Christ Church Dayton Youth 2008 Annual Report
(The following is a look at the activities of Christ Church youth over the past year.)
See our Youth Events page for more information on coming events.
The youth program at Christ Church is overseen by a youth commission consisting of Kris Sexton; Penny Nixon; Charles Cerny; John Strieter, Maureen Boyles; and Hayward Learn serving as chair. The Rev. John Paddock is an Ex Officio Member. This group met faithfully every third Tuesday throughout the year to plan and put together one of the better youth programs in the diocese. They also, frequently served as the adult team facilitating many of the youth activities. Their outstanding support for the Christ Church Youth program is greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, Penny bowed out late in the year and we sorely missed her presence.
Our youth year was very active and wide ranging. In recap, the following activities occurred:
January
- New Year’s Eve Celebration: Twenty Junior High Youth and friends welcomed in the New Year at the Christ Church overnighter. A few senior high youth were acting as staff for the event and a couple of weary adults looked on.
March
- A 30-hour famine was scheduled for March. Food requests were passed out to nearby neighborhoods, but the youth were unable to collect the food because of bad weather. A couple of dedicated adults went out and collected the food that had been left by generous citizens.
- Easter Bake Sale
- Easter Egg Hunt
April
- the 30-Hour Famine lock-in was reschedule in April. Food requests were again distributed and the food was later collected by the youth. The collection was quite successful and later in the day, the items collected were taken to St. Andrew’s Food Pantry. The youth helped to put the food items neatly in their food pantry. We invited the youth from the First Baptist Church in Dayton to join our youth in the 30-hour famine.
- River Cleanup: Several youth participated in this Five Rivers Metropark sponsored event and spent a couple of hours picking up trash and debris along the river.
May
- Our youth served refreshments to all who came into the church during Urban Nights.
- The annual Christ Church Youth Car Wash was held on a Sunday in May. Parishioners park their car in our lot and while they are in church, the youth wash it. After the service, donations were humbly accepted. The money raised for our fundraisers are used to support our youth program during the year.
June
- Emily Sexton joined the MVERN group and traveled to Russia to assist in further developing the youth and community center in Sablino Russia.
July
- The annual youth group picnic was combine with a pool party. In addition to swimming, we played games such as ladder golf and bean bag throw.
- We had a great parent/youth/commission meeting this month where we discussed the upcoming calendar and program items we were planning. Our program is only successful because of the support of our parents and we on the commission appreciate all of them.
August
- We had another tremendous turn out for our annual Canoe and Camping trip on the Little Miami.
September
- The Youth Group had another chance to serve refreshments at Urban Nights. This one was equally as successful as the one in the spring.
- Cathedral Youth Event: Several of our youth participated and we look forward to it becoming an annual event.
October
- The Diocesan Commission for Mission sponsored a bike ride fundraiser for youth mission trips for youth in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. All youth will be eligible to apply for diocesan scholarships for upcoming 2009 Christ Church mission trips.
- The following weekend, several of our youth participated in the national Crop Walk program.
- Later in October, our Junior High Youth Group and a few Senior High Youth helped rake leaves and clean up Ruth and Gordon Price’s garden.
November
- Day of Change Service Project. A few of the youth helped count and roll the money collected for the Day of Change. This money is used to feed the hungry in our area.
- Youth Overnight in conjunction with the Diocesan convention. Youth of the diocese from 6th to 12th grade led the evening service for the convention delegates on Friday evening and then stayed for an overnight at St. Stephens at Ohio State.
- Senior High Retreat for youth from Christ Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. This retreat was scheduled in preparation for their trip to New Orleans next summer.
- The same weekend, a book sale fundraising project was held at First Baptist Church, Dayton. The Christ Church youth help the youth group at First Baptist raise $428.50 for the trip to New Orleans.
- The youth finished the weekend by helping to set up for Waffle Shop.
- The youth group helped rake leaves at Doris Swabb’s home.
December
- Kris Kringle Kinder Kare (parent afternoon out) fundraising event for both the New Orleans’ trip and the Junior High mission trip.
- Genesis at Calvary Church in Cincinnati. This event was for Junior High students and several of our youth participated.
- Confirmation and Christmas Pageant was held on December 21. That afternoon, many adults joined the youth for Christmas Caroling followed by the annual Christmas party at the Paddocks.
- The annual New Year’s Eve lock-in was held on December 31. The youth from First Baptist were invited to join our Junior High group as they rung in the New Year.
So we had a busy year event-wise. A lot of energy is going into raising funds for our mission trips (Senior High to New Orleans and Junior High to Appalachia) and we are looking forward to successful and rewarding learning events. In between the events above, we met as a youth group every third Sunday.
Regardless, the young people in this group are smart, independent, and known through out the diocese. They are also the Acolytes, Lectors, Ushers, and Sermon class leaders you see every Sunday. They are the future and present church.
Hayward Learn