Youth Group

This group meets on Sunday evenings for devotions and education, outreach ministry planning, as well as preparing for events and retreats. The youth group generally raises their own funds that are devoted to underwriting various retreats such as “Closer Walk,” trips and outreach ministries. Through continuing sponsorship of seasonal fellowship dinners, picnics, and other events which involve the congregation and the community at large, the youth are able to distribute funds to non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity, the Annual Red Bank CROP Walk, The Calico Cat, The Center in Asbury Park, The Bayshore Lunch Program, Family Promise of Monmouth County, and Reformed Church programs. Each year, the teens, parents, and leaders sponsor the annual Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski, II Memorial Scholarship BBQ in memory of Dennis Zilinski who was a former Sunday school and Youth Group member. Dennis lost his life while serving in the United States Army in Iraq on November 19, 2005. Scholarships are awarded to graduating youth group members who are moving on or continuing on to higher education or entering the military. The Youth Group has collaborated with the Zilinski Scholarship Fund, the Dorcas Circle, and Ruth Circle members in order to present scholarships on a yearly basis. The first scholarships were awarded in 2006.

Middletown Reformed Church is also a participating member of Garden State MOSAIC: Mobilizing Our Students for Action to Build Interfaith Community. Garden State MOSAIC is a unique program that empowers its young participants to work collaboratively in small group settings for invaluable interfaith education, to practice leadership and communication skills. The program also provides an opportunity for students to learn positive and constructive ways of addressing the differences in values and norms between the many different faith traditions that have become part of our ever-changing society. To learn more visit http://www.gardenstatemosaic.org.

Sunday Night live Youth Group meeting in the Lower Auditorium, 6 PM