Our program for JrHi students (6th – 8th grades) is held in the youth room on Wednesday nights from 7:00 – 8:30 pm. The program includes time in pods (small groups) that are gender specific, large group interaction and relevant activities that create an environment encouraging teens to find and follow Jesus Christ. Throughout the year there are many special events and retreats the JrHi uthgroop will host to create community. During the week we encourage the teens to connect through facebook.com within our facebook group“Richwoods JrHi UthGroop.”
Join Us For Our Parents Meeting, Wednesday,
September 8th from 7:04-8:25 pm in the Commons
Our Youth Ministry Leadership Team
Joel Dryden: Director of Youth Ministries
Joel was born in October 1964 and married Jill in August of 1988. Jill is a homemaker/gardener/amazing cook. Joel and Jill have three children, Meghan, Micah and Matthew and a Scottish Terrier who sometime’s answers to Digory. Jill was born and raised in the Peoria area and is a graduate of IVC. Jill attended ICC and graduated from Patricia Stevens College with a degree in fashion merchandising. Joel was born in Peoria and returned in later in his junior year to graduate from Richwoods. Joel graduated from Bradley with a degree in graphic design. He has also attended Trinity Theological Seminary and Fuller Seminary. Joel transitioned into youth ministry at Grace Presbyterian Church in the early 90’s. He and Jill took the youth pastor position at Bethel Baptist Church in Green Bay, WI in the mid-90’s and then spent four years in Colorado Springs as the Executive Director of Peak 3 Ministries. Joel and Jill owned and operated a coffee shop/copy center called The Copy Cup in Kalamazoo before relocating to Peoria.
Bobby Sherman: JrHi Coordinator/JrHi uthgroop
Bobby was born and raised in the Chicago Land area where his family is still located. Bobby loves music, specifically, playing percussion and you’ll at times see him playing drums or running sound on Sunday mornings. Bobby has worked as a youth ministry apprentice, learning the ropes of youth ministry, from August of 2009 to January of 2010. Bobby is currently enrolled at Hargrove College in Lincoln, IL majoring in Biblical studies.
Kade Vincent: SrHi Coordinator/SrHi uthgroop
Kade grew up in a small town called Georgetown, its south of Danville IL. and to be quite honest is one of the most boring places that anyone could imagine. As a kid Kade’s interests varied but usually they rested on sports and especially soccer. Kade learned about life on and off the soccer field, but what is true of all things, is the fact that too much of something can ultimately poison you. Kade slowly began to drift away from the church and began to replace the worship of God with the worship of sports and sleep. This diversion from the faith came at a time when his parents were entangled in an ugly divorce that ultimately found himself at the center of hurtful arguments. Kade’s emphasis on faith slowly began to disappear. Still holding to the moral obligations that most Christian people value but the deep intimate relationship was non-existent. This lasted until his freshman year in college where he found himself partaking in the party lifestyle of the secular college he attended. Then one day he woke after a night of partying and realized that this was not the life that was meant for him, and immediately made plans to transfer to Lincoln Christian University. Kade became involved with a good group of guys, who sharpened him and helped him mature as a Christian. Kade majored in General Ministry with an emphasis on youth. In the fall of his second year at Lincoln Kade met Kathryn Snyder they were married Aug. 1, 2009. Kade graduated from Lincoln Christian University spring of 2010
Michael Kimpan: College Coordinator/the crux
Michael was born in 1978 and had the opportunity to spend his childhood in many different states throughout the country. Michael graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a degree in Youth Ministry. Michael also attended International Christian College in Glasgow, Scotland and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He served as a Youth Pastor and Worship Pastor for five years in Michigan. After spending the last three years in the business world in Chicago, Michael has relocated to Peoria to re-engage in ministry.
Kaitlyn O’Shea: Youth Ministry Intern
Kaitlyn was born in June of 1988 and comes from a large family. She was born in El Paso, Texas but grew up in Metamora, Illinois. Kaitlyn attended Western Illinois University for 2 years and then transferred to Concordia University Chicago. She is finishing up her bachelors degree in Theology with a double minor in Sociology and Women and Gender Studies. She will graduate from CUC this December. Kaitlyn first began her work with youth when she was a freshman at WIU volunteering for Youth For Christ in Macomb, IL. This particular experience sparked an interest in youth and has fed her drive of helping others ever since. Kaitlyn will be interning with us through December of 2010.
Cheryll “Cher” Saunders: Youth Ministry Intern
Cher was born in Utah and raised all over, but mostly in Utah. The first six years of her life was spent on Air Force bases, one of which was in Japan. Her parents had a somewhat messy divorce after returning from Japan, which forced her to grow up fast. Cher learned many things at an early age, and even took part in raising her youngest brother. Cher has an older sister, younger brother and two older brothers on her younger brother’s side of the family (can you do the math? She has a blended family). Moving around has been a big part of her life and has brought her to many different places as well as diverse faces. Youth ministry has been apart of her life for almost ten years now, especially during all of the transitioning in her life and it has been an amazing journey. Cher is a jack of many traits and master of none; She enjoys putting her mark in and on different things. Right now Cher is working towards a Bachelors in Youth Ministry with a minor in Psychology at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Aside from working with youth and hanging out with them, Cher’s other passions are baking, cooking, writing, music, and dance. Cher will be interning with us through December of 2010.
Andrew DeGrado: Youth Ministry Intern
Andrew was born in 1989 in Aurora, IL. Growing up in the Chicago land area, he learned how to eat right (for the soul). Andrew didn’t attend church. After coming to Christ my Senior year at Bolingbrook High School Andrew decided to attend Lincoln Christian University, where he is currently a Junior pursuing a traditional Youth Ministry degree. Andrew attempts to work hard and have fun doing it at the same time. Andrew loves watching movies, hanging out with friends, swimming, soccer, and long walks on the beach. Alright maybe that last one isn’t entirely true. Andrew will be interning with us through December of 2010.
Carly Peterson: Youth Ministry Intern
Carly was born and raised in the boonies of the Lawrence/Kansas City, Kansas area. She grew up in a Christian home, but didn’t herself decide to follow Christ until the age of 14, committing herself to Him just a day before her first time at a youth camp that would change her life and forever imprint youth ministry on her heart. After graduating from Basehor-Linwood High School in 2006, she spent two years at Johnson County Community College exploring various majors and career options. However, it was a conversation with her pastor’s wife that finally convinced her to pursue a degree in youth ministry and enter vocational ministry. In August 2008, she transferred to John Brown University to participate in their highly-rated youth ministry program. Currently, she is 22 years old and is a senior at JBU, majoring in Youth Ministry and minoring in Biblical and Theological Studies. She loves simply spending time with people; beyond that, she enjoys experiencing the outdoors through various means, weight lifting, and foreign products, food, and music, especially the traditional Irish music she grew up on. After college, she plans to pursue God’s call onto the foreign mission field; she wants to do work focusing on women and children in Africa, and reaching the unreached with Jesus’ message of hope. Carly will be interning with us through December of 2010.
