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Youth Ministry at St. Matthew’s
Middle and High School (Grades 6–12)
Raising teenagers today can feel both exciting and overwhelming.
At St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Sterling, Virginia, our youth programs help students build friendships, explore faith, and grow into the people God created them to be.
When Youth Meet
Sundays at 9:30 AM
Donuts & Discovery
Who It's For
Grades 6-12
Middle & High School
Where We Meet
St. Matthew's
Middle School Classroom 4 High School - Fr. Rob's Office
Sunday Donuts & Discovery
Middle and High School students gather during the 9:30 service for donuts and relaxed conversations about faith, life, and the questions that matter to them.
This is often where new students first connect with others and begin building friendships.
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Sundays at 9:30 AM
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Middle School in Classroom 4
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High School in Fr. Rob's Office
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Visitors & friends always welcome
What Happens at Youth Group
Our youth group brings together middle and high school students to build friendships, explore faith, and talk honestly about life.
Youth gatherings include:
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conversation about faith and real life
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service opportunities
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fun activities and trips
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time to simply enjoy being together
Students are encouraged to ask questions and explore faith in a supportive community.
A Place Where Teens Can Be Themselves
Students build friendships, grow in faith, and discover how they can make a difference in the world.
Middle School and High School
Youth ministry at St. Matthew’s includes students in grades 6 through 12.
Many of our events and activities bring middle school and high school students together, while our Sunday Donuts & Discovery classes are designed specifically for each age group so students can build friendships and connect with peers who are navigating similar stages of life.
Mission Trips and Service
Service is an important part of youth ministry at St. Matthew’s.
Students participate in outreach projects and mission trips where they grow in compassion, leadership, and teamwork while serving others.
These experiences often become some of the most meaningful moments of youth group life.
"So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead."
-James 2:17 (NRSVUE)
Youth Leadership
Students are encouraged to take active roles in the life of the church. Many youth serve on our Technology Team, volunteer in Faith Factory classes, or apply for our Youth Internship Program. They also participate in outreach projects and help lead youth gatherings and church events.
These opportunities help students develop confidence, responsibility, and a deeper sense of belonging within the St. Matthew’s community.
Upcoming Youth Events & Services
Meet the Youth Ministry Team
Our Youth Programs are led by a dedicated team of teachers who are passionate about supporting teens as they develop a faith of their own.
Alex Davenport
High School
Youth Ministry Leader
Alex first came to St. Matthew’s in the early 2000s before heading off to JMU, graduate school in Illinois, and then several years in Minnesota. He moved back to Northern Virginia last August and is glad to be closer to family, the St. Matt’s community, and away from snowy winters. In Donuts & Discovery, Alex will be guiding high school youth through the weekly lectionary readings and figures from church history, showing how Scripture connects to the real issues teens face today. Looking back, his favorite part of youth group was the deep friendships he formed, many of which remain strong, as well as spending two summers as one of St. Matt’s first youth interns.
Rachel Leary
Middle School
Youth Ministry Leader
Rachel has been part of St. Matthew’s since she was just three days old. She studied Design and Technical Theater at George Mason University and enjoys hobbies like crocheting and playing Dungeons & Dragons. In Donuts & Discovery, Rachel will be using a scripture-based curriculum geared towards the needs of middle schoolers and guiding them through the big questions they have about faith. One of her favorite memories from her teenage years at St. Matt's youth group is a rainy bike ride through Central Park during a mission trip to New York City, a moment that still makes her smile. She is excited to return to working with our youth (having been a youth ministry intern in 2023) and give back to the program that shaped her so much as a teen by leading our middle school youth and coordinating events for all ages.
Avery has spent most of her life immersed in the arts. She has been dancing for 16 years and acting for 10, and she hopes to pursue acting professionally, with a dream role of someday portraying Mary Magdalene. Music and creative expression are an important part of her life and faith. In Donuts & Discovery, Avery will be working alongside Rachel Leary to help create a welcoming space where middle school students can grow in their faith and ask honest questions about God. Over the past two years, Avery has developed a strong daily practice of reading Scripture, recently marking 730 consecutive days of reading a chapter of the Bible each night. She is passionate about building a foundation in God’s Word and helping students discover the love and unity Jesus calls us to live out in the world.
