Geneva church group gives teens social, service and personal growth opportunities

High school youth at St. Peter Church in Geneva have the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of those around them. The High School Youth Ministry program, led by director Laurie Brown, strives to balance personal development and community service with fun and fellowship, to keep teens coming back for more.

Brown has been the high school youth minister and coordinator of confirmation since July 1997. When asked how kids today differ from those in the late 1990s, she stated, “They are busier, and consequently live more complicated lives with overbooked schedules. Teens may need to choose a handful of things to be involved in, rather than trying to do it all. Parents need to support their students with decisions on how to spend their time. We hope parents set the example that, regardless of what extracurricular activities are going on, faith is a priority.”

The program combines the social aspect teens want, with the faith aspect the church believes teens need. The program is open to students in grades nine through 12, regardless of the high school they attend. Non-Catholic and Catholic youth from other parishes often come to St. Peter events.

There are a variety of ways to get involved in the program. Midway through freshman year, students prepare for the sacrament of confirmation by participating in a 13-month program that consists of large group presentations, small group sessions, service projects and a retreat. Last April, 149 students were confirmed.

Retreats are popular and open to all high school students. They give students the opportunity to get away for a weekend to think, pray, talk and make new friends while developing their relationship with God. Many students who attend a retreat come back for more.

Kelsey Gerbec, a senior at Geneva High School, has been on six retreats so far.

“A retreat is an amazing weekend where you are separated from the real world and you really bond with each other and with your faith,” Gerbec said.

Retreats are led and directed by teens, with adult supervision.

Gateway Events, also popular, are high-energy activities geared at drawing teens to the church and are held monthly throughout the school year. This past school year, Gateways included a road trip to Feed My Starving Children to prepare meals for the hungry, an outing to a vocational conference in St. Charles, and a picture scavenger hunt, where teens raced to solve a series of riddles, taking pictures of answers along the way.

Leadership programming is an integral part of St. Peter’s High School Youth Ministry. After experiencing what the program has to offer during freshman year, teens can serve as a camp counselor or become a member of the Peer Ministry Team. The Peer Ministry Team is a core group of teens who plan Gateways, retreats and more.

Being a part of the PMT has been very rewarding for Geneva High School junior Will Morrison.

“It’s a great way to grow in faith with your friends,” Morrison said. “It’s nice that we see each other at school every day so we can hold each other accountable for the things we do, but not in a bad way, in a good way. If someone is struggling, we try to help them out.”

On the Sundays the PMT meets, members attend 9 a.m. Mass, followed by breakfast and their meeting.

“The whole team is close, and we include everyone,” Morrison said. One of his goals for next school year is to get more teens to attend events like the Gateways.

Service is another important component of St. Peter’s High School Youth Ministry, providing teens the opportunity to live out their faith by serving others. Examples of this are the annual fall food drive to support the St. Peter Community Food Pantry and the R.O.C.K. Mission Trip.

The R.O.C.K. Mission Trip takes place over spring break. Last March, eight students and four chaperones traveled to Glenmary Farm in Kentucky. Their tasks included assisting the sick and elderly with construction projects and yard work, working on new construction projects in low-income housing areas, helping at the community food pantry and clothing store, and more.

“We emphasize that it is not just about the projects; it’s about the people you encounter,” said Mary Kay Rogers, volunteer director of the program. “So you don’t just go in and paint someone’s room; you take time to sit down and visit with him or her and interact while you are working.”

In Rogers’ mind, that personal interaction is what makes St. Peter mission trips different from many others.

Rachel Spitzig, a 2012 graduate of Geneva High School, was one of the students on this year’s mission trip. She first got involved with R.O.C.K. after attending a presentation by students upon returning from a trip.

“I loved what I heard and what I saw in the photos,” Spitzig said. “That’s what made me want to get involved.”

Spitzig participated in three R.O.C.K. mission trips. She believes there are many benefits to the trips.

“It’s not just the spiritual side, which was great, but also the friendship side of it,” she said. “There were some girls from the class of 2011 who really looked out for me and we became good friends and are still really close.”

Finally, what would a high school youth ministry program be without personal growth opportunities? Personal growth is gained through all of the group’s events and activities, yet the St. Peter program has offerings beyond these to challenge teens to dig deeper into their faith.

One such offering is the Steubenville Youth Conference, a nationwide event at which St. Peter has had a presence for more than a decade. Twelve St. Peter students recently attended the conference in Missouri.

Another lower-commitment growth opportunity is the “Summer Challenge.” Students may sign up to receive emails and Facebook messages that provide a topic for reflection. It is a small, yet impactful way to reach many teens, reminding them of their faith during the summer.

“I am impressed with the teens that participate in our high school youth ministry program, particularly the Peer Ministry Team members and those involved with the R.O.C.K. mission trips,” said the Rev. Martins Emeh, pastor of St. Peter. “Their dedication to personal faith development and community service, as well as the support they provide one another, is remarkable. They are a bright light of hope for the future.”

Gerbec’s first exposure to St. Peter’s high school program was during her freshman year, when she attended Gateway events. The Gateways sparked her interest to get more involved. She has been a member of the PMT for the last two years and has applied for a position on it again during her senior year.

“Being involved in high school youth ministry and PMT has shaped my entire high school faith life; it has been my rock,” Gerbec said. “I can’t imagine my high school years without it.”

The group understands that teens may be hesitant about joining in. Morrison admits he was a little nervous at first, too.

“You just have to jump right in!” he said.

New members are always welcome. For details on the St. Peter High School Ministry program, call director Laurie Brown at (630) 232-0124, ext. 113.