BUMC YOUTH

you are welcome here

WHO CAN BE INVOLVED?

Any sixth-grader through high school senior is welcome at events. Some are specifically for middle school or high school, but unless otherwise noted, all we welcome! 

WHO CAN I CONTACT WITH QUESTIONS?

Austin Gay is the Director of Student Ministries and can answer all your questions. Email him at austin@birminghamumc.org.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAYS 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Sunday AM is a gathering point in the Student Center immediately following the corporate 10 a.m. service in the main Sanctuary building for all sixth through twelfth graders. 

  • Free breakfast donated by an adult congregant. 
    Short group game to have a bit of fun and bond with each other.
  • Announcements of what is happening in the church as a whole and youth group.
  • Short introduction about a particular topical Bible passage that reveals its historical, cultural, and literary context to give the youth a framework of what they are reading.
  • At this point in the service, the youth will spend most of the morning getting into groups to work through the passage. This opportunity allows the youth to work together as they observe, reflect, and communicate how the passage can be applied in their own lives. 

At BUMC we believe that the Holy Spirit can reveal truth and life through anyone regardless of age or experience. Sunday AM fosters an atmosphere that allows the youth to wrestle with relevant material through the Biblical text and ask hard questions within a supportive community led by the director of student ministries and adult volunteers. Our goal is to come together as one youth body to sit in a passage of Scripture and gain an understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ in our day-to-day, week-to-week, and year-to-year lives.

SUNDAYS 5 -7 p.m.

Sunday PM is designed to center all youth for the beginning of each week. It consists of small, consistent groups of students and mentors who will grow and learn together throughout the year. 

  • Dinner will be provided by an adult congregant.
  • Indoor or outdoor group game for approximately 30 minutes. 
  • A time of worship through song followed by a short sermon by the director of student ministries.
  • Static small groups to dialogue through the sermon, life check-ins, and prayer for one another.
  • These evenings also serve to provide fun events on and off campus or host guest speakers for the youth

This gathering time is designed to center all youth for the beginning of each week ahead of them. Apart from enjoying food and games, the evening will primarily focus on worship, short sermons, and small group discussions. These small groups are distinct from the Sunday AM gatherings, as they consist of the same 5-7 individuals throughout the year, fostering consistent relationships. In these small groups, participants can share their struggles, successes, and have life check-ins regularly. Our aim is to create a sense of youth families, where both youth and adult mentors support each other on a weekly basis as they navigate life together. Our heartfelt desire is to ensure that no youth goes through life feeling alone.”

DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

BUMC Youth came up with a lot of questions they had; good, difficult questions! We are working through them this semester with various guests to help us answer each one. You can find the complete list by clicking below. 

MARCH

MARCH 17

CONFIRMATION SUNDAY

This Sunday morning, during the 10 a.m. service, the confirmands will be honored in front of the congregation to be confirmed in their faith. This is an annual United Methodist service that is especially impactful as we witness their declaration of faith and commit to partner with them in their faith journey.

MARCH 24

PALM SUNDAY

Immediately following the 10 a.m. special service, all youth will head to the Youth Center to have a large special breakfast from 11:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m.! At this point in the Lent season, the youth would have begun working on the prayer stations they put together for the rest of the church. After eating breakfast, they will work on the prayer stations to get them ready for the following Thursday (Maundy Thursday).

MARCH 31

EASTER SUNDAY

No Youth AM or PM! 

SUMMER REGISTRATIONS

a button that says "camp firelight", a VBS summer camp on June 3-6 with different insects and a firefly

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

We love our youth helpers for VBS! This year we will learn how to have a trusting relationship with God by being a Firelight Camper. 
DATES: June 3-6
TIME: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Rising seventh grade up and up can be volunteers at a station or paired with an age group. The children love having the youth involved and it’s a great experience for them to influence the lives of children in our community. 
REGISTER

MIDDLE SCHOOL MISSION CAMP

Open to all rising sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, this camp consists of partnering with different organizations for three days with local missions. On Thursday, we celebrate with a fun day (cost included in registration). 
DATES: June 17-20
TIME: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
COST: $125

REGISTER

Building-Kindness-Expanded-1-scaled-1

HIGH SCHOOL MISSION TRIP

Open to all rising ninth graders through graduating seniors, we are heading up to Appalachia to work with Appalachia Service Project. ASP has been working alongside residents in the area since 1969. 
DATES: July 7 – 13
COST: $150 deposit due by May 31. The total trip cost is $450. 

REGISTER

PARENTS! WE’VE GOT A SPOT FOR YOU, TOO! 

Looking for other parents who know what it’s like to raise a teenager in 2023? Each Sunday morning, as the students gather together for their own service at 11:15 a.m. in the Student Building, there is a Sunday School class specifically for parents of teens running at the same time in a classroom in the Fellowship Hall building. This is an excellent space for parents to build community with each other while fostering their own spiritual growth. If you have any questions regarding this class, please reach out to one of the parents, Chris Carrollton, who leads this group at Kenesay10@gmail.com.

LOOKING FOR MORE?

Follow us on Instagram for pictures of events and more! 

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Student Information 2022-2023

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