Imitate God in everything you do... Ephesians 5:1 2012-2013 UMYF Parent/Youth Handbook
THE PRIMARY TASK FOR YOUTH MINISTRY AT FUMC IS TO: Love Youth Where They Are Encourage Them in Developing Their Relationship to God Provide Them with Opportunities for Nurture and Growth Challenge Them to Respond to God s Call to Serve in Their Communities From the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church - 2008
Adult Leader Contact Info First United Methodist Church 303 North Main Street Graham, NC 27253 (336)226-4343 Church Website: www.fumcgraham-nc.org High School Leaders Erin Mercs (coordinator) Chad Royal Mike & MeLessa Garrison (336) 260-4908 (919) 563-9704 336-263-9503 dancingchef316@gmail.com croyal@nccu.edu meme0205@bellsouth.net Middle School Leaders Luanne Lowe (coordinator) Scott Lewis Lindsey Nash 336-684-2091 931-241-9537 336-266-7659 lwl33wsl@aol.com scottlewis238@gmail.com lsn0701@aol.com Jim Albright (336) 512-5424 bigtime@rafountain.com Director of Christian Education Brian Yoder Cell: (919) 428-1841 bhyoder@yahoo.com
Registration Forms & Code of Conduct A notarized UMYF registration form with emergency medical information is required for each member of our UMYF program. Copies of these forms are provided to the adult leaders at the beginning of the UMYF year and are taken to each event. We ask that parents and youth fill out these forms in their entirety to ensure the safety of all youth during the UMYF year. No youth is allowed to attend a trip unless we have the proper emergency medical information. A completed Code of Conduct form is also needed to ensure that youth & their parents understand our church s standards of conduct for the youth ministry program. Regular Meetings Regular UMYF meeting times are Sunday evenings from 5:30-7:00 pm. Our typical meeting schedule is as follows: 5:00-5:30pm: Gathering in Stafford Hall gym 5:30-5:35: Announcements & blessing over food 5:35-6:00: Snack supper 6:00-7:00: Program We ask parents to please ensure that an adult leader is present when dropping off youth. Our Safe Sanctuary policy prohibits any child or youth under the age of 18 from being on church property without proper adult supervision. Snack Supper A light supper is served during our regular Sunday evening meetings for youth and adult leaders. This meal is provided and served by church groups & parents which can consist of nachos, hotdogs, pizza, tacos, or make your own sandwiches. We ask that parents commit to providing at least two UMYF suppers throughout the year. Normal time of serving is at 5:35pm and we average approximately 35-40 youth and adult leaders each Sunday Communication Please check the church newsletter, E-news (sent out via email), and our church website for special programs and changes to our regular schedule. We will normally send home information with the youth on Sunday evenings (youth not in attendance on Sunday evening will receive information by regular mail or email). If you need a specific question answered about the UMYF, you may contact Luanne Lowe, our Middle School UMYF coordinator, or Erin Mercs, our High School UMYF Coordinator.
Facebook We have created a closed UMYF Facebook group for students, so that we can share pictures, program information, and prayer concerns amongst the group. To join, students must send a request to an administrator (adult leaders) and they will be added. If a parent does not want his/her child participating in the group, then they are to inform their child's adult leader. Parents are also welcome to join the group. Inclement Weather UMYF events on Sunday: If morning worship is canceled due to inclement weather, the UMYF meeting or event will also be canceled. If inclement weather occurs after church has already met, then the adult leadership will contact youth/parents about whether the UMYF meeting or event will take place. UMYF events during the week: If school is canceled due to inclement weather, then the UMYF meeting or event will also be canceled. If inclement weather occurs after school has let out, then the adult leadership will contact youth/parents about whether the UMYF meeting or event will take place. Permission Slips We have changed the registration form this year to include a blanket permission form for all UMYF trips from Aug 2012 - Aug 2013. If a parent does not want their child to participate in a specific event, then please inform your child's adult leader. Friends are allowed to attend day trips with completed permission slip forms (this form can be downloaded from our church website). Overnight trips are for youth that have joined the UMYF group. A member of the group is defined as someone who has filled out the registration forms and Code of Conduct and has made a commitment to support the group by their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Youth Council (planning team) At the beginning of the UMYF year, representatives from both middle and high school will be chosen by the youth to serve on the Planning Team. The Planning Team will meet each month to plan and schedule youth activities. Information about these meetings will be placed in the church enews, church newsletter, and on the church website. District Events Our youth group attends numerous events held by the United Methodist Cooridor District (local United Methodist Churches within Alamance, Orange, Durham, and Caswell counties) which includes a Fall Youth Rally at Camp Chestnut Ridge in October, a Canned Food Drive with a free movie at the Graham Cinema in the Spring, and a Chicken Pickin Frisbee Fun day at Cedarock Park held the first Sunday in May. These events provide youth
the opportunity to worship and have fun with other United Methodist youth from area churches. North Carolina Conference UMC Youth Events includes United Methodist churches from Elon all the way to the coast Events attended by youth groups: Pilgrimage (for youth in grades 6-12) is a weekend event for UMYF and local church youth groups in which youth and adult leaders are challenged to a new and deeper faith in Jesus Christ. The content of the event will focus on worship, faith sharing and discipleship for the youth and adult leaders. Last year, over 6,000 youth and adult leaders gathered at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC to worship and praise the Lord. Pilgrimage will be held on Nov 11-13 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville. Registration fee is $80 per youth. Events attended individually with adult staff provided: Global Vision (for youth in grades 10-12) is a trip to New York City with a study seminar at the Church Center across from the United Nations. The purpose is to further knowledge of world affairs in a Christian context so as to allow youth to respond as they feel called by God. This trip is usually held in the spring. Kaleidoscope (for youth in grades 6-8) is a weekend retreat to the Don Lee Center in Arapahoe, NC that provides middle school youth encouragement in faith and growth in spiritual life. The weekend features total group activities of worship and recreation and fun as well as small groups to explore prayer, Scripture and other aspects to spiritual life. This event is usually held in April. Summer Breakaway (for youth completing grades 6-12) is an exciting week for youth to devote themselves to Christ through a Christian community establishing a strong relationship with God. Each day at Breakaway features a morning assembly to celebrate community life, growth groups (by age levels) to focus on spiritual growth, meals in the cafeteria, movie groups (by age levels) to create and produce movies for a short film festival at the end of the week, free time with some structured recreation offered, worship services and an evening program (ice breakers, concert, dance, talent show). The week concludes with an inspiring communion service on Friday night. This event is usually held in June (this event fills up fast so please register early). Appalachian Trail Hike (for youth completing grades 9-12) is an experience of spiritual journey. This backpacking hike along a section of the Appalachian Trail calls for a balance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual life factors. The hike provides a mountaintop experience for youth to face and meet a challenge, to see God at a new height, and to become aware of God s abiding presence. The hike is a 7 day trip that usually takes place in July.
Annual Conference Session (for youth completing grades 9-12) is an exhilarating experience for youth to meet God through themselves and others. In this week-long event dedicated to the formal establishment of opinions on relevant issues, youth also attend to the business of the NC Conference UMYF. Each day at ACS features legislative affairs session dealing with resolutions on current issues, growth groups focusing on spiritual growth, meals in the cafeteria, and interest groups on a variety of topics, free time with options for recreation, worship services and an evening program. This event is usually held in July. FUMC Special Events Middle School Madness This is a fun and safe event held on Saturday evenings from 7-9:30pm for Middle School students to fellowship with their friends. There will be games, movies, Christian fellowship, free snacks and devotion time. There is a special permission slip for this event that can be downloaded from our church website. Wesley Wares Wesley Wares is a children s mission project conducted annually on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. FUMC members donate gift items for children to purchase at $5 or less for friends and family members. All money collected is donated to a mission organization. FUMC youth usually volunteer to be shopper buddies and gift wrappers as children buy presents for their family members. High School Samaritans Purse Trip The High School UMYF travels to the Operation Christmas Child warehouse located in Charlotte, NC to help process shoe boxes for the Samaritan's Purse ministry. The shoe boxes are donated from people across the eastern seaboard and contain toys, candy, personal hygiene items that are shipped to children all over the world. The youth will have an opportunity to help ready these boxes for shipment. It is truly a blessing to see so many boxes filled with so much love for needy children around the world. Middle School Spring Trip This event is just for our Middle School youth to provide an opportunity for fellowship & spiritual growth. Past trips have included a visit to Topsail Island, North Myrtle Beach, and Camp Don Lee. End of School Lock-in Our UMYF program concludes at the end of the school year with a lock-in at the church. We vary the schedule to include group games, recreational activities, worship, and an offsite activity. Our off-site actvities have included lazer tag, broomball at the local ice rink, Cross-O-Rama picture scavenger hunt, and an adapted version of the Amazing Race.
Robeson County Mission Trip The high school youth (rising 9th graders completed 12 grade) travel each summer to Robeson County, NC to work with the Robeson Church and Community Center to build wheelchair ramps and perform light home repairs for senior adults living in the Robeson community. Fundraisers Throughout the year, both the junior and senior high youth groups will conduct important fundraisers to fund special trips. We ask that all youth and parents please assist with our fundraisers. One of our largest high school fundraisers consists of running a concessions stand at each UNC home football game in the fall to help raise money for their mission trip to Robeson County. Erin Mercs & Paul Newberry coordinate this fundraiser. The UNC Ballgame schedule for 2012 is as follows: Sept 1: UNC vs. Elon Sept 22: UNC vs. ECU Sept 29: UNC vs. Idaho Oct 6: UNC vs. Virginia Tech Oct 27: UNC vs. NC State Nov 10: UNC vs. Georgia Tech Nov 24: UNC vs. Maryland UMYF Benediction: May the Lord Bless you and keep you, May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.