EDGE is Middle School Religious Education (6th-8th grades) with a Youth Group feel…
Let’s face it: We all remember that middle school was awkward and difficult. That hasn’t changed. However, societal shifts have made the middle school years more difficult than ever. The pressures and temptations that middle schoolers face are similar to high school students nearly a decade ago. Many of the values and beliefs that they held as children are now questioned and challenged. The EDGE is a Catholic youth group that is designed to meet the educational, spiritual, emotional, and social needs of young adolescents while also providing religious education.  As young adolescents, they are trying to figure out who they are and what they believe. EDGE is a place where they can face those questions through the context of Catholic teaching, and it’s a safe environment where middle school youth can feel like they belong to the greater Church community.

EDGE is Catechetical…
Middle school youth are handed down the deposit of faith through an engaging, non-classroom approach. We impart knowledge of the faith utilizing high-energy games, large group instruction, small group discussions, music, and engaging videos.  The year is broken down into two themed semesters packed with weekly gatherings called “Edge Sessions.” Edge Sessions cover two different categories: Catechetical Sessions focus on a specific Church teaching or doctrine (Mary, The Saints, Forms of Prayer, Sacraments, etc.), while Issue Sessions focus on issues that are prevalent in today’s adolescent culture (Bullying, Divorce, Technology, Depression/Anxiety, etc.).

EDGE is about Positive Relationships…
The heart of EDGE Ministry is about building positive, Christ-centered relationships. Our dedicated group of volunteers, known as the Core Team, devotes time to training, planning, and praying to guide all that we say and do back to Jesus Christ. Edge is organized in such a way that the youth are able to develop relationships during the large group time, which is when the 6th-8th graders are all together.  However, they also can form bonds with their small “breakout” group, which is divided by gender and grade. We want our middle school youth to see the Church as a positive, welcoming influence in their lives and to send them out as future leaders of faith outside of EDGE.

EDGE is Faith Formational…
EDGE goes beyond religious education by personally challenging middle school youth to seek and foster a relationship with Jesus. By breaking open Sacred Scripture and embracing the Church, the Mass, and the Sacraments, youth begin to understand their identity as children of God. The EDGE environment provides our youth with the solid ground they’ll need to deal with the challenges and pressures of middle school and high school life. Our hope is our 8th graders leave EDGE looking forward to taking their faith to the next level through Confirmation, the Quest Youth Group, and numerous volunteer opportunities both at St. Christopher and within the community.

When Does EDGE Meet?
The EDGE meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:45 am.

For more information, contact Greg Crachiolo, Coordinator of Religious Education, at 810-364-4100 or gcrachiolo@stchrismi.org.