WELLSHIRE YOUTH PROGRAM
Youth at Wellshire Presbyterian Church have many opportunities to connect with God through experiences of worship, study, service, and fellowship with their peers. Bible studies, Youth Group, Confirmation, the annual Youth Mission Trip, Youth Council, Youth Choir and Vespers Band are some of the strong programs that build up the faith of our youth and prepare them for a life of discipleship.
JOY (Jesus, Others, and YOU) is Wellshire’s Junior High Youth program which 
engages students in grades 6-8. Through play, worship, and relational interaction with peers and adult sponsors, Junior High students learn about the basics of Christian faith and what it means to live that faith out in the world.
SHY (Senior High Youth) is Wellshire’s Senior High Youth program for students in grades 9-12. All High School students are invited to be a part of this fun-loving, welcoming, Christ-seeking community of people who gather weekly to experience what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
JOY and SHY both meet on Sunday evenings from 6:15-8:00 p.m. beginning in the Youth Suite. On the first Sunday of the month, dinner is served beginning at 6:15 in Fellowship 1. “The Well” is a youth-led worship service following dinner.
Occasionally, JOY and SHY meet offsite for an activity such as Laser Quest, Floor Hockey at DU, or Ice Skating. Also, SHY enjoys an annual fall retreat and a Ski Trip to Monarch Mountain in January, and JOY participates in the Highlands Camp Mid-High retreat in early March. Click here for a complete calendar of events.
Wellshire’s outstanding group of Youth Sponsors commit to sharing the gospel, through their words, actions, and faithful presence, to Junior and Senior High youth for a year at a time. If you are an adult interested in becoming a youth sponsor, contact Betsey Moe.
The Annual Youth Mission Trip is one of Wellshire’s strongest traditions. In June (usually the second week), graduated 8th-12th graders travel together to engage in a week of service and reflection. In the past, youth have traveled to locations such as West Virginia, Arkansas, Montana, New York City, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Last year, 72 youth and adult sponsors built four complete homes in Juarez, Mexico.
Confirmation is an exciting program in which students are invited to learn of 
God’s ways and respond. This eight-month program, beginning each September, is open to all interested Ninth-Grade students or older students who have not previously gone through the program. At Wellshire, we follow a mentor-retreat model; each student meets with an adult mentor from Wellshire for eight mentoring sessions, and all students gather for four 3-hour Saturday morning sessions with a pastor. This year, the teaching sessions are on September 15, November 17, January 26, and March 15. For a full Confirmation program guide, click here.
The Wellshire Youth Council is a group of people committed to supporting and developing the Youth Ministries of WPC. The Youth Council, nominated by each upcoming class of seniors, is made of three parents serving on a rotational basis, four-five students, and the Associate Pastor for Youth and Young Adults. The council meets on the second Wednesday of the month. The 2007-2008 Youth Council members are: Kelly Viseur, Kimberly Norris, Debbie Neujahr (parents); Brooke Olson, Rachel Wildrick, Matthew Kalan, Allie Christ, Kevin Ruby (students); and Betsey Moe (pastor).
The Wellshire Singers is a choir for high school students, this year comprised of all young women. The Wellshire Singers rehearses on Wednesday evenings under the direction of Dr. Michael Pohlenz and sings regularly in Sunday morning worship services.
The Youth Vespers Band is a group of Jr. and Sr. High musicians (guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and more) that rehearses on Sundays prior to JOY and SHY and provides musical leadership for the Youth Worship experiences on Sunday nights.
