Youth 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 youth to join us on a Sunday during Youth Growth Group or to attend a Youth 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!
About
This winter we are offering a handful of one-shot sessions of the table-top-RPG game Dungeons and Dragons. We invite returning players and new faces to join in on the fun. We will have four session offerings and these will be good for entry level play. So if you have not played before, these sessions will be perfect to learn the ropes!
Dinner will be provided, we just ask for advanced RSVP's so we can ensure enough food.
Feel free to watch this VIDEO for details about the game if you haven’t played before.
St. Andrew, in collaboration with Christ UMC and Grace UMC in Lafayette, offers a connectional Youth Group experience for the Lafayette area. We host monthly gatherings that have some form of recreation fun mixed with faith learning. We are an inclusive space, welcoming all students of all backgrounds and beliefs. We typically meet on a Friday night or Saturday, and will offer a handful of overnight experiences throughout the year. You can stay up to date on Lafayette Youth gatherings by subscribing to our Family Ministries Newsletter or joining our Family Ministries Facebook page. The leaders for this group are Janee LaFuze (St. Andrew), Jake Mayer (Christ UMC) and Glen Robyne (Grace UMC).
Each winter and spring we offer care packages to any young adult (18 to 26) who is connected to our community. Care packages can be for those still local or those no longer close! We mail them out at the end of November and April and hope these packages bring a bit of cheer and happiness to our young adults. Look for a sign up to share your young adult information with us!
Each year we award two $1000 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. Those in trade programs, certificate programs or other post-secondary education are also invited to apply. The application process opens in February of each year, so be sure to watch for more information about the application process. More info may be found HERE.
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 programming and require students to engage in an intense process of thinking about their faith. Students are guided by mentors who attend class with them and are committed to walking with them in faith and life.
This process concludes with the opportunity for you to make membership vows to the United Methodist Church. We understand each student is on their own faith 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 October.
Youth Growth Group meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 am during the Sunday Connection in Room 4. Any student sixth through twelfth grade is welcome to join us. We work through the Bible each week and use the Bible Project as a general guide for lesson focuses. We will intersperse service projects throughout the semester as well as fun activities. During the summer, our time is less focused on learning and more of a “youth group” time for fellowship and connection with a short devo. Check in with an usher or the Welcome Desk to find our room, we welcome anyone!
Student Growth Groups use The Gospel Project as our general guide through the Bible. This curriculum looks at scripture chronologically and provides insight about how all scripture points to Jesus. Each lesson is modified by the Director of Youth & Young Adults 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 Youth 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 youth. The St. Andrew Family Ministries Facebook group is another way to be connected to what's happening.
For more information about our youth ministry or if you are considering attending for the first time, please contact our Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Janee Czerwonky, so we can connect with you.