Identity Youth Week

June 4–7 hosted the second annual Identity Youth Week—a time that targeted youth from all over the South City area of St. Louis to learn about their intimate, loving God and how to intimately love and serve their neighbors. Identity started with breakfast in the mornings, followed by worship and then teaching by DCE Julie Keeley.

Each youth was assigned to a group with a mentor, who led them through meaningful conversations and thought-provoking questions to provide insight into identity in Christ. Afternoons were filled with group activities that allowed for further discussion while youth interacted with one another and the community. Each day was different.

CFNA had two roles. The first was an increase in participation of CFNA youth in 7th–12th grade. About 20 of the 80 youth involved in the entire event were once (or currently are) connected to CFNA. One junior boy stated, “It was good to engage with friends from all different schools, churches, and cultures. This is a rare space.” Identity Week was another way to reinforce God’s relentless love of each one of these youth while they hung out and gave back to South City through mission projects.

The second role was provided by the Peace Center itself as it was a host site to one of the missional projects for the youth. During the afternoons, teams traveled to share camp songs, illustrations of Christ’s love and forgiveness, crafts, snacks, and games with the CFNA children in grades K–5.

“I enjoyed how easily the children allowed us to be a part of their community and excitedly worked with us to do the crafts,” commented one 8th grader who was delighted to find that her team would be returning to CFNA for the second year of Identity.

Plans are already being made for Identity 2019, as many of the youth have asked, “May we serve at CFNA again next year?” It is partnerships such as this that make our city strong, weaving together the people of God as they live in His image.

By Amy Zeigler Epiphany Lutheran Church