Coffeehouse Talent Show 2018
This year the Youth Group hosted its second annual Coffeehouse Talent Show fundraiser on February 10th. Youth Group students, parents, and adult leaders volunteered to share their talents with the community. This year we had acts that included singing, playing instruments, dancing, and comedy. Guests enjoyed coffee drinks and other beverages as well as desserts baked by congregation members. For more information about Youth Group activities, please contact Youth Director Marty Blake at mblake@hfec.org.
Flowers, Friends, and Fun
Members of Holy Family’s Mary & Martha Chapter of Junior Daughters of the King led a fellowship visit to Brookdale Senior Living Solutions in Castleton. The Junior Daughters were joined by siblings, parents, friends, and members of Holy Family’s Youth group. (To maintain the privacy of residents, only photos of youth are shown.) Holy Family members visited the rooms of residents as well as common areas and handed out flowers to all who wanted them. Special thanks are extended to Brookdale representative Destiny who guided the visitors through the facility. This is a continuing project of Holy Family’s youth that was inspired by an impromptu visit to an assisted living facility during the mission trip of 2017. For more information about Holy Family’s Junior Daughters of the King or Youth Group, please contact the church office. admin@hfec.org
Gospel at Hogwarts
The four Houses of Hogwarts, accompanied by their House Prefects and Professors, participated in a search for Gospel passages hidden within Hogwarts. Once the Gospel passages were discovered by each House, House members acted out the passage, in front of all the Houses, in the Great Hall and discussed how that passage was similar to a clip from a Harry Potter movie. House members learned about the compassion and generosity of Jesus and made connections to their own lives. All, from the youngest to the oldest, discovered their call to discipleship is both a covenant with God and an adventure that is never-ending.
View photos from our special Children and Youth Ministry
Gospel at Hogwarts by clicking HERE.
Contact Children’s MInistry Director Jolene Johnston for more information. jjohnston@hfec.org
Youth Group Teambuilding: Spider Web
Fourteen members of Holy Family’s Youth Group gathered on Sunday, October 22nd for a chili dinner followed by team building activities and worship. The chosen activity was “Spider Web” and is part of Mobile Team Challenge low ropes course which was purchased with YMGI grant funds, matched by HFEC YG fundraising and the Diocese of Indianapolis. With Halloween just a week away, the theme had the perfect seasonal nod.
In the activity, participants must traverse a “toxic spider web” without knocking it down. Team members must strategize and plan to develop the best approach for completing the task. The exercise requires support for all team members and physical effort and leadership from each person. Communication and trust are essential for successful completion. The youth made connections from this activity to their own faith journeys.
Following the activity, the attendees participated in Compline led by Thomas Canter and music worship led by Ian Johnston. Youth group members closed out the evening by making s’mores on a charcoal grill. The activities were led by Marty Blake and Jolene Johnston. For more information about Holy Family’s Youth Group, please contact Youth Director Marty Blake. mblake@hfec.org
Youth Group Fall Campout
Eight members of Holy Family’s Youth Group and four adult chaperones went on an overnight camping expedition to McCormick’s Creek State Park. Youth enjoyed hiking in McCormick’s Creek canyon and waterfall area and the Wolf Cave nature preserve. The youth also spent some time participating in team building activities. Additionally, the youth cooked two meals over a fire. The participants also shared Compline by campfire and held Morning prayer by the fire as well. More information about Holy Family’s Youth Group can be obtained by contacting Youth Director Marty Blake. mblake@hfec.org
CLICK HERE to view more photos from the Youth Group campout.
Faith Journey Pipe & Helium Stick
Holy Family’s Youth Group recently met for its September dinner and teambuilding session. Youth participated in “faith journey pipe” where a small bead had to be transported through a 1/2 inch pvc pipe in two five-foot sections without making contact with the ground. The bead represents the fast and slow times of life and the need to have others around you to get you to the goal through love and support.
Helium stick is a team building activity in which participants are challenged to suspend a 10 foot section of pipe using only two fingers and lower it to the ground without losing contact with the pipe. The urge to raise the pipe (temptation) is overpowering and the group must work as a team to achieve the goal relying on solid communication, positive affirmation, and mental agility. Following the teambuilding activities, the youth closed the evening by participating in Compline worship together.
Holy Family’s youth meet for Sunday school each week at 9 AM and once each month on Sunday evenings for dinner, fellowship, and teambuilding activities. For more information on Holy Family’s youth programs, please contact Director Marty Blake. mblake@hfec.org
Mission in the Mountains Presentation
On Sunday, September 17th, Holy Family’s Mission in the Mountains team members shared stories and reflections from their summer mission trip. You may CLICK HERE to download the slides used during the presentation. The slides contain reflections from each of Holy Family’s youth that attended as well as a few from the Tennessee participants.
The Mission in the Mountains participants would like to thank everyone who supported our mission work. Our 2018 mission trip will take place in Indianapolis with guests from St. John’s Episcopal Church in Johnson City, TN. For more information, please contact our Youth Director Marty Blake at mblake@hfec.org.
Youth Group: Trust V
Nine of HFEC’s youth group members along with four visiting youth from St. Christopher’s in Carmel met for a cookout fellowship Sunday evening. HFEC has extended an invitation to St. Christopher’s youth for our gatherings as their parish is also in transition of rector and youth ministers simultaneously.
The group focused on communication skills and trust-building using Mobile Team Challenge low ropes course. Participants balanced on 3-inch high beams and helped support one another crossing an increasing span up to nine feet wide. This activity requires direct eye contact, open communication, and a high level of trust from both partners.
A most successful evening activity was finished out with Compline led by Sam Cleaver assisted by Mikaila Blake. The next evening gathering will be held on September 17th from 5:30-8:00 PM. Please contact Youth Director Marty Blake for more information about Holy Family’s Youth Group program. mblake@hfec.org
Confirmation Celebration 2017
During our 10 AM Service, four Holy Family members were recognized and blessed as recent Confirmands in the Episcopal Church. They were presented with a certificate signed by Diocese of Indianapolis Bishop The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Holy Family Deacon The Rev. Cathy Scott, and Confirmation instructor Bob Murray. They also received personal copies of the Book of Common Prayer. To close the special liturgy, all members in attendance placed their hands on the people in front of them as a traditional symbol of “laying on of hands,” offering congregational support throughout their spiritual journeys. We also celebrated a special hospitality with cake and ice cream. For more information about being Confirmed in the Episcopal Church, please contact The Reverend Cathy Scott at cscott@hfec.org.
