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.
Please five minutes to register your student for youth activities! We will share this registration information with your home churches too, so they have all this info on file.
Registration is SUPER IMPORTANT so adult leaders can contact guardians and parents incase of an emergency. Register here
Youth – Come All!
Starting today during the Sunday School hour (10:20 am), Mark Baumann will lead sessions and rehearsals to assist students in grades 6-12 with leadership in worship. There will be opportunities for handbells, chimes, instrumental music, drama, reading and more. This week’s session will include a devotion and discussion about skills and passions. The meeting will happen in the choir room and all are invited.
About the Youth Co-op
Youth Co-Op is a safe and loving ecumenical youth group for all students 6-12th grade. We embrace all students no matter race, abilities, ethnicities, gender identities, expressions, and sexual orientations. We provide opportunities for fun, learning activities, faith and spirituality exploration, and service to the community. Our partner churches include: Lovely Lane UMC, People’s Church UU, St. Mark’s UMC , St. Paul’s UMC, St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, and Trinity St. James UMC. We typically meet on the 2nd and 4th Sunday’s during the school year from 2:00-4:00 pm.
Youth Co-op Fall Kick-off
September 8th | 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Our first Co-op event of the Fall Semester will be on September 8th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church. Students will be doing a color war, which is a chalky substance that is often used at Holi festivals. We will have games to play with the colors, so it will be messy! Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and full of color. We will meet outside in the parking lot and walk over to Pierce Park for the games. We will also have a Tiedye station if you’d like to Tiedye any clothes and have popsicles as a snack.
Parents are encouraged to stay, register students, and meet adult leaders and pastors from each church.
Youth Co-Op Save the Date
September 22: Join us on September 22nd from 2:00-4:00 pm at Bever Park, where we will help the city by cleaning up the creek that many animals call home. We will provide gloves and garbage bags for participants. Please wear closed-toed shoes and clothing you won’t mind getting wet or dirty.
October 11-13: Retreat
October 27: Halloween Party
Ice Cream Social
September 8th | 3:30-5:00 pm
St. Paul's United Women in Faith is sponsoring an Ice Cream Social, and we invite you to join us! It's happening on Sunday, September 8th, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1340 3rd Avenue SE. There will be ice cream, kids' activities, music, and good times. We'll have dairy-free ice cream, too! Bruce Nesmith will host live music and an Open Mic session. Feel free to sign up with Bruce to perform. Any donations will support United Women in Faith projects for women, children, and youth. See you there!
Wednesday Night Youth Group
Begins September 11th | 6:30 pm
Lovely Lane UMC and St. Paul's UMC students come together on Wednesday nights for our youth group activities, where we focus on their theological development. Our sessions start with sharing our highs and lows, followed by a game or activity, and then a lesson related to the topics discussed in our churches' worship services.
Students will meet at Lovely Lane UMC, 2424 42nd Street NE, Cedar Rapids, for the fall semester. Dinner will be provided for those interested. Dinner will be at 5:30 pm and youth group will commence at 6:30 pm. Please get in touch with us if your student needs transportation or has any questions about the fall semester programming. Please contact Becca Nims if you have questions.
September
8th: Back to School Bash. Please note, this will be hosted at St. Paul’s
11th: Three Simple Rules – Do Good
18th: Three Simple Rules – Do No Harm
25th: Three Simple Rules – Stay in Love with God
The founder of our denomination, John Wesley wrote about three general rules that help people apply their faith to everyday life, and not only live in a way that honors God, but encourages continual growth and development of our faith. While simple they are not always easy. During the month of September we will take a look at these rules for live: Do Good, Do No Harm, Stay in Love with God.
Youth Café Sundays
Begins September 22nd | 10:20 am.
6th-12th grade students are invited to join us on the 4th Sunday of each month starting in September for Café Sunday. We will meet in the youth room and walk to either Starbucks or Scooters. We will use this time to check in and discuss topics in the news or about faith that are on your mind.
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
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