– Children & Youth Ministries –
– Children & Youth Ministries –
Building on the Foundations
‘Who is God? Does faith really matter? What does going to church have to do with the rest of my life?’
The list of questions is endless, and many of them are questions we continue to ask throughout our adult lives. Our pre-teen and teenage years, however, are the years in which we first find ourselves confronting many of the mysteries of our faith. At North Shore Congregational Church, we seek to create a variety of opportunities for education, exploration and fellowship…opening the early doors for a lifetime of constant grappling and growth in our journey of faith.
KidsConnect @Church
Grades 4-8
KidsConnect@Church is our upper elementary youth program for children in grades 4-8. With regular gatherings, as well as special events and overnights throughout the year, KidsConnect@Church seeks to foster relationships between these growing children and the church, as well as between the children themselves as friends in faith.
With periodic devotional and reflection pieces integrated into the programs, the primary focus of KidsConnect@Church is the fostering of relationships through games, activities, crafts and more. The foremost goal of the program is to help these young members of our church family feel that they have a home at this church, and a fellowship with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.
With any questions, please contact our Associate Minister, the Rev. Julie Sheridan-Smith, at JulieSmith@NSCChurchWI.org.
The Hangout
Grades 9-12
The Hangout is the High School youth program for North Shore Congregational Church. Available to youth in grades 9-12, The Hangout uses regular gatherings, as well as different one-time programs and events to continue to engage the young people of our church family in the life and ministries of the church.
Kids are encouraged to attend programs whenever they are able, and friends are always welcome. To check for upcoming events, check out our Calendar and News page.
With questions, or to be notified of upcoming events, please contact Rev. Julie at juliesmith@northshorecongl.org.
Confirmation
A true and meaningful relationship with God is a blessing we receive as a gift from our families, our friends, and our church community in our childhood years. We reach an age, however, in which our engagement in faith, and the life of the church, needs to be a decision we make for ourselves. This is what the Confirmation journey is all about.
Typically starting in middle school, our Confirmation students meet on a weekly basis over the course of two school years, to learn about the Bible, Church history, worship, church life, and more. At the conclusion of this journey, these young men and women are given the opportunity to decide, for themselves, if they wish to ‘confirm’ their faith and if they wish to become a member of (and thus live out that faith in) North Shore Congregational Church.
If you would like to learn more about our Confirmation journey, please contact Rev. Julie at juliesmith@northshorecongl.org.
– Upcoming Youth Events –
What’s Happening?
Hosanna Mission Trip
Dates TBD
Children, youth and adults of all ages spend a week of ministry in partnership with Hosanna Industries in western PA. This is a shared trip of more than 50 people from North Shore Congregational, First Congregational of Wauwatosa and Ozaukee Congregational Church. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no trip was scheduled in 2021. We hope to resume this active ministry in 2022.
WCA Summer Camp
July 11-17
Kids currently in grades 5-12 are invited to join in a week filled with inspiring worship, faithful dialog, rich fellowship, and all the fun a great summer camp can offer!
Volunteers Needed
Do you have a heart for helping the youngest among us discover the presence of God in their lives? Do you find your own faithful growth in the wisdom-filled questions we hear from the children around us? Would you like to be a part of our ministries that service children and youth?
From Sunday school classes and youth gatherings to overnights and retreats, we are always thrilled to have adult leaders join in the fun! Whether it is for one night here or there, or regular help with an ongoing program, Rev. Julie with questions at juliesmith@northshorecongl.org, or download our application to volunteer.
Is My Child Safe?
Providing a safe and comfortable environment for children is imperative for the personal and spiritual development of both the children and their parents. Through membership expectations, accountability practices, background checks, and more, we work diligently to see to the well-being and protection of all children at North Shore Congregational Church. Feel free to review our Child Safety Policy and contact us if you have any questions.
Camps, Retreats & Mission Trips
Locally at North Shore Congregational Church, in partnership with sister Congregational churches in Milwaukee, and statewide with the Wisconsin Congregational Association, our children and youth participate in a number of retreats, mission trips, overnights and camps throughout the year.