We are in the process of updating this page for the 2023-2024  Program Year,

but youth group is alive and well at St. Peter's! 

You are invited to read this excerpt from our last mission trip to Philadelphia, written by our amazing youth minster, Maureen Lucas.

"Writing to you as Saturday night becomes Sunday morning, as we near the end of our trip, and as we prepare to return to “normal life.” 

After quite a powerful night the youth are settled down for their final night’s sleep here at the Episcopal Mission Center (EMC) in Philadelphia. Everyone here has mixed feelings of gladness to be moving toward homegoing and sadness for leaving this place we have known as home for a week.

We have been so blessed to give our help to the various service agencies doing God’s work here. Tonight one of the students remarked that it was uncomfortable that we are going home to such privilege while the people we have come here to help are stuck here, often trapped in their situations. That’s where our service can come in; not because we have the answers or can fix the problems, but because we are a small part of something greater.

One of the reasons we chose this particular location and the EMC specifically was because of the established agency relationships here. On many short term trips, there are summer helping programs which students plug into then when summer is over these services end and the community has one less resource.

There is always value in helping, and summer programs do absolutely provide important services! The programs we participated in on this trip however, have a long-term presence in the community. This is valuable because such programs help to provide consistent services which those in need can rely on.

This became part of our conversation as we sat in St. Luke’s Germantown tonight; reflecting on the trip, who we met, what we did, and where we noticed God working in our time here.

In that worshipful space we participated in the Lord’s Supper in a very powerful way. As he prepared the table, Rev. Matt spoke the Eucharistic prayers, engaging the sacred words and elements in a way that brought a depth of understanding to the youth and adults. It seemed to finally become clear to some of the teens. The service was more than just words. The bread and wine were more than just bread and wine. These are a holy meal; a gift of grace and hope, of resurrection from death- a body, broken for us. Tonight we were all so very strongly reminded of that.

The rest of the worship, well, it’s really tough to describe. The movement of the Holy Spirit is practically impossible to put into words. We sang together, worshiped together, and prayed together. We felt God so very present with us, and give praise for it!

We began worship tonight by singing Jubilate Deo. Joy to God.

And here, in Philadelphia, woven in pieces through the squalor and need, among the litter and hopelessness, among the homeless and impoverished, we see those who are helping; living in this community and being part of a bigger solution. We see joy to God in those living that life of service, embodying hope for a better tomorrow and a commitment to making that happen as best they can..."

For more info about the youth program at St. Peter's, reach out by connecting here.

Updated by MJL on 8/2/2019