Collaborative Youth Program Offered by Four Marblehead Churches

Four Marblehead churches have joined together to build an active Christian youth program that will begin this fall with a series of events open to middle and high school youth in the community. Lay leaders from Clifton Lutheran Church, Old North Church (United Church of Christ), St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, and St. Michael’s Episcopal Church have formed a leadership board that is currently seeking a full-time Youth Minister for the Marblehead Youth Cooperative Ministry (MYCM). Each of the churches will offer a special youth event within the next few months as they await the new leader.

The first event, Hope for Haiti, is set for Sunday, September 24 from 1 to 2:30p.m. at Clifton Lutheran Church, 150 Humphrey Street, Marblehead. Youth from the different parishes will have the chance to get to know each other while they learn a bit about the history of Haiti, view a video, interact via video conference with a person in Haiti, and cook some Haitian food. Board member Kara Bixby of Clifton Lutheran explains that the church has partnered with a nonprofit in Haiti for many years and the youth event will include discussion of ways to help the people of Haiti.

Future events include a Halloween/All Saints party at St. Andrew’s on October 22 at 6 p.m., Christmas tree lighting and caroling at St. Michael’s in late November, a gift-giving outreach opportunity in December, and a labyrinth experience at Old North in January.

The Rev. Clyde Elledge of St. Andrew’s proposed the collaboration to clergy at the other churches, and received an enthusiastic response. The churches then formed a board of lay leaders to create the model and begin the search for a full-time Youth Minister.

Kelly Stevens, a board member and a parishioner of St. Michael’s, explains, “Our goal is to build a community among the churches and to create an engaging, inclusive, progressive Christian youth program.” Betsey Halbert of Old North says, “We want to empower youth to grow their faith and explore life questions as they enjoy activities, events, and outreach.” Peg Howard of St. Andrew’s adds, “We have so many beliefs and values in common. It makes sense to collaborate and bring young people together.”

Other Board members are Richard Thibedeau, Roy Martin, and Heather Martin of Old North Church; Bill Walker and Marika Fields of Clifton Lutheran; Amy Shanahan and David Westbrook of St. Andrew’s; Sarah Hunter and Alex Stark of St. Michael’s.

Youth events are open to any interested youth from grades 5 to 12. The group may later divide into separate sections for middle school and high school.