Our Purpose
Nurture faith ~ Build character ~ Create community ~ Engage in service
Youth Groups
Fish Club (Middle School)
Fish Club is a youth group experience for the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders of Hope Church and their friends. Fish Club seeks to provide a close Christian community of friends for our middle school students, while forming relationships with adult sponsors in the church. A variety of programming is offered to take a close look at ourselves, our faith, and our world. Service projects are an important part of the group’s community ministry as well. Fundraisers enable us to plan some very special events, like retreats, and a trip to the Appalachian Trail. All middle school youth are welcome!
High Hopes (High School)
High Hopes is a youth group for 9th – 12th graders. There are a variety of social, service, and learning opportunities throughout the year. The activities are designed to build and strengthen relationships among the youth and sponsors as part of a community of faith. There will also be fundraising for a mission trip planned for the summer and service work right here in our community. All high school youth are welcome!
Both groups typically meet on Sunday evenings. Watch for special joint events with First Presbyterian Church & Grace Episcopal Church youth groups. Updated schedule information is available on the Hope Church website. For more information, contact Anne Duinkerken, Youth Ministry Director.
Youth Church School
6th & 7th Grade
Sundays, twice a month at 11:00 a.m. (leaving with Children in Worship) in the Library
This class follows the “Dwell” curriculum, developed by Faith Alive Christian Resources in cooperation with the Children’s Ministry Office of the Reformed Church in America. “Dwell” is a place where young teens and leaders pause to wonder, imagine, marvel, and dive into God’s story. Developed out of a desire to provide children and young teens with less noise and more time to experience God, “Dwell” creates an environment for entering into God’s story, and then living into and living out of it together.
G.I.F.T. (8th and 9th Grade)
Sundays at 9:40 a.m. in the Youth Room
G.I.F.T. (Growing in Faith Together) class is a focused time for participants to explore faith in God and their connection to the church and faith. The group often visits other places of worship and ministry. Some might call G.I.F.T. a “confirmation class,” but this is a bit different. Some participants will be led to make profession of faith in Christ at Hope Church, but it’s not required. Each person will sort through that step when the time comes. The broader idea of G.I.F.T. is that it is a unique experience at an important age to deal with issues of faith and life as a part of the church. This class is a two-year experience led by Andrew Spidahl (Fall 2013) and Pastor Gordon Wiersma.
High Hopes Unshowered (10th through 12th Grade)
Third Sunday of each month at 9:40 a.m. in the Garden Lounge
This group meets with Pastor Jill Russell and Gretchen Schoon-Tanis for bible study, fellowship, and prayer. A three-year cycle leads each student through a year of thinking about their faith (theology), exploring how to live their faith in very practical terms (Christian practices), and how to sustain a lifelong commitment to study of God’s Word (Bible study). The approach is interactive and relational. Journal writing, singing together, praying for one another, and study are all woven together in this one-hour gathering that meets September through May. All high-schoolers are welcome, showered or not!
This information is available in the Hope Church Christian Education Brochure.