The Youth Development Committee (YDC) is thankful to God for the youth He has sent to us and the adults He has inspired to commit to the ideal of making a positive difference in the lives of the youngsters in our church and community. Our purpose is to facilitate the activities of youth organizations (GFS, Youth Group, Acolytes, Sunday School and all youth programs) and to provide leadership, guidance and support for the expansion of St. Gabriel’s youth ministry. We are grateful to the clergy, vestry, and parishioners for their continued support of our efforts. Thanks to you all, St Gabriel’s is “THE SPOT” for nurturing talent along with healthy minds and spirits of young people.
 
Special thanks to Ronald Lashley and Nichola Greene for the spirit, the talent and the commitment they bring to the Music and Dance Ministries. Through volunteering to share their God given gifts, they have become a blessing and a testimony to all of us who believe in His grace.

In January 2006, the YDC revised its goals as follows:

• St. Gabriel’s yearlong calendar will include annual activities that enhance the development of character and spirituality for successful living, leadership skills, talent and/or hobbies
• Young people will establish and carry out various roles in Sunday worship every fifth Sunday and other Sundays
• The Sunday School Program will be revised and there will be a minimum of twenty regular participants
• The Youth Gospel Choir will be established

In December 2010, as we reviewed these goals, it is clear that we have been successful in what we set out to accomplish. Going forward our challenge is to insure that our programs are well structured and grounded for self-sustaining success, even as some of our core members’ move on to other phases of their lives. Funding will be an asset to our ability to sustain youth programs.

High points of our sixth year of operation included:    

• Increase in Youth Ushers; confident and proficient youth ushers at 8:00 AM Youth Sunday Mass
• First Annual Valentine’s Luncheon for Education (February)
• Youth facilitator and participants at Teen Encounter Christ weekend and Camp DeWolfe in February
• Tutoring Program implemented in July – available year round
• Summer 2010 Youth Outreach Program with Mr. Chris’ Musical Experience. (July-August)
  The focus for the youths was on raising spiritual awareness and building a Christian world view. The outcome was a performance where they used their talents to portray Christian Culture versus Popular Culture.
• Return of Family Worship on the first Sunday of each month (began in October)
• Acolytes Festival at the Washington National Cathedral in October
• Fundraising for various youth organizations (e.g., Acolytes Car Wash, Dance Ministry Bake Sale, Youth Group Luncheon, etc.)
• Increase in Sunday School attendance to over fifty on some Sundays. We also welcomed new Sunday School teachers – Allison Ross and Pearl Johnson; and helpers Trisha Ross and parent volunteers
• Growth of Youth Music and Dance Ministries
• Christmas Pageant – combination Music and Dance Ministries (participants included Sunday School and Youth Group)

Peace, Love, Health, Happiness, Safety and Prosperity

YDC: Edna Loncke (Coordinator), Deborah Bartholomew, Ursula Brown-Howard, Ashley Cox, Ricardo Mottley, Sislyn Pitter, Cheryl Millington, Michele Gulstone, Michael Ashby, Yrell Moses, Selby Gill and Yvonne Leander.