St. Mark's Lutheran Church Youth and Family Ministry
Welcome back to a new year at St. Mark's! It was great seeing some of you at the Ministry Fair. We hope to see many of you this Sunday as we kick off Fall programming.
Email Youth Director Alice Real at youth@stmarks-elca.org with questions or to be added to the mailing list.
* * * In order to participate in activities, all youth/parents must register to provide up-to-date information for youth leaders,
as well as complete the 2025-2026 medical release/consent form. English or Spanish * * *
This Week at St. Mark's:
Sunday, October 12, 2025
First Day of Confirmation Class and High School Youth Group
Confirmation: Grades 7 and 8
Teachers: Peggy Harris and Peter Weekly
Sundays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Room 217
This Week: Exploring the Commandments: Part Four
High School: Grades 9-12
Adult Leaders: Alice Real and Jim Kyger
Sundays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Room 215 Youth Room
High School will continue to explore the Bible this year, from Genesis through Acts and the birth of the church, seeking examples of God's love and call in the scriptures and in our daily lives.
This Week: God Calls Samuel- How does God bless and equip us to do good things?
Last Sunday!! Oktoberfest
CThanks to everyone who helped make this year's Oktoberfest a success!! We had about 55 attendees and raised over $550 in donations (after expenses). Please feel free to upload any photos you took to this folder. Feedback/suggestions for next year are also welcome!
Calendar at-a-glance …
October:
10/19 Oktoberfest Dinner Youth Fundraiser
November:
11/2 Burke/Fairfax Crop Hunger Walk
1/21-23 Synod Middle School/High School Retreat, Skycroft Retreat Center, Middletown MD
December:
12/21 Christmas Pageant Dress Rehearsal (11:00 AM-12:PM)
12/24 Christmas Eve Bilingual Family Service and Christmas Pageant, 5:00 PM
February:
2/15 Shrove Sunday Pancake Brunch Youth Fundraiser (11:00 AM-12:00 PM)
Full youth ministry calendar
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For more information, contact Alice Real, Director of Youth and Family Ministries, at youth@stmarks-elca.org.
See you Sunday!
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See photos of our 2018-2020 gatherings and 2021 Youth Sunday below:
St. Mark’s Mission Trip to Red Bird Work Camp
July 2024
In July 2024, St. Mark’s sent a team to participate in Red Bird Mission Work Camp. Jim Kyger, Harriet Latta, Maureen Murphy, Alice Real, and Mary Crumrine (Alice’s sister) spent July 21 through July 26 in Beverly, Kentucky, working on home improvement projects in the surrounding community. Guided by Red Bird Crew Leaders, Brett and Kevin, they repaired and replaced a bedroom floor and water heater in an elderly couple's trailer home, and they mudded drywall and installed underpinning around an addition to the couple’s nephew's home across the street. The addition will be a new bedroom for several of the nephew's children.
Watch worship on St. Mark's Youtube channel!
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Youth Group Parent Handbook
Parents! Click HERE to download and view your Youth Group 2021-2022 Information Meeting Handout.
Youth Ministry Calendar 2025-2026
Looking Ahead
Save the date for these upcoming events. More details to come! A full youth ministry calendar is attached. Additional activities will be planned based on youth input.
Sunday, October 12- Saturday, November 1
White House Ornament Sale
St. Mark's Youth will be selling White House Ornaments again this year as a fundraiser. The 2025 ornaments celebrate the 150th anniversary of state dinners at the Executive Mansion and cost $25 each. Pre-order online or in the narthex on 10/12, 10/19, and 10/26. All orders must be placed by November 1. Payment (cash or check made out to St. Mark's Lutheran Church) is due at time of pick up, either after the 11/23 congregational meeting or by arrangement with the church office. Proceeds benefit the St. Mark's youth activities. We will need parents and youth to help with pre-orders in the narthex on Sundays 10/12, 10/19, and 10/26, as well as at the Oktoberfest Dinner on 10/19. Sign up to help sell ornaments
Sunday, November 2, 2:00 PM
Burke/Fairfax Crop Hunger Walk
The Burke/Fairfax Crop Hunger Walk is this Sunday, November 2. There is still time to register and walk with the St Mark's team! See below for details- hope you will join us!
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Do you like to walk outside? Do you want to make a difference and fight against hunger in our community and world? St. Mark's is participating in the Burke/Fairfax Crop Hunger Walk this year on Sunday, November 2. The walk is 3.6 miles round trip along Burke Center Parkway, starting at Burke Presbyterian Church at 2pm (walkers report between 1 and 1:30pm). Funds raised will support ECHO, Western Fairfax Christian Ministries, and Church World Service to combat hunger locally and globally. Join the St. Mark's team to walk or donate towards our $1000 goal.
All participants must register on the Burke Crop Walk website at the link above. (Click the blue "join the team" button.) Families are encouraged to walk together. We will also arrange a carpool from St. Mark's for any youth who need transportation. Individual fundraising is optional- feel free to sign up just to walk and raise awareness!
Hope you will join us!
8:00 PM Friday, November 21 through 12:00 PM Sunday, November 23
Middle/High School Youth Retreat, Skycroft Conference Center, Middletown, Maryland
The Metro DC and Delaware-Maryland Synods are hosting a retreat for middle and high school students, Friday, November 21- Sunday, November 23 at the Skycroft Conference Center in Middletown, MD. Youth in grades 6-12 will gather for a weekend of music, games, campfire, small group faith discussions, service projects and worship with youth from across our two Lutheran synods.
Event Website Retreat Schedule
St. Mark's will register and pay for any youth who would like to participate! We will plan to travel as a group that Friday afternoon and return Sunday afternoon. If you are interested, sign up here by November 2nd or email Alice to let her know! (youth@stmarks-elca.org)
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In order to participate in activities, all youth/parents must register to provide up-to-date information for youth leaders, as well as complete the 2025-2026 medical release/consent form. English Spanish
Full youth ministry calendar
* * * * * * *
For more information, contact Alice Real, Director of Youth and Family Ministries, at youth@stmarks-elca.org.
The St. Marks Youth had a great time raking leaves at church member homes on a recent November Sunday afternoon!
