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Neil McKown

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It’s finally Neil’s turn!

Meet Neil McKown, our Director of Student Ministries! Technically, it’s Edward O’Neil McKown IV, but please—just call him Neil.

Neil has been at Shepherd for 8 years, which also means he’s been doing this whole youth ministry thing with us for 8 years! When he’s not at Youth Group, he’s usually spending time with his family, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, or finding another project to work on.

Neil loves Texas native plants, Marvel comics, Dungeons & Dragons, baseball, hardcore & metal music, fantasy and sci-fi books, and cooking food from around the world. He’s also a classically trained tuba player and has recently added fútbol to the list—cheering for Aston Villa, Austin FC, FC Tulsa, and the Urawa Red Diamonds.

A few other important Neil facts: he’d choose to live in the Marvel Cinematic Universe without hesitation, Cool Ranch Doritos are his road trip snack, he wishes Spotify existed when he was a teenager, and he firmly believes popcorn dipped in BBQ sauce is delicious. Try it before you judge.

Most importantly, Neil wants every student to know he’s one of their biggest fans. He’s got their back and wants Youth Group to be a warm, fun place where they can show up and be completely themselves.

And when it comes to faith, Neil hopes every student knows this:

You are deeply loved by God—and that love doesn’t come with conditions. Faith is an ongoing journey, and none of us has to have it all figured out. Church should be a place where you are welcomed, valued, and given room to ask questions, grow, and discover who you are.

And one more thing: all that nerdy stuff people might make fun of you for in middle and high school? Don’t stop liking those things. Just wait. It gets cool eventually. #lovegodloveeverybody #shpcyouthgroup #shpcaustin

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We wrapped up our Spring Semester of Youth Group last night! We officially finished “The Waiting Room,” our series on patience, which also wrapped up our yearlong journey through the Fruit of the Spirit.

We ended the night with fun activities, lots of laughter, and time together in prayer. We’re so grateful for these students, these leaders, and this church community. Summer shenanigans are almost here and we are READY.

#shpcaustin #shpcyouthgroup #lovegodloveeverybody

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Night one is officially in the books—and what a start! We’ve made it to Mo-Ranch and jumped right in with games, songs, small groups, and so many joyful reunions with friends we haven’t seen in a while. The energy is high, the smiles are big, and we can’t wait for all the fun and meaningful moments a full day at Mo-Ranch will bring!

#shpcaustin #shpcyouthgroup #lovegodloveeverybody #moranch

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We had the best time at our Christmas party this past Wednesday! We wrapped up our Make Some Peace series and then jumped right into our annual White Elephant gift exchange — full of laughter, surprises, and plenty of joy.

And of course, the night wouldn’t have been complete without the incredible Puerto Rican food lovingly prepared by Fabi, one of our amazing sponsors. What a gift to be together, sharing good food, big smiles, and meaningful moments.

Our hearts are full. We are so grateful for these students and the sponsors who pour into them so faithfully. We can’t wait to kick off Wednesday Youth Groups again in January and continue the fun, growth, and community together. 💛

#lovegodloveeverybody #shpcyouthgroup #shpcaustin

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Another successful Halloween Party in the books! We had a blast! What amazing and creative costumes! #shpcyouthgroup #lovegodloveeverybody #shpcaustin

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We have officially made it back and I think it’s safe to say we can’t wait for Triennium 2028! We had a blast! #shpcyouthgroup #shpcaustin #lovegodloveeverybody

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Here we go! The full @shpcyouthgroup photo! We love these students and are so grateful to get to work with them! #shpcyouthgroup #lovegodloveeverybody #shpcaustin

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We had blast at Five Guys last night for Youth Group! Played some cool board games, got to catch up with everyone, and of course ate some tasty food! We will see you next week for our Lord of the Rings movie marathon! #shpcyouthgroup #lovegodloveeverybody #shpcaustin

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Family game night was a blast! We played large group games, foosball, apples to apples, and so much more! #shpcyouthgroup #shpcaustin #lovegodloveeverybody

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Just a few memories from our Confirmation Retreat this past weekend at John Knox Ranch! Our students from @shpcaustin and Hyde Park Presbyterian came together and had a blast! They laughed and played, talked and wrote their statements of faith, and we even had 3 baptisms! We love these students and all they bring and will continue to bring to the church! #shpcyouthgroup #shpcaustin #lovegodloveeverybody #johnknoxranch #presbyterian #pcusa #missionpresbytery

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We had a scavenger hunt last night at youth group and it didn’t disappoint! Thanks to everyone who came and got into it, it was a blast! Sponsors you rock and thank you for driving! More photos and videos to come! #shpcyouthgroup #lovegodloveeverybody #shpcaustin #missionpresbytery

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year for a Christmas party! We had a blast yesterday playing games, eating pizza, and having our annual white elephant gift exchange! Thanks to everyone who showed up! #lovegodloveeverybody #shpcyouthgroup #shpcaustin

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