Youth Group
Together, we RECEIVE, CELEBRATE, and SHARE God’s love for us in Christ.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…
Deuteronomy 6:6–7a
Together, we RECEIVE, CELEBRATE, and SHARE God’s love for us in Christ.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…
what is youth group?
Youth Group is a place for students, grades 7–12, to receive, celebrate, and share God’s love for us in Christ.
We receive God’s love for us in Christ by studying the Bible together to better understand who God is and all that he has done, and continues to do, for us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
We celebrate God’s love for us in Christ by coming together in worship to sing God’s praises as our grateful response to His amazing grace.
We share God’s love for us in Christ by coming together for fellowship and fun to encourage one another and to testify to the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in our lives.
As a ministry, our ultimate goal is to glorify God (Rev. 4:11) by nurturing the next generation (Prov. 22:6) to be wise, faithful, and loving disciples of Christ (Matthew 10:16), who proclaim his gospel through words of grace and lives of service in Lancaster County and beyond (Mark 16:15).
When & Where is youth group?
Wednesdays, September–May, from 6:20 to 7:45pm
Westminster Youth Room Lower Level (LL9)
Our main Youth Group gathering is Wednesday nights. Students are welcome anytime after 5:30pm; and can stay to play sports or other games until 9:00pm.
Please continue to check our calendar/schedule for other fun events and meetings that are happening throughout the year!
Sunday School Classes
An Introduction To Biblical Theology
The Bible consists of sixty-six distinct books by more than forty different authors – yet it tells one story. How do the events from the beginning of creation to the consummation of all things weave into one cohesive narrative? This question is what biblical theology is all about. Join us for Sunday School this Fall as we use Jon Nielson’s “Tracing God’s Story” by Crossway to explore stories from Genesis to Revelation to make biblical theology clear, meaningful, and practical.
Teacher: Rev. Matt Collins
Located in Room 213
Our Junior High guys and girls Sunday School classes will be studying the Westminster Shorter Catechism using the “Digging Deeper” Curriculum from Great Commission Publications. The Shorter Catechism is a great tool that helps us understand what the Bible teaches. In essence they will be learning what the Bible teaches us about God and what the Bible teaches us about how we are to live. The goal of this class is to help our students develop a Biblical worldview.
JH Boy Teachers: Tim Fanus & Jack DeWeese, in Room 215
JH Girl Teachers: Willow Donnachie & Lily Williams, in Room 216
YOUTH LEADERS
Rev. Matthew Collins - Associate Pastor of Youth
Matthew grew up in Laconia, New Hampshire. After high school he served in the Air Force as a mechanic on the F-15 fighter jet for several years. It was during his time in the military that he began to sense the Lord’s call on his life to the ministry. And after receiving his Bachelor’s degree, he studied and graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. While living in Philadelphia, Matthew met his wife, Sue. They have been happily married since 2017 and have two children, Noah and Henry.
Send Matt an email at [email protected]
Lydia Fiol - Youth Ministry Assistant
Lydia grew up in North Carolina and Virginia, but moved to Lancaster seven years ago. After high school, she attended a discipleship gap-year program called One Life Institute. Afterward, she moved to Bulgaria to serve on the MTW team as a mission intern. She was there for almost a year and also served in Kigali, Rwanda, for a month. Lydia was connected to Westminster’s Youth Group in her high school years, and this summer was the Female Youth Intern. She is grateful for and humbled by God’s hand in opening doors for her to continue to minister to the youth at WPC. Lydia is overjoyed in the gift of continuing to walk, by God’s strength and grace, with the youth toward growing in loving and living for the Lord and His glory. She craves your prayers for wisdom, grace, and guidance as she serves the Church in this capacity. All glory to God.
Send Lydia an email at [email protected]
Student Leadership Team
The Student Leadership Team (10–12 graders) is about service, and our primary goal is to grow in our ability to serve the kingdom of God by growing spiritually, growing as leaders, and by giving our time, our efforts, and our intentional focus to inviting, welcoming, and encouraging peers in Westminster’s youth ministry. Student leaders also help lead various aspects of the youth ministry, according to their gifts and callings, and provide input on improving youth group, retreats, and events, as well as the topics we talk about in youth group.
Students interested in joining the Leadership Team should contact Matt or Lydia.
If you are looking for more ways to serve at Westminster, click on the button below.
YOUTH Interns
Westminster’s Youth Ministry looks to hire a college age student (male
or female) to serve as a full-time summer intern from May 26–August 11, 2026. Send inquiries and applications to Matt Collins by March 29.
The purpose of the summer internship is to provide staffing for summer youth ministries by utilizing college students from within Westminster Presbyterian Church. Interns spend time leading Bible studies, planning events and trips, learning from the full-time youth staff, and building relationships with the junior high students.
Daniel Lefko - Youth Intern
Daniel has been attending Westminster since October 2022, and has been a
member since May 2023. He grew up in Oley, Pennsylvania, and just finished his
senior year at Lancaster Bible College with a bachelor’s degree in pastoral
ministry. He will attend LBC for an additional year to finish with a master’s degree in biblical studies. While at LBC, he has served as their student government chaplain and team captain for the men’s cross country and track and field teams. In his free time, he enjoys reading, golfing, running, and any kind of card or board games. He is greatly looking forward to engaging with the Westminster youth and growing in his teaching and ministry skills!
Click the image above to listen to the latest youth talks!
Communicants Class
The next Communicants’ Class will start January 4, 2026.
This class is a five-week course that takes place on Sunday afternoons from 5–6 pm. This year’s Communicants’ Class will be slightly different than in past years, and is neither required for 7th Graders nor restricted to 7th Graders. The class, its material, and the interview with the elders require commitment, hard work, and a level of maturity from students that is most appropriate for late-elementary and middle school students.
If your child desires to profess Christ and come to the Lord’s table, and you believe your child demonstrates faith in Christ and is ready to become a communicant member, please contact Matt Collins at [email protected].
Because only communicant members are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the church (BCO 6-4).
According to our Book of Church Order, communing members are those who have made a profession of faith in Christ, have been baptized, and have been admitted by the Session to the Lord’s Table (BCO 6-2).
According to our Westminster Larger Catechism, “The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament (a holy ceremony instituted by Christ) of the new [covenant], wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, his death is showed forth; and they that worthily [participate] feed upon his body and blood (we feed upon the body and blood of Christ, not in a physical or bodily manner, but in a spiritual manner by faith) to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace; have their union and communion with him confirmed; testify and renew their thankfulness, and engagement to God, and their mutual love and fellowship each with other, as members of the same mystical body (Q/A 168).”
According to the Heidelberg Catechism, the Lord’s Table is for “Those who are truly sorrowful for their sins, and yet trust that these are forgiven them for the sake of Christ; and that their remaining infirmities are covered by His passion and death; and who also earnestly desire to have their faith more and more strengthened, and their lives more holy; but hypocrites, and such as turn not to God with sincere hearts, eat and drink judgment to themselves (Q/A 81).”
Seven questions to assess your child’s readiness to participate in communion:
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