trellis youth

No two Youth Sundays look exactly the same. We usually share a meal, spend time together, and build the day around an experience or activity. Along the way, we make space for Scripture, conversation, prayer, and practices that help students connect what they're experiencing with what it means to follow Jesus.

We want students to experience Jesus, not just learn more information about him. Through Scripture, community, and, quite honestly, simply turning our eyes toward Jesus and creating space for him to work, we find that Jesus shows up in students' lives.

We encourage students to put that faith into practice by serving the church, their friends, and the greater community. We also introduce them to practices that have shaped followers of Jesus throughout Christian history, from fasting and feasting to silence, contemplation, and service. Practices like Ignatian reading and the Examen give students simple ways to notice Jesus and respond to him in their everyday lives.

We don't want Youth to feel like a separate church for students. They are part of Trellis. Students worship with the larger church, build relationships across generations, and serve in all areas of the church, from worship and AV to greeting, teaching, and House Church. Youth gives them a space with their peers while helping them grow into a deeper sense of belonging in the whole church.

That's okay. Building real community is one of the reasons Trellis Youth exists. We spend a lot of time together, which gives friendships room to form naturally. Students don't need to show up knowing anyone or knowing exactly where they fit. They can simply come and be part of what we're doing.

Absolutely. Friends are always welcome. They don't need to attend Trellis or have a particular church background to join us. We want Youth to be a place where students feel comfortable bringing the people they already share life with.

We like to get out and do things together. That might mean a lake day, crafting, hiking, serving somewhere in our community, or trying something completely new. That's usually our favorite. Some experiences are just about having fun and building friendships, while others become a way for us to explore what it means to follow Jesus together.

Throughout the year, we also have Summer Camp, Winter Retreats, youth conferences, video game tournaments, and other opportunities to spend time together.

All of our major events are posted on the Events page of our website. Each Thursday, we also send out the details for that week's Youth gathering through our parent group chat. If you'd like to be added to the chat, email us at Zackg@Trellisnw.org.

All of our Youth leaders are background-checked and vetted by Trellis leadership. We take the safety of our students seriously and work to communicate clearly with parents about where we're going, what we're doing, and what an activity will involve. More than anything, we want parents to feel informed and know that we're working together to care for their students well.

We believe parents are the primary disciplers of their students. Trellis Youth only gets a small piece of a student's life, so our goal isn't to replace what is happening at home, but to come alongside it.

Sometimes that means being another trusted voice in a student's life. Sometimes it's helping build relationships, offering resources, or simply being someone a student can talk to. We want to work alongside parents as together we help students recognize the Spirit at work and learn to follow Jesus for themselves.