Calendars
Click on the title link below to download a current Student Ministries event calendar.
Learn More
Click on the links below for more details.
Forms
-Registration Form
-Event Permission Slip
High School Events
-Youth Group, Sunday Nights
-Upcoming Events
Middle School Events
-Youth Group, Thursday Nights
-Upcoming Events
Mission Trips
-The Hartford Project
OUR MESSAGE TO YOUTH
Accepted. Connected. Moved.
A place where all students are accepted no matter who they are or what their background is, have a chance to connect to other students and caring adults, and are moved to serve as they experience God's love in a very real way.
At Valley Brook Community Church, we take teens seriously. We believe that every student needs and deserves someone who really cares about him or her. With that in mind, our vision for student ministries here at Valley Brook is to provide a safe place where all students are accepted no matter who you are or what your background is - a place where you can connect to other students and caring adults, and experience God's love in a very real way.
For more information about our youth programs, contact Adam Castenir in the church office, on his cell phone (860.818.1533) or by e-mail at acastenir@valleybrookcommunity.org.
Mission, Vision, and Core Values
Accepted. Connected. Moved.
Purpose: Students at the Brook exists to help teens KNOW, GROW, SHOW and GO with God.
We Strive to be Great Commandment People…
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' – Mark 12:28-34
…Living the Great Commission…
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
…In a community of Christ Followers.
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Know - Every Student needs to know Jesus, we strive to lead them into a relationship with Him and other believers. “They devoted themselves… to fellowship…All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
Grow – God calls us all to Spiritual Maturity and we strive to help students attain it now. “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching...Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”
Show – God calls us to Worship and Serve him with our lives, we strive to help students show God to others through lives lived in devotion to God. “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.”
Go – God has called us to bring the good news to those who don’t know him, we strive to reach out to the Farmington Valley, Connecticut and beyond. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Core Values
Annoying with communication.
Everyone knows everything, all the time.
Everything with excellence.
Excellence in what we do speaks about who God is.
Honor God’s Word.
Everything we do should show we find life in God’s Word.
Lead with lives of worship and service.
If we aren’t different to the world, then neither is Jesus.
Pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on us.
We will pray with faith knowing that God is in control without taking our role for granted.
Irrelevance is Irreverence
Finding ways to relate Jesus to this world is a command, not a desire.
Sr. High Youth Group - Sundays @ 6:00PM
Sr. High students meet on Sundays from 6:00-8:00pm at our Student Center (345 Salmon Brook Street, Granby). It's open to any student in grades 9-12.
We hang out, we worship God with student worship leaders, and we study God’s word. Once a month we hold an outreach event for Sr. High students where you are asked to invite your friends to attend. Check out the calendar link on the left so you don't miss any events. Be sure to sign up early!
The Sr. High Student Ministries is led by a team made up of Adam Castenir, Jenny Castenir, Sheri Cappa, Shawn Parisi, Ken Perry, Karen Rieger, Gary Osterhout, and Tanya Osterhout.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Six Flags • July 31
Beach Trip • August 7
Tubing • August 15
Cookout • August 22
Fall Kickoff • August 29
Ignite • September 10-12
Middle School Youth Group - Thursdays @ 7:00PM
Middle School Youth Group meets from 7:00-8:30pm on Thursday nights at our Student Center (345 Salmon Brook Street, Granby). It's open to all students in grades 6-8.
We get together for fun, friendship and something foundational every week. That foundational thing is looking at what God’s Word has to say to Middle School students! Invite your friends!
The Middle School Team is led by Adam Castenir, Steven and Stephanie Stupienski, and Steve and Celeste Lefebvre, Michelle Drapeau, Joe Yorio, and several Sr. High students each week. If you have questions about Middle School Student Ministries call us at (860) 844-0001.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Capture the Flag • July 29
Six Flags • July 31
Pool Party • August 6
First Serve • August 12
Mystery Trip • August 19
Cook Out • August 23
GAG Night • August 26
Ignite • September 10-12
Mentoring Programs
At Valley Brook We have a special relationship with a ministry in the North End of Hartford, called Hartford City Mission (HCM).
Since our church was started in 2000 students from Hartford City Mission have worshipped with us almost every Sunday and we have had regular contact with them through HCM. Many of the students come from a single parent family, don't have a strong relationship with God and struggle with the urban issues of the North End.
In 2006 we began an intentional mentoring program where an individual or a family from the suburbs would mentor a HCM student one Sunday a month and invite them into their lives. The student would leave church after worship and spend the day with a mentor or mentor family and the mentor brings them to high school youth group at the Sr. Center if they are still in high school (on mentoring Sundays) or returns them to the North End on Sunday evening. The goal is to share God's love by letting them be a part of the mentor's life for at least one day a month and mentor them in some of the practical, every day affairs of life.
Expectations for mentors are that they complete a background check, that they spend at least one day a month with the student, and that they develop a relationship of encouragement and Christian love with the student.
For more information on mentoring programs contact Adam Castenir at acastenir@valleybrookcommunity.org.
The Hartford Project (THP): June 27 - July 1, 2010
Mark your calendars and make plans for an incredible way to serve God and serve the city of Hartford!
Open to students in grades 9-12. Cost: $135 if you register by April 1. Students and Adult Leaders & Volunteers will stay in Hartford.
One student wrote about the 2008 THP:
"When we did the Love Wins on Barbour Street Block Party the community was really responsive. Everyone felt that idea that we have of the word love, which can have so many meanings. Many elderly people said that in the fifty years they've lived on Barbour Street they've never felt the community could come together. People kept thanking us... The community's response was so amazing and made an impact on my life. You don't have to go to some far off place to be a missionary;ministry is always needed so close to home."
For more information please contact Adam Castenir (860-818-1533 or acastenir@valleybrookcommunity.org ).
Sunday School
We provide the opportunity for our students in grades 6-12 to attend a Sunday School class following the musical part of our worship services.
Classes are broken into two groups:
- Middle School (grades 6-8)
- High School (grades 9-12)
The Sunday School classes provide Bible study, teaching and discussion to help students apply God's Word to their lives.
On the first Sunday of the month, these students remain in church for the entire service and are invited to participate in Communion.
Forms
If you have any questions or problems downloading the following forms, please contact Adam Castenir in the office at (860) 844-0001 or acastenir@valleybrookcommunity.org.
Click on title link above to download Registration Form.
Click on title link above to download Permission Slip.
