Youth

We empower youth to be fully alive in a life of love in Jesus.

We provide an inclusive community that grows spiritually through fun, friendship, and service. Our community offers an opportunity for young adults in grades 7–12 to meet new friends and enjoy the company of old friends in a safe environment while growing in their faith through participation in Youth Group, Confirmation, Sunday School, Mission Trips, and Retreats.

We believe in engaging our youth in all aspects of our worship and outreach to our community.

Confirm not Conform (CnC):

Confirm not Conform is offered on Sunday nights. It is a one-year program open to all 10th through 12th graders considering confirmation in the Episcopal Church. It is designed to help participants to take real responsibility for understanding their faith and its power and possibilities. Candidates can make the choice to participate in this program, and upon completion, can then make the choice to be confirmed.

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Youth Ministries:

Our vision is to create a safe, inclusive community that grows in faith through fun, fellowship, and service. We see life as a gift from God and our faith as a guide to decisions that affect our heart, soul, strength, and mind. We provide the caring support of adults who encourage teens to take responsibility for their own lives and decide for themselves the values by which they will live. Our mission is to help our youth become fully alive in Christ. And from this desire all else will flow.

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Youth Sunday School:

We endeavor to inspire our youth through example and study to be intentional in their worship of Christ, in a safe, supportive, small-group setting every Sunday from 10:35 to 11:30 a.m. All youth are welcome. Questions? Please contact Denis McMullan..

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Middle School meets in the old library (1st floor)

High School meets in McGill Hall (2nd floor)

Middle School students follow The Teen Compass: Wellness Curriculum and The Story: Teen Edition Curriculum. We alternate curriculum each year to ensure all students have the opportunity to experience each one.

The Teen Compass: Wellness Curriculum provides an opportunity for teens to privately reflect on the way they are living in eight areas of wellness: Spirituality, Stress Resilience, Relationships, Rest and Play, Handling Emotions, Organization, School and Work, and Care for the Body. The youth will create faith and wellness goals for themselves and be encouraged to make the connection between their faith and the decisions they are making each day.

The Story: Teen Curriculum allows the Bible stories, poems, and teachings to come together in a single, compelling experience. The Story Teen edition sweeps you into the unfolding progression of the Bible characters and events from Genesis to Revelation. And like any story, it is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption. The accompanying DVD helps teens understand The Story more clearly through experiential leaning.

High School students follow the GROW Curriculum that helps develop four spiritual habits in older youth: spending time with God, spending time with others, knowing and using your gifts, and sharing your story. The curriculum is designed to encourage our students to grow in their faith and as young adults.

Youth Group:

The middle school and high school youth usually meet each month on a Sunday evening during the program year where the focus is on fun, friendship, and outreach. We kick off the year with a fun event that helps build friendships. In addition to enjoying great movies, bowling, and tubing, we also set aside several Sundays to help others, such as preparing and serving a meal for a shelter in Washington D.C. that supports women struggling with life issues. Every second Sunday, our youth serve the local community by helping feed men and women in Fairfax County who are finding it hard to find permanent housing or a regular meal. We also provide opportunities for youth to exercise leadership and responsibility in all aspects of church life, as well as many active roles during Sunday worship, including opportunities to be a regular reader. Once a year the youth are responsible for all worship roles including preaching at all three services.

Youth Mission Trip:

Our 2024 Mission Trip to Puerto Rico will be June 17–23. We will be seeking to serve those we meet and work in the way that Christ taught us. Our high school youth will engage in multiple local outreach programs, worship together, and experience the culture of this historic land. Please click below to learn more and sign up.

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Vacation Bible School:

A week-long Christian-based summer camp for parish children and the greater community. Each year, Hogwart’s Vacation Bible School is based upon one of books in the Harry Potter series. The camp is typically held in mid-late June with a Diagon Alley Hogwart’s VBS Preview in lieu of Sunday School one Sunday in April. A large number of adult and teenage volunteers are needed to work as group leaders during the camp and for materials and prop creation in the months leading up to the camp. This an outreach project for the entire parish.

Hogwarts Vacation Bible School is scheduled for June 24–28, 2024.

Children ages 5–11 are eligible to participate as students. Teenagers ages 12–18 are invited to participate as Prefects. Registration will be accepted through May 12 or until slots are filled.

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Holy Comforter’s Organ

The current organ at Church of the Holy Comforter was installed in September 2012 by the Walker Technical Company of Zionsville, Pa., and features more than 80 stops playable from four manuals plus the pedal keyboard.

A fully digital instrument, its voices draw on Walker’s extensive library of electronic samples taken from pipe organs built by the famous Aeolian-Skinner company of Boston, which was active from 1932 to 1972.

As the current clergy and Vestry have recognized in discussions and planning sessions for the future direction of Holy Comforter, our great strength is meaningful worship; and, as our previous rector Bob Denig expressed in 1988 before purchase of our previous organ, “Music is at the heart of that worship; it plays an absolutely irreplaceable role…(and) so often says what cannot be said.”

Music surrounds and enfolds the liturgy and readies us all to be in the presence of the majesty and mystery of our relationship with God. The new Walker Technical Company organ greatly enhances our music program in several ways: it allows the authentic performance of most all of the classical and traditionally Anglican repertoire; it enhances all parishioners’ worship experience, and better leads hymn singing; and it enhances the literature sung by the choirs.

We envision our organ as the foundation of a variety of musical events in addition to use in worship, with concerts becoming the basis of various outreach and other fund-raising activities.

If you have questions about our Youth Ministry and/or any of our current offerings, please contact Denis McMullan.

Adult Choir

Normally, from mid-September to early June, the Adult Choir sings weekly at the 11:00 a.m. Sunday liturgy. We offer leadership in congregational singing as well as an anthem at the offertory and sometimes during communion. We also sing at special services during the year, particularly during Advent and Lent. Twice a year we sing choral evensong, a rich evening service derived from elements of the offices of Vespers and Compline, and occasionally we present major works in liturgical or concert settings.

Chorister Program

Normally, from mid-September to early June, Holy Comforter’s Chorister Program follows the precepts of the Royal School of Church Music in America. Modeled after the cathedral choir school tradition, the choristers learn about music, liturgy, teamwork, and leadership. The Choristers sing weekly at the 9:00 a.m. liturgy, and occasionally at special services throughout the season. There is no fee to participate in the program. Choristers are encouraged to participate in local choir festivals and regional summer training courses. Scholarships are available for these types of events. Young people are eligible to participate in the Chorister Program beginning in second grade, and can continue through high school.

Taizé Contemplative Worship

Normally, from September through May, Holy Comforter’s Music Ministry sponsors evening services in a contemplative style, offering a unique opportunity to decompress and prepare for the week ahead. The service occurs on the last Sunday of the month at 5:00 p.m. in St. Mary’s Chapel. Taizé contemplative worship is a powerful and moving combination of song and scripture featuring lush greenery, candles, icons, and considerable time spent in silent meditation.