St. James is committed to helping children and youth develop their relationship with God and affirming they belong, have purpose, and are loved. We want to provide youth of all ages with opportunities to develop friendships, serve others, and of course, have fun!
Below is a description of some of the ways we help young people grow in their baptism and connect with God, community, and the world! We want to help young people know God live out their faith in meaningful ways!
J.A.M. – Jesus and Me!:
Each Sunday, the children and youth join their families for the first 15 minutes of service before heading to J.A.M.
On Communion Sunday and for a number of special services, we have an intergenerational service so families can worship together for the entire service.
Engaging Youth in Congregational Life:
During the year, the children and youth will have opportunities to help lead in worship. From time to time, for example, they will share special music or do Scripture readings. Children are also invited to celebrate communion. Around mid-December, they will be invited to help lead a Christmas-themed service. We are so blessed by the variety of gifts and interests shared by each child.
We want youth to see how they can make a positive difference in the lives of others, even those living in other countries. One year they had a penny drive, which enabled them to purchase valuable resources to help families in developing countries to farm. Another year, they raised funds through various activities they led, such as a “Ground-dog” (hot dog) sale and candy shop, to help students in developing countries attend school. They also raised money to help Syrian refugee children moving into the Fredericton area, and they have helped lead a Christmas angel initiative in previous years to encourage donations of items for those staying in transition homes. This year, we look forward to their leadership inspiring people to support Gifts of Change for youth and families in developing countries.