Youth

University UMC Youth Ministry offers a vibrant community where students in grades 6-12 can explore the love of God for them in Christ Jesus. We are always working to demonstrate God’s love for all youth, and so we fully affirm our LGBTQ students, and we work to provide thoughtful programming with our neurodiverse students in mind as well. University UMC is a Safe Sanctuaries Church committed to best practices to protect children, youth and vulnerable adults.

Read our Safe Sanctuaries policies here.

Fill out our Youth Ministries ONE Form here.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m. in the Youth Lounge (Room 208). Classes for parents meet in the Chapel and the Conference Room at the same time.

CONFIRMATION

Confirmation is a Christian rite of passage associated with baptism. If you were baptized as an infant, Confirmation Sunday is the day you confirm your faith as your own. If you are not yet baptized, Confirmation Sunday is a day to be baptized and confirm your faith as your own. The Confirmation program is a series of classes, retreats, and events designed to help students learn a systematic overview of the faith, practice spiritual formation, and then make an informed decision about whether to become a church member.

University UMC offers confirmation class for students in grades 8 and up, because you are entering an age where you can think more abstractly and better engage with the process of discernment (that means, learning and making up your mind for yourself). Each confirmand is paired with an adult mentor who meets with you during class, as well as occasionally outside of class, to help students process what they learn. While this is a learning experience, it is ultimately designed to help everyone feel a sense of community, belonging, and fun.

This year, we plan to hold a Fall and Spring semester of confirmation during the Sunday School hour. Email Pastor Charlie with questions or to sign up.

U-CREW: WEEKLY FELLOWSHIP

5 – 6:45 p.m. U-Crew is our weekly Sunday night youth group event! Students gather for dinner, games, worship and small groups. Parents rotate providing dinner (we always eat at 5pm).

MISSIONS & RETREATS

Fall Beach Retreat – October 20-22. All students are invited for a weekend getaway of fun and spiritual growth at the Trinity Center on Salter Path Beach!

ASP – Each July, we send youth (ages 13 and up), college students, and adult volunteers to Appalachia Service Project. At ASP, work teams provide home repairs to help provide warmer, safer, drier homes and prevent homelessness. Typical work includes building ramps, porches, repairing floors, vinyl siding, etc. No previous skill is required as this is a learning experience for everyone.

MUSIC

Rehearsals – Sundays, 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. after U-Crew.

Youth Choir is open to all students grades 6-12 interested in singing a variety of choral church music. Youth Choir sings in worship once a month during the school year, and is often a part of major celebrations such as the Moravian Love Feast and the Christmas Eve service. In the spring, Youth Choir prepares a major musical such as Godspell, Cotton Patch Gospel or Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The musical is shared with the church and on tour in June in places such as New York City, Vancouver, Scotland or Hawaii.

Director, Tim Baker.

WORSHIP

Families worship either at 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary every Sunday morning. Youth participate in leading worship by singing in the choir, serving communion, reading scripture, bringing in the cross, or on some Sundays, sharing testimonies. Please contact Tim Baker about joining the youth choir. Contact Karin Foarde to be a scripture reader. Sign up at this link to bring in the cross.