Rocks have become a trademark for the WCUC Youth Group for a number of reasons. We have a much loved tradition of beginning every class with “Milestones” which is a check in/prayer time in which the youth are invited to share joys and concerns. They then write what they want us to pray about on a small stone and put it in their hand-painted terra cotta bowl. At the end of the year, it’s fun to look back to all of our “milestones” throughout the year remembering the many ways that we were supported by God and each other.

This year, we expanded on this theme at our opening class by finding places in the Bible where God and Jesus are referred to as our “rock”. References such as “God, our rock and our refuge” or Jesus as a “rock in a weary land” gave us comfort and provided a catalyst for further conversation about the many ways that we’ve experienced God/Jesus/Spirit as a rock in our lives. Each member of the youth group left that day with a rock of their choice each painted with a word to help encourage them in their lives: strength, courage, wisdom, patience, and peace were among the favorites.

A “Youth Rocks” sign was one of the choices for our recent church-wide gratitude project. This group of middle school and high school youth indeed “rock” and we now proudly display this sign in our youth room (thanks to Ruth Sedlock!) as a reminder that we rock because God first rocks us.