Vertical: Our Plan
Weekly meetings
We meet two times a month on Wednesday nights from 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM at our church on the corner of Highway 5 and County Road 46. Typically we will have a Large Group time with both Jr. High and Sr. High students where we hang out, worship with our own teen band(s), play games, and hear relevant Biblical messages with engaging skits and multimedia. Also, we take time to split up into assigned Small Groups which are led by our parent leaders and provide students with opportunities to discover Christ as they connect with other students, engage in lively and relevant discussions, and in general share their lives together. View the calendar for this year’s schedule. In addition, there are a number of other supporting ministry components:
Teen Band
Our teen band director is also the full-time church Music Director, Dave Durry. Dave works with our students to produce skilled musicians that learn not only how to play together as a band, but also how to worship together as a team.
Next Step
This is an additional opportunity for Sr. High students who are interested in going deeper in their faith through Bible discovery and evangelism training and outreach. Currently they are meeting every other Friday night, 8:45-9:45 PM. View the calendar for this year’s schedule.
Conferences
Conferences give students the chance to break away from their normal daily routines and environments, and have a blast experiencing a spiritually impactful time with other students and leaders.
Spring Conference
The Spring Conference is typically a weekend conference in March, held near McGregor, MN. It’s a time for Jr. High (6th-8th grade) students to invest in a time of extended worship, Biblical teaching, and fellowship. It's definitely one of the highlights of the year.
High School Leadership Training (HSLT)
HSLT is a summer conference for 9th graders and on up that is held in Northfield, MN in conjunction with our Northwest Regional Churches. Students grow deeper in their understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ and participate in the Great Commission. View the calendar for the dates of this year’s HSLT Conference.
Faithwalkers
Faithwalkers is an annual conference sponsored by Great Commission Churches. This year's conference is held from Dec. 27-30 in two locations: Omaha, NE and Asheville, NC. It is a rallying conference for everyone: young people, couples, parents, and families, to help them continue in GCC’s tradition of "New Testament Christianity in Action Today." Visit the Faithwalkers site for details.
Service Opportunities
Service Opportunities such as Mission to the City and participating in community kindness projects provide an opportunity for students to get a “mission trip” type experience right here at home. These events give students a chance to work hard while building relationships with others in the youth group. We have found when it comes to serving, it is truly “better to give than receive.”
Short Term Missions
Short Term Missions give students and their parents a chance to live out the “Great Commission” given in Matthew 28:19 where Jesus says, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” These week long excursions usually combine a service project, for example digging a drainage system, with outreach activities such as dramas and puppet shows. Students also get a chance to experience the joy of sharing the Good New of Jesus Christ with those in a foreign country. This is a challenging and encouraging time that is not soon forgotten.
