Summer Mission Trip 2012!
June 17th-23rd
This summer, we’re heading to Tuscaloosa, AL for our week long summer mission trip. We will be working alongside the United Methodist Council on Relief doing construction work on homes damaged by the storms of the last year(s). All the job sites will be heavily supervised and no previous experience is required to serve.
We’ve gone back and forth with the price to find a number that allows us to provide the youth with a great trip while still keeping it from crushing the family budget. But ultimately this ministry’s mission is to allow ANY YOUTH to participate in the trip if they desire to regardless of cost. Please be patient and we will let you know a final price ASAP.
With that said, I’ll be reaching out individually to all youth families to answer questions about the trip and to get a solid “yay” or “nay” regarding the trip. But if you know you are interested in going on the trip, go ahead and send an email to thockman@stjamesatlanta.org (you can also fill out a permission form packet that is on the youth boards, too!) so I don’t have to call you at home when you’re eating dinner!
Be a Part of Youth Sunday May 20th!
We would like all youth, whether they attend Sunday School, our Sunday night programs, or just stop by every now and then to join us for this special day. We celebrate the youth of our church (meaning youth in middle and high school). We will be highlighting our seniors in high school. Harrison Evans, Reese Zahner, and George Berry will grace us with words and dance as we explore our theme of “I Can Only Imagine.” Fritz Young will be graduating that day, so we will hear from him through the printed word.
Our youth choir will be singing and performing from their upcoming choir tour selections. We have musicians for the introit (the musical start of the service) and the benediction response (the sending off of the congregation). However, we have opportunities for MANY others to join.
We will need speakers for the:
-Call to Worship-the invitation to worship together and greet the congregation
-Ritual of Friendship – where we greet our fellow members and share the love of Christ
-Welcome and Announcements – sharing the activities and noted events of the church
-Morning Prayer – going to God in prayer as we move toward hearing his word
-Special Moments with Children – this is the children’s time to hear about the lesson in an age appropriate way
-Scripture – reading from the Bible the passages that will be used in the message
We also need people to help with:
-Ushering
-Greeters – both before and after church
-Passing out bulletins
-Taking the offering
-Singing with the youth for a whole group song
-Helping with lemonade refreshment after church
If you will be in town and can participate with us, WE NEED YOU!!! If you are NOT in the choir and you have a special part you would like to do, let us know!! Our choir members will be involved, so we would like to see other youth join in our service. We will be leading both the 8:30 and 10:50 services, so there is room for many. If you can only do one service, let us know.
Also, we will be learning a song for all to sing. Practices will happen in both Sunday School and Sunday Night Youth (Trey will teach and lead).
Our rehearsal for Youth Sunday will be two hours on Saturday, May 19th (morning or afternoon). Our speakers (including seniors) can schedule other times to rehearse in the sanctuary in addition to the rehearsal day.
Please let us know ASAP if you can join us. We would love your support and participation. You can email Holly Middleton at hollybenm@bellsouth.net for questions, or call her at 404-483-6556.
Video Hunt 2012 – The List
On Sunday, March 25th 2012, 6 teams ventured into the streets of Atlanta with a list of things to catch on film. Each item was worth a certain amount of points and some were even considered mandatory.
Here is the list of tasks and their point values:
Mandatory Category (Must have all of these to qualify for prize!)
-A creative introduction to that particular team’s video
-3 team members being pushed in a shopping cart
-A team member spontaneously interviewing 3 strangers: ask “What is God like?”
-Someone in group chugging an entire can of soda and belching
-Team hanging upside down singing the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the tune of “Gilligan’s Island”
-Everybody in a public place ‘searching’ frantically on the ground for a contact lens. (1000 bonus points if you convince someone into looking with your group)
1000 point items
-Team member hugging a stranger
-Lady scolding child
-A guy coming out of the girl’s bathroom
-A grocery clerk singing a recognizable song
-Someone ordering a cheeseburger without any cheese
-Lady walking her dog
-Fitting your entire team on one tree
-Make a human pyramid
1500 point items
-Person peeling out in a car (team vehicles not included)
-A fireman in uniform
-Someone (other than a team member) buying “Depends”
-Someone making a citizen’s arrest
-Someone on your team in a parking lot pretending to be a used car salesman
-Little kid singing Mary had a little lamb
-A member of your group in a church member’s bathtub serenading a rubber duck with “Rubber Ducky”
-Team member hugging a gas station attendant
-Create a “Duck, Duck, Goose” flashmob (Double points if you can get someone outside the group to play with you!)
3000 point items
-A dog relieving himself on a fire hydrant
-Old lady on the ground yelling “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”
-A police car with its lights and/or siren
-Get two total strangers to sing and do the motions to YMCA with your entire group.
-Make a commercial in front of a Blockbuster
-Fitting the entire team in a telephone booth
-Someone crawling out of a manhole
-Entire team coming out of a VW bug
-Singing to a waitress at a busy restaurant (either to be sung by a representative or the whole group)
-Entire Group walking through a chicken-based restaurant (KFC, Zaxby’s, etc.) flapping their wings clucking like a chicken.
-Your group buying $.10 of gas (Show receipt and/or pump for proof)
-A member of your group sitting in the driver’s seat of a fire engine, making siren noises.
-A member leading another member on a leash through a pet store
5,000 point item
-A member of your group handcuffed and put in the back of a police car.
-Get a policeman in uniform to sing the theme to COPS, “Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do…”
-Entire group singing the National Anthem at the top of their lungs at a baseball diamond
-Everyone in your group standing outside a Wal-Mart entrance singing a Christmas Carol and welcoming people to Wal-Mart
25,000 point item
-Video of a 300 pound Rottweiler eating an entire salad bar
500,000 point item
-Video of entire team hovering over The Georgia Dome wearing chicken costumes balancing a stack of 7 baseballs each on their noses and reciting “Hamlet” backwards.
Be sure and visit The St. James YouthTube Channel for clips from our night out!
Join us at the Beach!
PRICE REDUCED!!! Only $60 per person*
Mark your calendar for our Spring Beach Retreat! We’re heading to Gulf Shores for an incredible weekend. This event will be available to all youth 7th-12th grade.
Click here to download the permission form!
Stuff to pack:
-Clothes for the weekend
-Bathing suit (No bikinis)
-Pillow
-Sleeping bag and/or sheets for bunk bed
-Toiletries, towel
Stuff not to pack:
-Cell phone
-MP3 players, video, and gaming devices
The final deadline for fees and forms is Sunday, April 15th. See you at the beach!
*All St. James Youth trips and special events have financial assistance available if needed. For more information, contact Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org
News for the New Year!
Here’s everything reported in this week’s edition of our newsletter, The Circuit. For more information about how to receive the newsletter, shoot an email over to Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries, at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org
Food providers for 2012 Needed!
We’ve updated our food provider volunteer page for 2012. Click here to view the page and volunteer to help us this semester!
Time Capsule Night This Sunday!
Sunday Night Youth is back! And what better way to kick off 2012 than with creating a St. James Youth time capsule! We’ll provide everything you need for the event so don’t stress about having to sacrificing your favorite copy of Twilight. Join us from 6pm-8pm and don’t forget to bring $5 for dinner (First time visitors eat free so bring a friend!)
Earn Some $$$ Off Your Next Youth Event!
The Activities Ministry here at St. James will be hosting a Kids Night Out once a month and we need your help to staff it! The first event will be Saturday, Jauary 21st. Click here to read more details and sign up!
Trinity Soup Kitchen Day
3rd Thursday Planning Meeting
Jr. High Lock-Out
Ski Trip Payments
Feedback Time: Blog Reconstruction In Progress
We’re redesigning the St. James Youth Blog to be able to better communicate clearly with our youth, parents, volunteers, and other supporters. If you’re having trouble accessing various sections of the site, please be patient with us as this is a giant undertaking and it’s very easy to let a few details slip through the cracks.
The main reason for the updated blog is the addition of a youth calendar page. We will be using Google Calendar to create a comprehensive and updated church calendar here at St. James UMC in the coming months. Visit stjamesyouthblog.com/calendar to see an early version of what the calendar will look like and stay connected.
We’d also love your feedback on how to make this site better for you. Send an email to Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries, at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org with your suggestions.
Thanks!
Sign Up Now and Hit the Slopes with Us!
Friday, January 27th – Sunday, January 29th
Available to all 9th-12th graders.
Cost: 220 Per Person* (Includes lodging, food, lift ticket, and equipment rental)
By registering, you are only reserving a placeholder for the trip. Full cost of the trip must be made by January 8th, 2012. Make all checks out to “St. James UMC.” A basic health and safety form will also be required for this trip. You can fill out this form on Friday, the 27th before departure or pick up a form in the youth room of the church.
Click on the link above and follow the instructions to reserve your spot. If you are reserving multiple youth or are a parent reserving your child, please make a note in the comment section of your reservation with the name(s) of the youth participating in the event.
*All St. James Youth trips and special events have financial assistance available if needed. For more information, contact Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org
Confirmation Retreat 2011!
(Available to all current confirmation students. Contact church office for details about confirmation at St. James.)
The time has finally come to get ready for our Confirmation retreat to Lake Junaluska! This is always an incredible trip and I’m looking forward to spending the weekend with this year’s class. Here’s the details:
-Meet at the church on Friday at 5pm. Dinner Friday will be at Chick-fil-A and is included in your retreat payment.
-The Retreat is $185 per person.* You can turn your check into the church office or simply drop it off on Friday before we leave for the trip.
-You’ll also need to fill out a brief medical release form. These forms will be handed out this Sunday morning at class and can also be filled out on when before departure. (NOTE: Despite what the form states You will NOT need to notarize the form.)
Here’s a quick packing list:
-Clothing (indoor & outdoor) for Friday-Sunday
-Toiletries
-Bible, Notebook, Pen
-Optional money for Christian Book store on site
We are staying in hotel room accommodation so bedding won’t be needing. However, if you’d like to bring an extra pillow for the bus or your room, that would be fine.
We will be returning back to the church on Sunday morning at 12:00. We will not be stopping for lunch on the way back Sunday.
If you have any questions, please email Trey Hockman at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org.
*All St. James Youth trips and special events have financial assistance available if needed. For more information, contact the church office.
Sr. High Fall Retreat
$35 Per Person*
Available to all 9th-12th graders.
We’re getting outta town for a weekend and want you to come with us! For this year’s fall retreat, our Sr. High students will be heading to the Watkins’ cabin for a great weekend of hanging out, enjoying great food, and learning more about a deeper understanding of what it means to truly call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ.
*All St. James Youth events have scholarships available. Contact Trey Hockman at the church office for details.
Lock-In October 21st
Friday, October 21st
$10 Per Person*
Meet at the church @ 7pm
Pick-Up the next morning @ 8am
Grab your best zombie-slaying gear and join us for a night of games, food, entertainment, and other bits of random spookiness. Visitors are STRONGLY encouraged to join us for this event so bring your friends!
There is no sign up for this event, so if you plan on coming make sure you are on time. Otherwise, you might get accidentally locked out. If you are unable to stay for the entire event and would still like to participate, you will need to make special arrangements in advance. Shoot an email to thockman@stjamesatlanta.org to discuss options.
*All St. James Youth events have scholarships available. Contact Trey Hockman at the church office for details.
NEW Monthly Planning Meetings
With the new school year comes the opportunity to improve how we do things around The St. James Youth HQ. That’s why we will now be hosting a monthly planning session. Parents, youth, volunteers, Sunday school teachers, and anyone interested in getting plugged into our ministry will be strongly encouraged to join us.
Our goal is to start out planning as much as two months out for the weekly events (Sunday and Wednesday programs) and 6 months out for our special events (retreats, lock-ins, service projects, etc.). Hopefully, by this time next year, we will be able to plan the big events as far out as a year in advance. This will greatly help parents, volunteers, and other church ministries coordinate our calendars.
Our first meeting is September 22nd @ 6pm and will include a dinner. Future meetings will be the third Thursday of every month. So even if you can’t make the meeting this month, mark your calendar for the following dates: 10/20, 11/17, 12,15, 1/19, 2/16, 3/15, 4/19, 5/17
Frequently Asked Questions:
“How long will the meeting last?” Our goal is to keep the meetings under an hour and a half so that we don’t conflict with other church events.
“How much will dinner cost?” For our first couple of meetings, we’re going to keep the meal free. After that, we may ask for a small donation per family to offset the cost. We will determine that as a group at one of the meetings.
“I’m a parent and I want to make sure my youth isn’t uncomfortable with my role assisting the youth. What are my options?” There are dozens of opportunities for service in this ministry that wouldn’t necessarily put you in direct contact with your youth. For example, if your child is a jr. high, you can assist in a sr. high trip. Or you could assist in some behind the scenes coordination for a specific event. We need you on this team and there are several ways to make that happen.
“What about the youth involvement. Can teenagers assist in leadership roles?” Absolutely! We will be planning our calendar on an event-by-event basis. That means that if you’d like to be a leader on a Sunday night program, you would volunteer to be a part of that specific night. This allows youth to focus on a specific task or event rather than just be “on call” as a youth leader. (NOTE: There will be a time once a quarter for “youth only” feedback, planning, and leadership opportunities.)
“Is this new structure a permanent change?” That depends on us. This youth group is growing and it’s our challenge to step up and adapt to this growing ministry. Part of that growth process will be learning not what works best for youth ministry in general, but for St. James specifically.
This is such an exciting time in the life of this (over 50 year old) ministry and I can’t wait to see where God will take us all in the coming months!
-Trey | Youth Ministries – St. James UMC Atlanta
Rive Romp Posters Now Available!
If you attended our last retreat, be sure and swing by The Youth Room soon and grab your poster. Be sure and scratch off your name so we can keep track of who’s already got theirs.
End of the Summer Pool Party!
Sunday, August 28th
Beat the heat and join us for our end of the summer Pool Party! Meet at the church at 6pm with your bathing suit and towel. Pick up will be at 8pm in the Peachtree-Dunwoody Rd. parking lot. $5 for dinner (first time guests eat free!)
River Romp Details!
We’re meeting at the church at 4pm on Saturday and heading up to The Cimowsky’s cabin. There, we will be treated to a delicious home-made meal and have some great chill time around the bonfire.
The next morning we’ll wake up, get a quick breakfast, pack up and head to the river. We will stop at fast food on the way (be sure to bring cash for your lunch).
We are scheduled to be on the river at 1pm. With travel time and time for instructions, it should take 3-4 hours total for the trip. After our amazing adventure, we’ll load up in the bus and head home.
We are not doing dinner together on Sunday night but will allow youth to purchase a snack either at the rafting facility or on the road. We will call from the road once we get an exact ETA and will meet back at the church for pick-up
Packing List:
Vitals:
-Clothes for two days
-Toiletries and a towel
-Sleeping Bag and Pillow
-A bathing suit. (One pieces or a t-shirt for the ladies. Come to think of it, let’s just go ahead and clarify that guys will need one pieces, too…)
-Everyone has to wear shoes in the river, either old tennis shoes or sandals that have straps around the ankle, NO FLIP FLOPS
-Proper attire for rafting is comfortable clothing that will dry quickly, not blue jeans and sweatshirts! Umbros, bathing suits, shorts and t-shirts, etc. (Bring a plastic bag for wet clothes)
-Towels and a change of clothes would be helpful and you are welcome to shower and change at the rafting facilities before we head home.
-Jewelry is not advisable on the river. Eyeglasses and sunglasses need to be secured, too.
-Sunscreen
-Cash for fast food lunch Sunday
(Not as) Vitals:
-Waterproof camera
-Extra cash for various gift shop items at the rafting facility like t-shirts, hats, stickers, souvenirs, etc. (We will be purchasing rafting trip pictures as a group so you don’t have to worry about buying one for yourself)
If you have any questions, please contact the church office at 404-261-3121 or email Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries, at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org.
See you soon and God bless!
Mission Trip 2011 Report – On Earth as it is in Heaven
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
-1 Peter 4:10
As Christ’s church, we’re called to serve one another. I saw no better example of this than the recent mission trip to Nashville with the youth and adults from St. James. 13 youth teamed up with 12 adults for a week in Tennessee doing construction and service in the Nashville area. Of our 13 youth in attendance, only 2 had ever been on a St. James mission trip before and only one youth had experience in our field of work, roofing and siding. However, with a willing spirit and few sore thumbs, by the end of the week we had ourselves a team of professionals worthy of the toughest of jobs.
But even more important than the hard labor, these youth and adults learned more about how to show Christ to one another. Our theme for this year’s trip was “On Earth as it is in Heaven.” Every night, we gathered together to share where we saw Jesus that day. This time of discussion was invaluable for the growth of the group. As we shared stories ranging from the highly goofy to the powerfully tear-jerking, we truly experienced Jesus’ passion for his people. I’ll never forget the encouraging words my brothers and sisters in Christ gave to me during our nightly devotions.
I have been genuinely humbled by this experience. The hard work of the youth, the servant hearts of the adult leaders, the appreciation from those we served, and the love of Jesus Christ changed me forever.
It is easy to read the words from 1 Peter and follow Christ’s commandment when on a church sponsored mission trip. In ministry we call this time a “mountain top experience.” The challenge now, having come down from the mountain, is to incorporate this piece of scripture in my daily life. My prayer is that we be “faithful stewards of God’s grace” not just when we put on the old, torn up pair of blue jeans and work on a roof all day for 6 days. But also when we drive to work or school every morning to interact with those we see daily. I want to challenge you to ask yourself every morning, “Who needs to see Jesus today? And how can I serve them?”
May you use whatever gift you have received to serve others today. Amen.
-Trey
River Romp: Our Summer Whitewater Rafting Trip!
NOTE: This event is now closed for new registration. We’ll post a full packing list soon.
July 23rd-24th, 2011 Middle Ocoee River. For more information, contact the church office at 404-261-3121.
Lock-In Saturday June 25th
Meet us at the church at 7pm for a great night of games, fellowship, and food. Youth and encouraged to bring a snack to share with the group. Pick-Up will be at 10:00am on Sunday. (Youth are also invited to participate in our Sunday morning 10:30 worship service. Please bring a change of clothes if you plan on attending. The service is from 10:30-11:30)
See you then!
Meanwhile, on Choir Tour
Keep your eyes on our YouthTube Channel for tons of clips over the next week or so. And hey! Here’s one now!
Join Us For “Generation Change” This Summer!
$20 per person. Begins Thursday, June 30th @ 7pm
This 4 week course, from the people behind Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, is designed for high school through college students and will build lifelong confidence for your future by providing sound, biblical principles for winning with money.
Register by turning in your cash or check made out to “St. James UMC” to the church office. 20 spots available. Registration will be on a first come, first serve basis and will close at the start of the first session.
For more information, contact the St. James church office at 404-261-3121 or email Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org.
Mission Trip Sign-Up
June 12th-19th. $75 per person.
Available for all rising 9th grade and above.
We’re gearing up for this summer’s mission trip to Nashville. Signing up just takes 3 easy steps. (Attention volunteers: We need these forms filled out by you as well!)
1 – Click here to visit out Sign-Up Genius and register. This will give us an accurate head count.
2 – We need to know what skills you have so we can be assigned our jobs once we’re in Nashville. Click here to download a skills sheet. You will rate yourself on a scale of 1-5 for each skill. You can either print out a skills sheet and turn it in to the church office, or simply send an email to thockman@stjamesatlanta.org with your skill numbers on it.
3 – Last but not least, click here to download the official permission and liability form. Turn your form in along with a check for $75 made out to “St. James UMC” into the church office.
And that’s it! You’re in! We’ll post a packing list soon so stay posted to the blog and keep reading our email newsletter, The Circuit. (If you’re not signed up to receive emails from St. James Youth, send us your email address and we’ll get you connected.)
River of Life Video Now Up!
Check out highlights form this year’s River of Life Retreat in Jasper, Georgia!
To see more videos from St. James Youth, click here to visit our YouthTube Page.
Volunteer for This Year’s Vacation Bible School!
VBS 2011 will be June 20th-24th and it’s always a blast for St. James Youth! We’ve got tons of great volunteer jobs that need your help.
For more information about volunteering for this year’s VBS, contact Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries, at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org or call the church office at 404-261-3121.
River Romp: Our Summer Whitewater Rafting Trip!
July 23rd-24th! $50 per person (Must be at least 12 years old to participate)
Join us this summer as we hit the river for our Summer retreat. We’ll be venturing north to raft the great Ocoee River. This trip is designed with both the skilled adventurer and first-timer in mind. So whether your new to rafting or it’s your first time on the river, this trip is perfect for you!
Signing up just takes 3 easy steps.
1: Click here to visit our Sign-Up Genius page and register.
2: Click here to download and sign the permission waiver.
3: Turn your waiver along with a check made out to St. James UMC in to Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries at the church office.
We’ll post a full packing list soon so stay tuned. See you on the river!
New Once a Month Fellowship Event!
Join us for Friday Night F.I.S.H. (Fellowship In Someone’s House) on April 1st from 6pm-9pm.
One Friday night a month, all youth are invited to the Jones’ house for a night of fellowship. Play games, watch a movie, or just hang out. The choices are endless! If you have any questions at all, feel free to email us at constance.jones@finnegan.com or call us at 404.702.5486.
Directions: Our address is 4246 Peachtree Dunwoody Road NE. Heading south from the church (towards Peachtree) our house will be on your right. It is the third house south of Carmain Drive and is white with black shutters.
