At St. Paul’s we believe students (6th-12th grade) should experience a safe place where they can gather with others their own age, be formed in faith and sent into the world to be Difference Makers because of the love of Jesus. We do this through the study of scripture, music, worship, fellowship and mission work in service to our church, community and across the nation.
Take a look at what we offer for youth in the announcments below.
Wednesday nights are an intentional time of friendship, fun, and faith. Each week, we check in with one another, play games, have a snack, and dig into scripture. All 12th-grade students are welcome to join. We meet from 6:30-7:30 pm.
May 15: End of School Year Celebration
Summer Intergenerational Gatherings
The Family Ministry Team is planning several Intergenerational fellowship opportunities this summer. These gatherings are for all ages: children, youth, and adults. Children under 12 must have a guardian present with them for each event they attend.
Mini Pines Golf
On June 12th at 6:00 pm, join us for a fun event at Mini Pines (3800 42nd St NE, Cedar Rapids). For just $12 per person, you can enjoy a round of mini-golf, a delicious hot dog with chips, and a refreshing drink. Mini Pines will accept payment on the day of the event. Don't miss this exciting opportunity. You can register online at https://forms.gle/N9gurHYJ4ZeQQaZH9or or in the St. Paul's office.
Kernels Baseball Game
Join us for a Kernels Baseball Game on June 27th at 6:35 pm. The event costs $12 per person and registration is required. Payment can be made online or in person at St. Paul's UMC. Registration required: https://forms.gle/ZuoaRP78Qh5gPhpQ9
Volunteers Needed for Compassion Camp
Help make Compassion Camp a success, Monday-Thursday, June 10 – 13th, 8:30 am-12:30 pm! Volunteers are the heart and soul of Compassion Camp, making it possible to share God’s love with all children participants. Adults and youth (6th grade and older) can sign up to volunteer for various roles, whether leading kids or behind the scenes. Pre-Compassion Camp, week off, and Post-Compassion Camp opportunities available. See all volunteer descriptions here. Contact Becca to sign up.
Adopt-A-Grad
Adopt-a-Grad is a straightforward idea. We match everyone with a person or family from our church who will pray for you and encourage you during your first post-high school year. The people who adopt you will likely send you gifts occasionally, too (score!).
Please fill out the Adoptee Info form if you are interested in being adopted by someone in our church family: https://forms.gle/YHvxpUEXzzTrM4F46
We also need a good picture (preferably one of your senior pictures).
This program is meant to support and encourage you. As soon as you turn in the form, you can sit back and enjoy the amazing people of this church who love Jesus and love you. If you wish, you may communicate with your adopter, but you are not obligated to do so. Seeing how God uses the Adopt-a-Grad program in your life will be exciting.
Summer Camps
Say goodbye to the school year and hello to a summer adventure! Our United Methodist Church Camps have many different summer camp options at two locations- Wesley Woods in Indianola, Iowa, and Okoboji, just off the shores of West Lake Okoboji. Each offers a unique experience for ages 4-17.
Scholarships are available through St. Paul’s and the Iowa UMC Camp and Retreat ministries. For more information about Scholarship opportunities, contact Becca Nims.
At St. Paul’s, we believe missions are a powerful step in our youths’ faith journeys. We encourage youth to begin these experiences in 6th grade and continue them through 12th grade. Mission trips allow students to get out of their comfort zones to be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus Christ in the world. Our mission trips have included recovery missions in response to Hurricane Katrina and the tornadoes in Oklahoma and Joplin Missouri; and a service learning trip to Memphis, Tennesssee. Trips traditionally take place during the summer months.
See information about upcoming Mission Trips in Youth Announcements.
Confirmation is a great responsibility, and it can be challenging. It is such an important time in the faith development of young people.
Too often, confirmation has been downgraded to the role of a checkpoint along the faith journey. We want to provide students with an experience to help them on a journey toward a mature faith.
At your child’s baptism, we recognized God’s grace at work in your child, you promised to raise your child in the way that leads to life everlasting, and the faith community agreed to stand beside you and your child in faith development.
Confirmation is a continuation of what God started in baptism; for that matter, confirmation is a continuation of what God started in the community of faith in your child’s baptism. While confirmation is the moment your teenager confirms the vows taken on his or her behalf in the baptism, it remains a communal experience, whereby the church sees the faithfulness of God at work in and through your teenager. At confirmation, your teen publicly professes personal faith in Christ and commits to faithful stewardship of time, talent, treasure, witness, and service in the body of Christ and the world. In baptism, we are initiated into the family of God, and in confirmation we publicly declare our allegiance to Christ and Christ’s church.
Confirmation is traditionally taught during the 8th grade year, however, we invite those who are in High School, to join in as well. Parents do not need to be members of St. Paul’s for a child to participate in the confirmation class.
For more information on Confirmation, Contact Becca Nims, Director of Youth and Family Ministries at rnims@stpaulsumc.org.
Meet our Director of Family Ministries
My name is Becca Nims, I am the Director of Family Ministries. Thank you for entrusting us with your students! Here at St. Paul’s our goal is to create a safe environment where students gather with other students their own age, be formed in faith and sent into the world to be a Difference Maker. Please feel free to email rnims@stpaulumc.org
Got questions?
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