EDGE is a Catholic middle school youth ministry for early adolescents in grades six, seven and eight. It is designed to meet the educational, spiritual, emotional, and social needs of young adolescents.

EDGE combines the best of Life Teen:

• Experiential
• The best of religious education program
• Each semester has a catechetical theme
• Small group model-middle school youth are paired with the same CORE members and other middle schoolers for the entire year.

Overview of the Program

EDGE Nights at St. Marys are held on the first and third Sundays of each month during the school year, in the GA gym. Social and recreational activities, designed to create a greater sense of community among our middle school youth, are also scheduled throughout the year.

In addition to regular EDGE nights at our parish, Life Teen hosts several EDGE Summer Camps at Life Teen Camp facilities in Georgia, Missouri, and Arizona.

EDGE offers middle school youth occasions to put their faith into action through a variety of service projects.

Goals of EDGE

1. Foster a transforming spiritual experience of Jesus through the liturgy, allowing early adolescents to have a profound experience the Word of God and the Eucharist.
2. Create a positive experience of the Catholic Church for early adolescents.
3. Assist middle school youngsters in gaining an undertanding and appreciation for what the Catholic Church teaches as believes.
4. Incorporate the Catholic Church's vision of social justice and peace into their spiritual life.
5. Develop an identity in middle school youth and in EDGE ministry as being a vital and visual presence within the parish.

For more information about Edge youth ministries, visit www.lifeteen.com

For more information about The Edge program at St. Mary's Parish in West Point, call 372-2188 or email lcthunke@msn.com