As we kickstart our new iteration of the Annunciation Youth Ministry, much of the initial focus has been on the Teen Ministry / GOYA. Of course, Sunday School and Greek School have both been doing a terrific job with our younger children and pre-teens with a particular noted success being August’s Vacation Bible Retreat. Additionally, we have many upcoming all age events scheduled such as the Blessing of the Animals and Trunk or Treat in October and our annual Christmas Pageant. Nonetheless, this serves as only the beginning of what we hope to accomplish.
In the past, we have had specific pre-GOYA offerings for the younger members of our parish such as Hope and Joy focusing on children between pre-school and sixth grade. These programs focused on a variety of activities that solidified the sense of God and community at an early age whilst also providing a space for parents and families to bond.
Starting this Spring, we hope to jumpstart a new iteration of these programs, first by expanding some of our Teen Ministry events into all age events where applicable. For example, some of our early plans involve a bowling night at Radio Social (which can be divided into lanes for the teens and lanes for the youth), a behind-the-scenes tour of the Wild Wings Bird of Prey Facility and Nature Center at the Mendon Ponds Park Nature Center, and a Strong Museum of Play day (where the teens can enjoy the arcades while our youth enjoy the Museum’s other offerings). Once established, we plan to evolve to a stand-alone Pre-Teen Ministry in the Fall of 2024 (with its own dedicated page in the Youth Ministries section of the website).
Naturally, given the young ages, this will take a community effort to be effective and safe. I plan to be available most Sundays after the livestream in the Sunday School area to meet with parents and gauge interest/availability and to brainstorm ideas to fulfill the best interests of the youth. I look forward to meeting you all and assembling a collection of families and volunteers that can help more strongly build the future of the parish. See you all there!
Upcoming October Events
October 7th – AFSP Out of the Darkness Rochester NY Walk (all ages – register on our website to join)
October 8th – Escape From Rochester! Escape Room Night (ages 12-18 Teen Ministry / GOYA event)
October 21st – Blessing of the Animals (all ages)
October 28th – Oxi Day Dance sponsored by ENA (all ages)
October 29th – Trunk or Treat 2023 (all ages)