Jeremiah 29:12-13“Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.”

This weekend during worship, Pastor Eric focused on Sheridan’s High School ministry. If you’ve had a chance lately to be around high school students you know that they are a fantastic, creative, dedicated, talented, and achieving group of people. You also know that they are overworked, stressed out, overcommitted and navigating the social media world as best they can. They are active in their schools, they have jobs, they care about social issues and they want to serve.

Here at Sheridan, High School Ministry is a place for our youth to gather together, meet new friends, build relationships, be themselves, learn together, grow their faith, lead together and serve together. But Sheridan’s High School Ministry doesn’t just feed our youth. It feeds our whole community. By serving in Children’s Ministry all year long through shepherding on Sunday mornings and at VBS in the summer, they are being positive role models for our children. By attending middle school lock-ins and serving as Worship Arts leaders on Wednesdays nights, they are mentoring our confirmation students. Through special events of Up In Out, Carol Joy Holling retreats, and summer mission trips, our high school youth are affecting our greater community in positive and impactful ways.

The words of scripture from Jeremiah can speak to our youth, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13
I am thankful that Sheridan sees the benefit of supporting our high school students, and that our high schoolers want to be a part of this Sheridan family.

Dear God, We lift up our high school students, and their leaders, parents, families and friends. Help them to know they are seen and that they matter. Give them courage to make difficult choices, open their hearts to be kind and generous, protect them from this world, give them wisdom in all they do. Wrap your arms around them and let them know they are loved. In your mighty Son’s name, Amen.

Written by Julie Anderson

Julie Anderson is a member of Sheridan’s Devotion Writing Team. She works part-time as Sheridan’s Children’s Music Coordinator where she is passionate about teaching children to use their musical gifts to praise God. Julie is married to Scott and counts her greatest honor as being mom to Adrienne, Eliot and Elise.