also some of her bigger hits. We still need students to help out with the concert as well as other details connected to it. Tickets are $20.00 per student.
 
December 9     Christmas Dinner and Party. The Junior High will be traveling to the Martin Wien's home for a Christmas party. Students will share a meal together, play some games and have a gift exchange (students will need to bring a $5.00 gift with them- please no gift cards -get creative). After the gift exchange we will enjoy some Christmas treats!

December 20 Christmas Caroling. We are teaming up with the Sr. high youth and the Fellowship committee.

 January 7 Night at Arnold's Family Fun Center. Students will enjoy a night go-carting and playing games. The cost will be about $30.00 per person. We will meet at church and drive together to Arnold's for this fun-filled event. Please invite your friends to join us!  

    
TBA    YOUTH SUNDAY. Zion's youth will put together a service. This is our day to serve and lead the congregation in worship. Students will serve as ushers, greeters, and worship leaders. If you have aspirations of being a preacher, this is the Sunday to test the waters.

February 7 Tuesday's with God We are looking forward to hearing from Justin Hange adn Brandon Keeler from Five Mile Fall. Justin and Brandon bring some wonderful gifts and passionate worship style that you are sure to enjoy.

February 12   Winter Retreat at Spruce Lake. This will be an outreach event, so start thinking about what friends you might want to ask to the retreat. We will need to sigh-up for this event several weeks ahead of time. Plan on bringing warm clothes and fun-loving attitudes. Look for flyers in your mailbox! This retreat is being run by Spruce Lake and we will be meeting up with several other yourth groups in the Wilderness camp. The speaker is Darrell Pearson.

March 16-17   Junior High Lock-in at Christopher Dock.  They don't get any bigger or better than this one!Last year there were more than 300 junior high youth gathered in the Longacre Center at CD. Activities include basketball, soccer, group games, movies, karaoke ~ all topped off with a special speaker and a concert. If there is one activity you don't want to miss, it id definitely this one! There are also some sick and twisted games that you won't want to miss!.

March 26-28  MCC Meat Canner. Junior High students will leave school early to help pack, label and box meat for the Mennonite Central Committee. Scott will send out forms asking permission from the schools to allow students to leave at 2 pm. Parents should plan on picking up students at 5:30 pm from Christopher Dock High School.

April 3 Tuesday's With God. We are looking forward to hearing from seniors Haley kuhns and Neha Rampogu. Haley and Neha will share their gifts of song with us, so lets all attend and support Zion's youth.

 April 29  Sunday in the City. Students will get together for a nice dinner out at Spaghetti Warehouse. Following the dinner they will go to the Imax Theatre in King of Prussia to watch a new release hopefully in 3D.

May 19 Goin' Fishing' Ya'll. The Junior High GUYS will be going fishing.This will be an early rise event-sorry mom's and dad's, but we want to be on the water by 6 am. Students will gather at Zion with fishing gear in hand (if you don't have any - no problem). We will drive up to the lake and enjoy some fishing and boating.

June 5 Tuesday's With God In June we are looking forward to hearing from Nate Stucky again. Nate will lead us in 40 minutes of worsip. You can look forward to blue grass, some hymns and lots of fun!

Iron Pigs Game The Junior High will travel to Lehigh to see the Iron Pigs play at the new Coca-Cola Park. We will enjoy some good food and fun! A date will be decided as we near the end of the school year.

Camelbeach The Junior High and Senior High Youth Fellowships will be traveling together to the Pocono's for a day of wet and wild fun! We will plan to meet at Zion in the early morning hours (8 a.m. to be exact). Please plan on bringing $10.00 to cover your cost and any spending money you think you'll need for snacks or lunch. There are sign-up sheets in both youth rooms.

Sailing and Picnic at Lake Nockamixon. This will be a fun afternoon on the lake and sitting and enjoying a picnic lunch. Students will meet at church and drive to the lake together. Please plan on wearing clothes that you don't mind getting wet.
                             
Meetings will be held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for bible study and fellowship in the Youth Department.. This fall and throughout the year, students will look at different Bible stories about Junior High life and how they can influence the world for Jesus.

Although this is a pretty good list of activities, it is by no means the final version. You can plan on having several unscheduled activities throughout the year! Scott will try to keep you informed of any changes or updates to this schedule by sending out individual flyers for activities.