SJN Youth Ministry Group
2025-2026 Registration is Open!
View Our Calendar HERE
Our Ministry to Youth
The GOAL: Building up the young living members of the Body of Jesus Christ in a thriving community of faith.
What is it? Ministry to youth is often a misunderstood branch of the Church’s activities. Many people don’t understand what a “youth group” actually does to help young people grow in their relationship to Jesus Christ and their faith communities. If you are one of those people, I would like to ease your mind that all of us involved in our youth ministry program at our parish of St. John Neumann are committed to being a guide and creating environments and opportunities for teens to encounter the person of Jesus Christ and develop in their love for God and their neighbor.
- Confirmation Preparation is offered for 5th grade and up during Sunday morning RE classes or with at home curriculum.
- Our Middle School Ministry is offered for 6th-8th Grade on Sundays from 5:00-6:30pm in Seton Hall.
- Our High School Ministry is offered for 9th-12th Grade on Wednesday nights from 6:00-7:30pm in SJN school’s music room.
Our Events: Our Sunday and Wednesday night youth meetings allow teens to have a safe and fun environment to recognize the unfathomable love of God for them through games and activities, lessons, discussion groups, and times of prayer. Once a month, Sunday youth nights take a special focus on building intentional community with their peers and volunteer leaders.
We have times of Eucharistic adoration and music throughout the year in order to facilitate authentic encounter with God in the Eucharist. In our times of adoration we have the opportunity to bask in the love of Christ and then meet together afterward in order to better understand the beauty of the Mass and the Sacraments.
Different community activities are offered throughout the semester for teens to find the loving community of the Church in all parts of the world, which helps them respond to the universal call to holiness and their task of sanctifying the world by their words and deeds.
We plan to establish regular service opportunities for our youth, so as to reveal the love of God that they have experienced to those around them.
Results: All of our events are meant to introduce youth to, and equip them to have, a living and lasting relationship with Jesus. Helping them find their identity as a living and loved member of the Body of Christ. This comes through seeing and experiencing that same living faith and relationship through the real life example of other members of the Body.
Our faith is a relationship and can only be experienced and carried on through relationships; with Jesus and one another.
By being formed as intentional disciples of Jesus Christ, our young people in turn become mentors who love Jesus and feel capable of sharing that love and relationship with others. We are all called to transform the world through our own transformation.
Volunteer: If you are interested in getting involved with our vibrant youth, please reach out to me or fill out this form and we can discuss where your talents and passion can best be put to use for the benefit of our young people.
Financial Support: If you would like to make a donation to support the Youth and Young Adult ministry, please visit sjnknox.org/gifts, select the Weekly Offertory fund, and write “Youth Ministry” in the memo line.
Gratitude: On behalf of all of us working to bring our young people into an ardent and authentic love for our Lord, we thank you for your support and prayers and look forward to continuing to serve our beautiful parish community.
Register: If you are interested in getting your young people involved in a great community of faith, you can register here: https://sjnknox.org/2025-2026-religious-education-registration/
“All people are born as originals but many die as photocopies.” – Bl. Carlo Acutis
“The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” – Pope Benedict XVI
“Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)
Please feel free to contact me with any questions about Confirmation preparation and/or our Youth and Young Adult programs through email or following this link.
Sara Marquardt, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Email: smarquardt@sjnknox.org
Phone: (865) 777-3442
