7th-8th Grade Youth Ministry
7th& 8th graders are invited to participate in Sunday School and Wednesday Night Live (WNL).
Sunday school meets after worship, from 11:45 am to 12:30 p.m. most Sundays during the school year. Classes are led by Brian Leahy, our Middle School Ministry Coordinator.
Wednesday Night Live
During the school year, the Middle School Youth Group — for students in grades 7 and 8 — meets on the first three Wednesday evenings of each month, after the all-church dinner. We study the Heidelberg Catechism, eat, and play games. We also do a fun activity outside of youth group once a month.
WNL meets on the following nights from 6:30-8 p.m.:
| Last Wednesday in September |
| First 3 Wednesdays in October & November |
| First Wednesday in December |
| First 3 Wednesdays in February, March, & April (*No meetings on Ash Wednesday or Spring Break) |
| Last 2 Wednesdays in June |
| Last 3 Wednesdays in July |
High School Youth Ministry
The mission of the high school youth group at COS is to create a safe, fun, and loving space for all students where discussions about God and the world we live in can take place guided by the framework of a reformed, Christian perspective.
At COS, we are striving to pass on a sticky faith to our children and youth. For our high school students, we do this through Sunday school classes, Bible study, Small Groups, involvement in church leadership, large group discussions and games, retreats, service projects, and summer trips. All of these ministries rely heavily on building authentic, caring relationships between the students themselves and, of equal importance, between students and the members of our church. We pray that the Spirit will work through these relationships to strengthen our faith and bind us to Christ for the rest of their lives. In other words, we pray for sticky faith.
High school students are invited to the following events:
| HSSS (High School Sunday School) meets after worship, from 11:45 to 12:30pm most Sundays during the school year |
| WNLX (Wednesday Night Live X-tended) meets most Wednesdays from 6:30-8 pm |
| Small Groups which typically meet on the 1st Sunday of the month during the school year |
| Summer Trips rotate between wilderness trips, local service projects, regional service projects, and international trips. |
| Winter Retreats in January or February |
A special note about our High School Small Group Ministry:
What if church was a place that ALL of our kids looked forward to? What if they knew that every time they showed up, there would be someone there who was happy to see them? Small groups help make that happen. And I believe that consistently putting our kids in “relational spaces” where they can feel safe and loved and seen by Christian adults and their peers could help keep their hearts soft and their ears open to God’s invitation to seek him with their whole heart.
To do this, youth ministry at COS is leaning heavily into Small Groups. Adults of all ages are needed to serve as small group leaders for groups of high school students. Small Groups are built based on grade level and the gender that students identify as. These groups meet once per month, often right after worship on the first Sunday of the month over a shared meal provided by COS. The results of this ministry have been very, very encouraging.
Generally speaking, churches are not retaining youth and young adults. Studies show that not only are youth and young adults walking away from the church, they’re not coming back. At COS, our youth may walk away from the church, but we aren’t letting them leave without a fight. If they walk away from the church, we want them to walk away saying, “They loved me and valued me and encouraged me, but I left anyway.
If you want to help build this relational ministry, contact Annette Ediger, Minister of Faith
To stay informed about what is happening with COS youth, contact Annette Ediger to be added to the Youth Newsletter email list.