We have a vibrant and growing youth program at Second Church, overseen by our Associate Minister, Christopher Tate, which is known as the C.R.O.S.S. Program. C.R.O.S.S. stands for “Continually Reaching for Our Spiritual Selves.” More than just a “youth group,” the program aims to help young people in grades six through twleve develop into more balanced, spiritually whole human beings. CROSS offers activities in one or more of four specific “focus areas”: Intellectual, Aesthetic, Mission, and Fellowship.

Fellowship: Activities in this area form the foundation of the program. Spending recreational time with others in a safe, supportive and welcoming environment is critical in helping young people find the desire and discover the ability to learn and grow spiritually.
Mission: Almost universally, young people find their greatest connection to faith and spirituality through mission/service activities. Mission work helps young people develop an appreciation for their blessings and the struggles of others. In contrast to school-sponsored community service, mission activities participated in as part of CROSS encourage reflection on the particularly spiritual dimensions of the work done.
Aesthetic: Activities in this area are designed to nurture the emotional, expressive, and creative sides of a young person’s developing spirituality through artistic and creative means. Just as important as encountering the reality of God through mission work is attempting to discover and explore some of the “intangible” qualities that make faith such a vital part of life.
Intellectual: Activities in this area are designed to help develop one’s ideas on faith and God through exploration, questioning, and also study of various texts including— of course— the Bible.

On the calendar, events and activities are coded with a letter corresponding to one or more of these focus areas (F=Fellowship, A=Aesthetic, I=Intellectual, M= Mission). Recognizing that schedules are very busy, youth and parents can get the largest benefit from CROSS by selecting several activities per month to attend, trying to balance between the four focus areas as much as possible. Of course, youth are welcome to attend more or fewer events as their schedules allow— the key idea is balance— try not to limit yourself to just one type of activity.

For more information on the C.R.O.S.S. program, and to see a calendar of current and upcoming events, please visit The C.R.O.S.S. Program Website.