Senior High Youth Group (SHYG) 9th-12th Grades
RECAP: 2023 SHYG Mission Trip to New Orleans
Our 2023 SHYG Mission Trip to New Orleans was an amazing experience for the entire group. Our days were spent working in a community garden, painting and organizing a Battered Woman’s Shelter, spending an incredibly emotional but fulfilling day at the New Orleans Mission, to digging deep both physically and emotionally into the marshes of New Orleans. This was a group across all grades and genders, and we worked and bonded like a true Youth Group. Looking forward to what next year brings.
SHYG at the Congregational Church of Amherst is a fellowship group for 9th-12th graders. This vibrant group has its own culture and traditions, and is always open to new members. You (or your parents) do not have to attend CCA to come to Youth Group – ALL are welcome! The SHYG typically meets a few Sunday evenings per month for fellowship, service, and spiritual time.
Community
An essential part of the Senior High program is community building, centered in God’s love for us and God’s call to love others. As a group, we continually and consciously work to take risks and be real with each other, to lift each other up in truth and love, and to see God’s face in one another. SHYG is a place where each and every one of us is invited to come with our full selves, knowing that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. SHYG is an open and affirming group, and strives to be a safe space for all.
Local Service
The SHYG maintains relationships with local nonprofits and service organizations, and does small mission projects throughout the year. This ministry is rich and life affirming for the teenagers in our group, and offers opportunities to understand the needs in our own backyard.
Mission Trips
Each June, the SHYG takes a weeklong trip to intentionally serve communities in need. Over the years, the SHYG has served in places like New Orleans, Miami, Tennessee, Washington DC, rural NH, and New York, learning about issues affecting our nation that range from rural poverty to urban renewal. Going away for mission work teaches us about cultures and experiences different from ours, deepens our understanding of our own lives and experiences, supports lasting relationships, and statistically encourages lifelong participation in the life of the church.
Contacts:
If you are interested in learning more about our Senior High Youth Group programs, please contact Larissa Riley, Director of Youth Ministries (603-673-3231, ext 20).
