Sign Up Now for Our Spring Retreat!
River of Life is our spring mission retreat that is held each year in and around Jasper, Georgia. This year, we are doing missions for individuals in need. We will be split into small groups and going to homes of Pickens County residents to work. During this weekend, students will be exposed to lessons in service not only by message, but also by doing. There will be a speaker and music at the services on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 P.M. which the entire community is invited to attend.
The cost is $50 per student* and includes food, lodging, all the supplies needed (plus a T-shirt at the end of the weekend!)
Packing List:
-Work clothes
-Closed toed shoes
-Work gloves
-Pillow
-Sleeping bag
-Air mattress or cot if so desired (we will be sleeping on floors)
-Casual, but appropriate clothes for evening activities
-Bible, notebook, and pen or pencil
-A friend who is looking for a fun and spiritually moving weekend
-Clothes to wear for the service on Sunday
Click here to visit our sign-up page to register. Full health and safety release forms will be available in the youth room. Make all checks payable to St. James UMC.
The registration deadline is April 1st so be sure sign up today!
*All St. James Youth trips and special events have financial scholarships available if needed. For more information, contact Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org
Community Flea Market May 7th!
How’s that Spring Cleaning coming along? Let us help! Empty out that garage, pack up your unwanted gear, and sign up for our parking lot Flea Market! Reserve your spot by clicking here to download the registration form and turning it in to the church office.
Early bird registration has officially begun! Spaces are now only $20 per spot (parking space size) with tables and clothing racks available to rent at $5 a piece. However, after April 17th there will be a $10 additional fee. So sign up today! All reservation and rental fees go to benefit the St. James Youth Group.
And be sure and tell your friends, family, and neighbors to stop by and see what kind of treasures are just begging to be discovered! Want to help us spread the word about the flea market? Click this link to download and print a copy of our flyer for your community areas! The more people that know about the sale, the more money you can make selling your stuff!
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
Bridges to Uganda
Alongside members of our Scout Troop #370, members of our congregation and the congregation of North Spings UMC in Sandy Springs visited Uganda as a part of the “Bridges to Uganda” program. Take a look at some of the highlights!
For more information, give us a call here at the church office (404-261-3121) or read the live travel blog at ugandabridge.blogspot.com!
Gameday Subs on Sale Now!
We’re raising money for our scholarship fund and we need all the youth help we can get!
Here’s how it works:
We’ll be taking sub orders for the rest of January on Sundays after the 11:00 service and on Wednesdays during Wednesday Night Supper. Once the order is taken, we’ll give the buyer a ticket that they will use to pick up their sub on February 6th, the day of the big game.
You can order any combination of ingredients that you want! They include:
Bread (Choice of White or Wheat)
Meat: Turkey, Roast Beef, Ham, and Salami
Cheese: Swiss, Cheddar, American, and Provolone
Sauce: Mayo, Mustard, Spicy Brown Mustard
Extra Goodies: Lettuce, Tomato, Green Peppers, Onions, and Black Olives
The morning of the 6th, the youth will not have Sunday School, but instead we invite all you to join us in the kitchen and fellowship hall to help us crank out subs. Subs will be available for pick-up after the 11:00 service in the fellowship hall.
How you can help:
We need youth volunteers to sell, sell, sell! Click here to sign-up for a time slot.
So be sure and stop by our table and help us raise funds for this incredible ministry of ours!
St. James at Trinity Soup Kitchen
“Christianity at its best is not simply about getting people into heaven when they die. Christianity at its best is a faith that calls people to surrender to a Christ who wants to invade them, and through them, change the world that is into the world that ought to be.”
- Tony Campolo
Over 50 members of the St. James congregation prepared, delivered, and served meals for the Trinity soup kitchen on Sunday, January 16th. This was my first year traveling with the congregation on this yearly service project and to say that the experience was life altering is an understatement. Serving alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ at the soup kitchen was an incredibly rewarding experience. The selflessness that I observed from the members of St. James was inspiring and believe me when I say to you that lives were touched and changed that day.
When Christ was confronted in Matthew 12 about serving others on the Sabbath, he replied, “If any of you have a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it a lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
It doesn’t take much for us to fall into “pits.” Hard times do not play favorites. Thank you, members of St. James UMC, for taking hold and lifting your brothers and sisters out of the pit. May we be so blessed to do this every day!
-Trey Hockman
Director of Youth Ministries
St. James United Methodist Church – Atlanta, GA
Trinity Soup Kitchen and WinterJam 2011
January 16th, 2011
Kick off the new year with St. James as we offer two HUGE events in one day!
First off is a church-wide service project with The Trinity Soup Kitchen. Join us as we make 1000 sandwiches during the 9:30 Sunday School hour. Then, at 10:30, we’ll head over to Trinity to help in the feeding of 300-400 homeless. We will return to the church by 4:30. We only have spots for 40 participants total, so if you are interested, email thockman@stjamesatlanta.org as soon as possible. The final deadline to sign-up will be the Sunday prior (January 9th).
Then, our program for Sunday Night Youth will be a trip down to Phillips Arena for WinterJam 2011! Tickets are only $10 per person* (plus a few bucks for food there) and will feature some incredible bands (David Crowder, Newsboys, Kutless, plus several more!) and a handful of amazing speakers.
Meet us at the church at 5pm (There will NOT be youth choir or ensemble). We’ll need a solid head count so we can get as many drivers as needed. Shoot an email to thockman@stjamesatlanta.org to reserve your spot today!
*All St. James Youth trips and special events have financial scholarships available if needed. For more information, contact Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries, at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org
Join Us For a Weekend of Fun and Service!
Sr. High (9th-12th): January 21st-22nd
Jr. High (7th-8th): January 28th-29th
$40 per person*
One wild night on the town!
Crazy-Awesome lock-in games!
Massive quantities of fat and sugar!
Making a difference in the community around us!
Could you ask for anything more!?
Join us for A.L.A.R.M. (A Local Area Retreat and Mission), two days of great fun and service! Friday night we’ll load up in the bus and head out for a great night out. Then, its back to the church for a good ‘ol fashion lock-in complete with games, food, movies, and fellowship. Finally, we’ll wake up bright and “early” for a local Atlanta service project together followed by one more time around the table for lunch.
Recommended packing list:
-Sleeping Bag and Mat
-Pillow
-Weather appropriate clothes for two days
-Comfortable shoes
-Towel and Toiletries
-Board games, playing cards, etc.
-Bible and notebook
-Lock-in snacks to share with the group
Click here to download and print the 2011 A.L.A.R.M. permission form!
*Makes checks payable to St. James United Methodist Church. All St. James Youth trips and special events have financial scholarships available if needed. For more information, contact Trey Hockman, Director of Youth Ministries at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org
Recommended Reading: Family Based Youth Ministry by Mark Devries
Last Sunday we mentioned this book briefly and I wanted to take a moment to recommend it again. Author Mark DeVries is the founder of Youth Ministry Architects, a youth-ministry coaching firm dedicated to helping churches build a solid foundation for long-term, deep-impact ministries to teenagers. For the past 18 years, he has served as the Associate Pastor for Youth and Their Families at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tenn., where he continues to oversee the youth ministry on a part-time basis.
Mark has trained youth workers across the United States, as well as in Russia, Canada, Uganda, and South Africa, working with a wide variety of denominations. Mark is on the national parenting seminar team of Wayne Rice’s “Understanding Your Teenager.” In addition to partnering occasionally with popular Christian musician, Mark Schultz, Mark has also spoken at Youth Builders’ first Family-Based Youth Ministry Conference.
The book is a wonderful resource for any youth leader and is especially inspiring for youth parents. For more information, click here to visit the official website for Family Based Youth Ministry.
A Special Message from Our Friends at Rice Bowls
In February 2010, St. James Youth teamed up with our amazing Activities Ministry here and collected change for Rice Bowls, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing food for the body and spirit of orphans in the name of Christ. Click here to take a look at our wrap-up video.
Last weekend, our volunteer team had a chance to head up to Nashville for this year’s National Youth Workers Convention. Click here to see some of the more “unique” moments. Amongst all the craziness, we had an opportunity to talk with Brian from Rice Bowls and he had a special message for us here at St. James.
Take a look!
Halloween Season at St. James!
We’ve got 3 great events lined up for this month! Take a look!
Trunkfest 2010!
Open to all families and the entire community!
Wednesday, October 27th. 5:30pm-7:30pm
This year, the youth and children’s ministries are combining forces to host Trunkfest, a combination of our yearly fall festival and Trunk-Or-Treat. We’ve got big plans for this HUGE event. But to make it happen, we need your help!
Here’s how parents can help:
-Decorate your car for the Trunk-or-Treat!
-Help facilitate a carnival game!
-Donate bags of candy for our trunks!
-Join the Trunkfest “Street-Team” to help get the word out to the surrounding communities.
If you’re a parent and would like to volunteer, email our children’s director, Mary Ann Mullins at mamullins@stjamesatlanta.org.
Here’s how YOUTH can help:
-Help us decorate the youth corner for the Trunk-or-Treat! (That’s right! We got a whole flippin’ corner this year!)
-Volunteer to help run the youth trunk-or-treat station!
-Face Painting!
-Handing out candy! (We won’t tell if you sneak a piece for yourself…)
If you’re a youth and want to help out, email our Youth Director, Trey Hockman at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org and mark your calendar for Wednesday October 20th. That’s when we’ll be making all the decorations for the event.
Sunday Night Youth Events!
October 24th – Pumpkin Carving Contest!
6pm-8pm. Big Pumpkins and Big prizes!
October 31st – Halloween Party!
6pm-8pm right here at St. James. Join us for costume contests, great food and games, and some spooky surprises!
2011 Mission Trip to Nashville!
June 12th-19th, 2011
You must be at least a rising 9th grade student to participate
Price: TBD
From April 30th to May 3rd Tennessee experienced wind damage and flooding across 29 counties including all 7 districts in the TN Conference of The United Methodist Church. More than 40,000 households were affected and they are anticipating needing volunteer rebuilding efforts for 3,000 families who would not otherwise be able to recover without our help. In addition, on August 18th there was flash flooding which effected 5 counties. As a result of all the damage, homes have had to be demolished and now it’s been put to us to help the relief effort.
If you wish to stay current with what’s going on in the TN disaster response effort, click here to read the TNUMC Relief Blog.
God bless!
Fall Retreat to Camp Glisson!
(EDIT! By your request, we’ve shifted the leaving time to 5pm. If you still have to be at the church at 4, no worries. We’ll still be here then, too.)
We’ll be back on Sunday by noon.
Sept. 17th-19th
Camp Glisson in Dahlonega, Georgia
$40 per person ($30 for participants of our car wash)
Join us as we head to the mountains for “One Wild Weekend!” Our 2010 fall retreat will be at Camp Glisson this year at Outpost Camp, an area on the other side of the mountain. We’ll be sleeping in Adirondack shelters, cooking over an open fire, swimming and playing in a gorgeous waterfall, plus other great treats!
Recommended Packing List:
-Sleeping Pad
-Sleeping Bag
-Toiletry Kit
-Flash Light
-Water Bottle
-Weather appropriate clothing
-Hat
-Rain Gear
-Sun Screen
-Bug Spray
-Shoes appropriate for hiking
-Bathing Suit
(SPECIAL NOTE: There will NOT be Sunday Night Youth on the 19th. But there WILL be choir from 5pm-6pm!)
Youth Council 2010-2011
This year’s Youth Council, AKA YoCo, is currently being formed. We’re looking for dedicated Sr. High students to serve as “officers” and Jr. High “interns” to help plan and lead for the upcoming school year.
Here’s how you can apply for this year’s YoCo team:
1. Fill out the application form.
2. Read and sign the expectations sheet.
3. Turn in your forms to Trey by September 5th.
4. Visit www.signupgenius.com/go/yoco to schedule an interview time.
The volunteers and staff of St. James UMC will be conducting interviews and selecting this year’s YoCo team. In the interview, youth will be asked to tell us a little bit about the following:
-What does the youth ministry at St. James UMC means to you?
-What other organizations are you involved in?
-Who else, other than yourself, would you like to see on this year’s YoCo team?
-What new ideas/events/programs/activities would you like to see happen during the 2010-2011 school year?
Applications are available outside the youth room or click here to download the PDF. Applications will be due no later than September 5th. Send me an email if you have any questions.
Promotion Sunday Aug. 29th
Well it looks like the summer has come and gone and now its time to gear up for the 2010-2011 school year! We’re switching up a few things starting August 29th such as
-Sunday Morning: We’ll still meet in the youth room at 9:30am for breakfast, but then we’ll be splitting up into 4 different classes. (7th grade confirmation, 8th grade, 9th-10th grade, and 11th-12th grade) Also, St. James UMC will be switching back to it’s school year worship time of 11am.
-Sunday Night Youth: Starting on the 29th, SNY will meet from 6pm-8pm. We’re kicking off the school year with an end of the summer pool party. Meet at the church with your bathing suit at 6pm.
-Wednesday Night Bible Study: Starting Sept. 8th (the same kick-off date as Wednesday Night Supper) we’ll kick off our Jr. High and Sr. High Bible Study. Join us for dinner at 6pm then head down to the youth room with us from 7pm-8pm as we dive deeper into the Word of God.
Got questions about the new schedule, give us a call here at the office (404-261-3121)
See you soon and God bless!
Car Wash This Saturday!
Join us on the St. James Campus from 9am-2pm for a good ‘ol fashion summer car wash! We’ve got a lot of great events on the calendar for the coming year and we need to raise money for our scholarship fund to ensure that all youth and visitors have the chance to take part!
See you Saturday and God bless!
Why You Shouldn’t Go to Church*
Last Sunday we read from Deuteronomy 4:29.
“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
All of the big steps we take in our faith journey begin with a question. Whether it is a detailed question involving graphs and charts or a simple “why” floating around in the back of our brain, the questions about our faith are what inspire to seek truth about God and His will in our lives. If we didn’t ask, we’d never know. If we didn’t know, we’d never grow.
So, let’s start with the big one. The one question that floats around in not only the mind of a Christian, but in any man, woman, or child who walks the earth: Does God exist?
Here’s a clip from the team at Highway Video that asks that very question:
So how do we know God exists? The same way we know that we exist; through our actions. In Genesis 1:1, we see the first action of God. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This verse tells us that 1) God exists and 2)God acts. These two things go hand in hand. If God didn’t act, we’d never know he existed. We know God exists through his actions. Think of basic concepts that we take for granted like gravity and wind. You can’t see gravity. You can’t see wind. All we can do is see and feel the effects of these wondrous phenomena.
The early writers of scripture shared this similar amazement. In Romans 1:20, it says that “for since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” And in Psalm 19:1 it states that “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
The authors of God’s word tell us that no one can completely understand every single mystery of God’s creation (Job 11:7). But that shouldn’t keep us from seeking him. We’re still called to seek him, as it says in Deuteronomy, with all our heart and soul.
You see, there are always going to be plenty of excuses of why not to go to church. But that’s not who God calls us to be. *You should go to church because it’s a safe place where we can worship Him and ask the questions we’ve always wanted to ask.
My prayer is that you continue to seek Him in all His creation and that you seek him with all your heart and soul so that He may be revealed to you. Amen!
Open Mic Night – August 6th!
7pm-9pm (Doors open at 6:30)
Join us Friday, August 6th for St. James Youth Open Mic Night. Enjoy snacks and drinks as our youth and volunteers show off their hidden talents! Do you play a musical instrument? Wanna do a funny skit? Can you juggle geese while standing on your head? Whatever your talent, sign up for a night to remember! You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll laugh so hard that it makes you cry! And did we mention that this is a 100% free event?
Sign up one of three ways. You can sign up outside the youth room starting at this Wednesday’s D-Group (7pm-9pm). You could also shoot an email to thockman@stjamesatlanta.org describing your act. Or you can simply show up to the event ready to go. If you need extra materials (props, costumes, a cd/mp3 player) please let us know in advance.
See you then!
Thanks for a great lock-in!
We had such a blast! Thanks to all the families that participated with us for family night and a HUGE thanks to the volunteers who hung out all night with us for one incredible lock-in. Enjoy this quick film highlighting one of my personal favorite moments of the night. God bless!
Family Night and Lock-In Tonight!
Join us tonight at the church at 6pm for Family Night. Parents are asked to bring a side dish or desert. After dinner, we’ve got some special games lined up for the whole family that you won’t want to miss!
The, after the family event, parents will hit the road, leaving the entire church in the youth’s hands for the whole night! Games, snacks, movies, and other wild surprises are in store.
Pick up from the lock-in will be Saturday at 9am. See you then!
Sign Up for M.A.D. Week and Hit Up Six Flags for Free!
July 19-23
You are invited to “A Table for Five Thousand!”
It’s that time of year again; MAD (Music, Arts, and Drama) week is almost here and we’re inviting youth volunteers to join us! Hours are from 9:30am-12:30pm each day. For some of you this camp brings back great memories, and if you’ve never done this before, it’s a lot of fun to help the kids.
We’re especially in need of people interested in leading recreation games inside and out!
For anyone who volunteers all 5 days and the Friday night performance, we’ll show our appreciation by giving you a free Six Flags pass! Contact Linda Merrill in the church office (404-601-4816 or lmerrill@stjamesatlanta.org) to sign up. Hope to see you there!
Two Big Sign-Ups This Week!
We’ve got two incredible event coming up and the deadlines to sign up are coming up fast!
Bowling Night
Tuesday, July 13th (Sign Up Deadline = July 8th!)
$10 Per Person (Includes shoes, pizza, drinks, and bowling!)
We’ll be leaving the church at 5pm and will be back by 8pm.
Atlanta Braves Game!
Thursday, July 15th (Sign Up Deadline = July 11th!)
$15 Per Person (Plus money for dinner at the stadium)
Meet at the church at 5pm. Game starts at 7pm.
Get signed up for these events by sending an email to thockman@stjamesatlanta.org with either “Bowling” or “Braves Game” in the subject line. Payment for both events are due by Sunday, July 11th. Make checks payable to St. James United Methodist Church.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept late sign ups for these events so be sure and get your name and money in fast!
Family Night and Youth Lock-In!
Friday July 16th
Its been far to long since we’ve had a good ‘ol fashion family night! Festivities begin at 6pm with a side dish and desert potluck. We’ll provide the main course, you bring the fix’ns. After the meal, we’ve got some family games and other various good times.
After the family event, the parents will head home, but we’re just getting started! Join us as we pull an all-nighter filled with games, movies, snacks, and other things that could possibly get me fired!
…just kidding…
Got questions? Shoot me an email at thockman@stjamesatlanta.org
See you then!
-Trey
