Good Afternoon Parents & Teens!
We are excited to finally kick off the fall with our programs and events. Here are the important details and announcements you'll find in this e-mail:
- Youth Group & Faith Explorers begin tomorrow night (9/16)!
- ROAD WORK may interfere with Wednesday night pick up.
- The Post - New Bible class for teens on Sundays after church, starting 9/27.
- Family Fun Fest & Chili Cook-Off (unfortunately replacing the International Festival, but sure to be a great time for your family and neighbors!)
- Fall Retreat Registration is Live!
Grace and Peace,
Fuzzy
Upcoming Events
- 9/16: First night of Youth Group & Faith Explorers (Grades K-12)
- 9/26: MS Hang Out Night @ Church (6:00-8:30)
- 9/26: HS Bonfire & Glow Night @ Kraemer's (6:00-9:00)
- 9/27: "The Post" Bible Class Starts (12:00-1:00) [All Youth]
- 10/3: International Festival Family Fun Fest & Chili Cook-Off
- 11/1: SQUAMISH (HS Only)
- 11/6 - 11/8: Fall Retreat @ Victory Valley (All Youth)
- 11/21: Rake, Bake & Shake (MS Only)
- 12/4 - 12/5: Christmas Walk-Thru
- 1/15 - 1/17: Winter Retreat
Serve Monthly in The 2026-2027 School Year
Students in grades 6-12 are encouraged to serve in Children's Ministry on Sunday mornings. There is an option to serve once a month or only on 5th Sundays (which take place 3 times over the school year). Teens generally assist the teacher, play with kids, help with crafts, etc. However, they are welcome to inquire about helping teach the lesson. Just ask!
Classes to Serve in:
- Nursery from 9:50-11:25
- 2s&3s Class from 9:50-11:25
- Pre-K/Kindergarten Class during the sermon and closing song
Sign Up for The 26/27 School Year HERE
Youth Group (Grades 6-12)
Starting Sep 16
Students in grades 6-8 and 9-12 meet every Wednesday night from 6:30-8:00 to build community and dive deep into God's word, growing in Christ together. Grades 6-8 in the fireplace room (room 103-104) and Grades 9-12 in room 201. Make sure that all attending have filled out THIS FORM.
EVENING ROAD WORK WARNING!
We just learned that there will now be roadwork starting at 7pm each weeknight. This means that drop off should still be simple, but pick-up may be more challenging on Wednesday nights. As of now, the roadwork is happening between Strath Haven High School and Springhaven Club.
- If travelling from the Brookhaven/Garden City area, travel through the back neighborhood and use the back entrance to the church.
- If travelling from Media, you will want to either use Brookhaven Rd to enter through the back neighborhood, or use 320 to Providence Rd. When turning onto Providence Rd from 320, the right turning lane may be completely blocked, however, the center lanes are open so you are still able to make a sharp right turn.
- If travelling from Chester/Bullens Ln, you should not have any issues arriving at church. When you turn left onto Providence Rd (off of Providence Ave/320) the center lanes should be clear and notify that St. John's is still accessible, which means that we are accessible from that direction as well!
New Youth Bible Class
Are you interested in going deeper in your understanding of the Bible? Starting September 27th, we will be offering a new 1 hour Sunday Bible Study that meets every week at 12:00 noon.
This study will be different from many discussion-based groups. While application is important, our primary focus will be on learning what the Bible actually teaches, understanding its structure, its message, exploring its context, and growing in our knowledge of God's Word. Together, we'll study Scripture carefully and build a stronger foundation for our faith.
This is not intended to be a social gathering or hangout time. Instead, it is designed for students who are serious about studying the Bible and want to go beyond the surface to gain a deeper understanding of God's truth.
Whether you're new to Bible study or have been reading Scripture for years, you'll be challenged to think, learn, and grow.
When: Sundays at 12:00 PM (starting Sept. 27th)
Length: 1 hour
Where: Upstairs in Room 205
Focus: Understanding the Bible and its teachings in depth
If you're ready to dig deeper into Scripture, we'd love to have you join us!
Family Fun Fest & Chili Cook-Off
Oct 3 @ 1:00-4:00
Join us for this completely FREE event to help bring the community together and create lasting memories. Sample homemade chili, listen to live music, snack on fun fair foods and let your kids play all day! Yes, absolutely everything we offer has already been paid for and is completely free for you to enjoy.
Sign up to help out with the event and/or to compete in our Chili Cook-Off HERE. (All contestants can get reimbursed for the cost of their chili.)
Activities Include: Obstacle Course, Laser Tag, Bounce House, Dunk Tank, Train Rides, Speed Pitch Booth, Carnival Games, Crafts & MORE!
Hangout Nights for MS & HS on September 26
HIGH SCHOOL Bonfire & Glow Night @ The Kraemer’s
Who: All students in grades 9-12
When: Saturday Sept. 26th @ 6:00-9:00
Where: The Kraemer’s (726 Windsor Pl. Wallingford, PA)
Bring: A snack to share if you are able
Middle School Hangout Night @ Grace Church
Who: All students in grades 6-8
What: Games, Food, Music & Fun
When: Saturday Sept. 20th @ 6:00-8:30
Where: Grace Church (723 S. Providence Rd. Wallingford, PA)
Bring: A snack to share if you are able (main dinner food provided)
Note for parents with teens in both MS and HS: The Kraemer's are just a quick 5 minute drive down the road. It's fine if teens show up a few minutes late and the ending times are staggered to help you with pick up. I may be able to transfer some middle school students at the end of the night to the Kraemer's if that would help!
Fall Retreat (All Youth)
Nov 6-8
What will we be doing? We will have an ACTION PACKED weekend at Victory Valley Camp in Zionsville, PA. The weekend will be centered on Christ and community with times for singing, digging into God's Word, and a wide variety of activities including field games, indoor basketball, a game room and Goliath (ropes course).
Who is the speaker? This year Elizabeth Piasecki will be our Keynote speaker. Elizabeth has been part of Grace Church since birth and is now planning to go into full time overseas missions. We are excited to have her minister to our own youth one last time before heading off to wherever God leads her.
Can my teen go up late on Friday night? YES! We will do our best to make sure there is a late van for any teens who can't come up on time. Though it is best for teens to attend the entire retreat, we will make sure that they do not miss any essential information in the first session that would prevent them from following along for Saturday's sessions. (Also, note that we are not going to actually head out until 5:45, but the only way to eat dinner is to get to church before 5:30.)
How much does the FULL weekend cost? The cost of the retreat is $125 per teen and includes a t-shirt. A $50 deposit will be due on Wednesday, October 21st and the remaining $75 is due on the day of the retreat. (Register early to guarantee your preferred shirt size.) You are welcome to pay the entire amount upfront. If a scholarship would be a blessing, just ask! We don't want any teens to stay home because of funds.
Is there dinner on Friday night? YES! We are including dinner on Friday night. Just show up to the church @ 5:00 and we will eat before we leave. You must arrive by 5:30 if you want to eat dinner before we leave.
Daily Teen Devotionals
How to Join: You can click on this link for the YouVersion Bible App download the app and create an account if you/your teen don’t already have one. Once you do that, you can just become my friend by clicking HERE and I will ask you to join the latest plan. I made my name "Fuzzy Phillips" in the app, so it should be very easy to know if you have the correct person!
Is your teen involved in sports, a musical, or something else that students & leaders might want to attend? Let us know and we will add that information to this section!
Also available as Markdown.