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Do you remember Junior & Senior High?
(lockers, friends, teachers, enemies, "going out" with someone)

Do you remember all the emotions you could have in one hour?
(happy, sad, depressed, excited, mad)

Do you remember KNOWING everyone was watching you?

Do you remember having someone to talk to?
(about life, love, God, parents, friends, enemies, school)

Do you love students?
Do you love Jesus?
Are you looking for a way to get involved at Grace?

If you have a passion to walk alongside the chaotic lives of a junior or senior high student, a desire to discover how to help a student to live life better, and/or remember what it was like to be in junior and senior high and want to support someone going through life at that age, God has a great opportunity for you!

Our view of "volunteering" in youth ministry may be a bit different than what you're used to. When you give of your time, energy, and talents in our youth ministry, we want to help you see how loving teenagers can become much more than a few hours of your week. We'd like you to come to see it as a part of your everyday faith, a way that you worship God that is part of how He made you.

As a volunteer, you not only become part of God's story in the lives of teens, these teens become part of God's story in your own life. In other words as you serve, your relationship with God is changed in a way that brings you closer to being what he intends you to be. It is a sacred opportunity where God can mold you.

We have several opportunities that differ in levels of commitment where students and adults can volunteer. In each instance volunteers are supplied with a ministry description that spells out what is expected of them and trained to fulfill these expectations.

Junior High Small Group Mentor:
Our mentors are responsible for building relationships with students where they can walk along side them as they search for God and seek to know Him better. The word "mentor" is used very deliberately as these people are to be wise and trusted counselors and teachers for our students.

In the case of our junior high mentors it helps if they also love to play a lot but it's not required. Our junior highs spend a good bit of time playing some high energy games but we also like to help them begin to approach God in a way that's appropriate for their age. Each Tuesday night the mentors sit with the students for a short talk to introduce a subject, and then break off into small groups of the same gender with about 5-8 students to dig deeper.

Download the Junior High Small Group Mentor ministry description here.

Senior High Small Group Mentor:
Because of the age difference, our senior high small group mentors have different responsibilities than our junior high ones. However, they expectation is the same in that they can walk along side their students as they search for God as wise and trusted couselors and teachers.

Our senior high small group mentors meet with their small groups every Tuesday night. This time is divided between honest and vulnerable fellowship, deep spirit-led prayer, and interactive, inductive Bible study. They are responsible for building relationships with each student in their small group and caring for them.

They also train and work with our senior high student small group mentors.

Download the Senior High Small Group Mentor ministry description here.

Senior High Student Small Group Mentor:
We believe that senior high students are capable of leading in ministry. For this reason we have opportunities for them to serve as mentors to their fellow students.

A student mentor meets every Tuesday with his or her small group of 5-8 students and the adult mentor. This time is spent assisting the adult mentor in teaching them and counseling them through times of fellowship, prayer, and Bible study. This could mean leading or assisting in leading either the fellowship, prayer, or Bible study time. A student mentor must spend a little time preparing for their part in assisting in these meetings, but the focus is on counseling and guiding students as they learn how to engage in authentic fellowship and prayer with one another, and how to study the Bible for themselves.

Download the Senior High Student Small Group Mentor ministry description here.

Sunday School Mentor:
Our Sunday school mentor volunteer opportunity is quite different than our other opportunities.

For starters it's a 4 week commitment. Our 7 Checkpoint curriculum is broken up into 4 week chunks. A volunteer can commit to just 4 weeks or more if they'd like.

The other difference is that there is curriculum for the times you are meeting with students. Before your 4 week commitment begins, you'll go over the lesson sets with the youth pastor to get familiar and comfortable with them. You'll also be given instructions on what to do if you need any additional materials or props during your teaching times. All you have to do is concentrate on teaching the kids and facilitating some small group time. All the set up and errand running is done for you.

After you're all done you'll have one more meeting with the youth pastor to give your feedback on how the lesson sets worked, how the kids responded, and any other additional feedback you can give so our Sunday schools can be an effective time of building up the faith of our junior and senior high students.

Download the Sunday School Mentor ministry description here.

Email Jason if you are interested in becoming involved in any of these exciting ministries!