✢ TEEN MINISTRIES ✢
Christian Youth Fellowship
Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) is dedicated to nurturing and supporting the faith of our senior high school teens on their individual faith journeys. It offers an atmosphere of openness and acceptance, and a source of strength and community for facing challenges of daily life.
CYF helps nurture personal relationships with Christ through fellowship, weekly meetings, service, and worship opportunities within a community of believers.
CYF is open to all teens in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.
Events & Opportunities Include:
Weekly Group Meetings each Sunday evening
Retreats & Lock-ins
Holiday Events
Leadership Opportunities & Team Building
Youth Sunday
End-of-the-Year Banquet
CYF Conference at Camp Christian (Regional)
UN Seminar trip to NYC and Washington DC (Regional and Bi-Annual)
CYF Weekly Youth Group
We meet together at the church in the Youth Room from 6:30-8 pm every Sunday night. This is a great opportunity for the youth to take a break and connect with each other. We share joys and concerns and discuss faith-related life issues based on various topics. Discussions are led by one of the youth leaders or by the youth themselves. All youth grades 9-12 are always welcome!
Events & Opportunities
"CYF Lock-In"
The annual Lock-In takes place at the church from Friday night through Saturday morning. The youth participate in small group discussions based on a chosen theme, play games, have a youth led midnight worship service, watch movies, and spend time bonding as a group.
"Search for the Christ Child"
"The Search" is presented by our youth and adult volunteers and is held on the First Friday of December from 5:00 - 8:00 pm each year. It is free and open to the public and hundreds typically attend. Guests enjoy hot chocolate and cookies in the "Camelback Inn," while anticipating their journey in search of the Baby Jesus. Along the way you will encounter shepherds, magi, inn keepers, angels, and have a confrontation with King Herod. Your search comes to a dramatic closure with the discovery of Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. NEW this year will be the addition of interactive stations for families with children of all ages!
CYF Retreat
One weekend a year, our youth group goes off-site to Camp Christian for our annual Retreat together. We have a theme for the weekend on which we focus our small group discussions, vesper service, worship service, meals, games, and singing. This event is a life-changing opportunity for our youth to explore, grow, and discover a deeper relationship with God and each other.
Youth Sunday
Each spring, a “combined” (contemporary/traditional) worship service is handed over to the youth of our church. This service is based on our youth theme for the year and includes readings, scriptures, music, and personal messages given by the graduating seniors or other high schoolers. It is an inspiring and faith-filled service that you won’t want to miss!
CYF Conference at Camp Christian
This special week at Camp Christian in Magnetic Springs, Ohio is an amazing experience that helps youth grow closer to God, learn more about faith in daily life and the Bible, and provides a retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Get to know other high school youth in the Ohio region and bring friends to this “week that changes lives.”
Service Projects & Fundraisers
Throughout the year, CYF looks for opportunities to participate in services projects and fundraisers for our congregation or community. Some of these have included:
Service day at the Akron Regional Food Bank
Pack Disaster Relief Buckets for Outreach Program
Assist with Vacation Bible School
Crop Hunger Walk – Hike through the city to raise money and awareness for the Crop Hunger Walk, a global mission of Church World Services.
M&M Tube Collection – The youth distribute tubes full of of M&M’s to the congregation and request that after the M&M’s are eaten, the tubes be returned with a donation inside. Proceeds from this fund-raiser go toward D.I.G (Dividends in Growth) in support of Camp Christian.