Our Lady Of Grace - Beverly Hills, FL at 6 Roosevelt Blvd, Beverly Hills, FL 34465 US - Report on 2008-2009 Youth Activities

In trying to get the youth involved in the church, we had them help with many of the activities.  They served the food at the July 4^th sing-a-long, which also helped them raise some money to cover the group’s expenses. In September, we partnered with the Beverly Hills Community Church and helped with the Team Impact Program. This was a program that attracted youth as the impact team demonstrated feats of strength, but then gave testimony as to the real strength is your belief in God.  This was an ecumenical service, in which seven of our youth attended and two served as ushers. Six of our youth and several adults took part in the Right to Life chain in October on SR 491 and two of the youth did a bike ride to raise money for the Right-to-Life organization.   The youth served cookies and punch at the Christmas show.   The youth group also put on the Living Stations on March 29.   On Easter Sunday, they helped to run the Easter egg hunt for the younger children.  As part of their on giving sacrifice, they donated food to the poor, clothing for the homeless, and raised money to sponsor a foster teen boy for Christmas.  They saved enough money by doing chores to buy several nice presents for the boy so that he would have nice things to wear to school and even took the time to do the shopping. .   

We also did some fun things this year.  The youth group took part in the Beverly Hills Christmas Parade this year.  They planned and decorated the float and even took first prize in the religious category.  They also decorated the outside of the church with Christmas lights, so we could bring the hope of Christ’s love to the neighborhood. 

We also took 11 youth to the Holy Land Exhibit in Orlando so that they could get some kind of reference to the places they have learned and heard about in the bible.  We will also be taking them bowling at Manatee Lanes and have even invited the parents to join them for our end-of-the-year celebration. 

We will not be meeting during the months of July and August, and will return to our regular meetings in September.  

In their spiritual growth, one of our members was baptized at the Easter Vigil. Several of our members started the Teen Bible Study on Sunday and also arranged four youth Masses during the past year.  Three of our members became peer ministers and are hoping to take the advance training, so that they can become even more helpful to the group and to their church.  The three peer ministers have also helped on many of the St. Leo retreat weekends, which one was for our own Confirmation Class.  Seven of our members also belong to the youth choir and helped with the ad spot for Mr. Ed’s Talent Show.  

I think I can speak for Mylene, Tom, Lois, Rico and myself in saying that we all appreciate the support we have been given and hope it will continue in the future.  With the cost of everything, from food to gasoline, it is hard for the parents to sometimes provide the children with something to do or place to go where they can feel safe.  We feel it is very important to make sure that the youth feel a part of the church.  We have tried to teach the youth to give because it is the right thing to do and not look for any pat on the back.  We tell them that God sees their good work and that should be their reward.  If there are any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

God Bless!

Fran Frey, Youth Coordinator