Student Ministries at St. Andrew welcomes any and all teens in grades 6 – 12. We are a welcoming and inclusive space that allows for fellowship and spiritual development of students from all backgrounds. We strive to be a space where students can grow in their relationship with Christ while also being a space where brave questioning and doubt can be held too. We understand that being a teen today is HARD – and scary. It comes with complicated and unprecedented pressure and struggles. We work to create a space where safety and love are paramount and where students can feel “at home.”
We invite new students to join us on a Sunday during Student Growth Group or to attend a Student Ministry event. If you join us for a Sunday morning please make sure to stop by the Welcome Desk for a gift and to drop off your information so we can reach out to you and say hello!
We have periodic offerings for Students throughout the year for them to fellowship and connect. Our ministry is part of the larger Family Ministry at St. Andrew. We know families are busy and often schedules are full. We try to be responsive to families as best as we can and work to maintain a balance with our programming between Family and Student specific events. Some examples of events include LUM Jubilee Christmas, Good Friday Lock-In, VBS, Impact 2818 Camp Ministry, Softball, Halloween Skate Night, etc. None of these events can happen without volunteers! Check out our Family Ministries Resource page to find out more about how you can get involved!
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Each spring we offer care packages to any young adult (18 to 26) who is connected to our community, and we request your assistance in helping us make this list. Care packages can be for those still local or those no longer close! We mail them out in April and hope these packages bring a bit of cheer and happiness to our young adults as they do life.
Each year we award two $500 scholarships to graduating high school or current college students who have been involved with St. Andrew. These scholarships are meant to provide financial assistance to our students as they continue to learn and become successful. The application process opens in March of each year, so we sure to watch for more information about the application process.
Every other year we offer a Confirmation experience for all students in 7th grade and beyond. This experience is ten weeks and covers United Methodist basics, faith practices and Christian life. These classes operate outside our normal routine and do require students to engage in an intense process of thinking about their faith. Students are guided by mentors who attend class with them and also get to know them on a personal level.
This process is intended for students to decide if they wish to take full membership vows in the United Methodist Church. Our students are not required to do this at the end of the process, though many do. We understand each student is on their own journey and honor their decision to join or not. We work hard to ensure no student is shamed or pressured into making such a decision.
Confirmation takes place in even numbered years with classes beginning in January. Look for more details in November.
Student Growth Group meets on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am during the Sunday Connection. This time is for any student grades six through twelve in Room 4 (Student Room). Instead of a traditional “Sunday School” experience we focus on broadening our time together to include other aspects of faith as well. Each week of the month looks slightly different to allow for diverse discipleship and connection opportunities. We will spend two Sundays a month with a Gospel Project lesson, one week doing a service project, and one week learning a life skill.
Student Growth Groups use The Gospel Project as our means of education about scripture and faith. This curriculum looks at scripture chronologically and provides insight about how all scripture points to Jesus and his life and ministry. We use this curriculum as a guide and as a means for our students to understand the importance of how Jesus' life is life changing for us today. Each lesson is modified as we strive to provide students with accurate and intentional lessons on faith that align with UMC doctrine and St. Andrew's beliefs and core values.
New to Student Ministries?
Be sure to subscribe to the Family Ministries newsletter so you don't miss out on events and information for families with middle and high school age students. The St. Andrew Student Ministry Facebook page is another way to be connected to what's happening.
For more information about our student ministry or if you are considering attending for the first time, please contact our Director of Student and Young Adult Ministries, Janee LaFuze, so we can connect with you.