Youth

Youth are invited into all aspects of church life and are encouraged to be involved in the life of the church. At St. Anselm’s, there are a variety of ways for them to do so.

For young people Grade 4 through 12, serving as an acolyte is a great way to learn in a “hands-on” way about what goes on during worship and how they can be part of it. Acolytes carry the cross and torches to and from worship, take in the collection, and assist in preparing the holy table for Communion. For information on how to become an acolyte, please contact the parish office.

From time to time (pre-Covid once per quarter), worship services are completely youth-led. These Sundays are particularly meaningful for the entire congregation, and remind us that our youth are not the “church of the future” but the “church of today.”

Note: Youth are invited to serve in worship ministries at any time, and some are regular members of the rotation of lay readers.

Youth (generally of high school age) who feel ready to explore a commitment to the promises made for them at their baptism are invited to engage in preparation for Confirmation. Interested youth meet with the rector for a period of time to discuss what these promises are and what they mean, how they inform the way we live our lives, and what our faith has to say about the world and our place in it. Importantly, discussions are open-ended so that the process, as well as the decision whether to be confirmed, belongs to the youth. Accordingly, we ask parents to place no pressure on their youth as to being confirmed.