“80% of Youth Who Do Not Accept Christ by 18 Never Will!”
This was the slogan on a poster I used to have on my bulletin
board when I was a youth pastor. It reminded me every day that
the faith development of children and youth is very important.
Here at FUMC we take our ministries to youth and children and
their families very seriously. They are not just the “future” of our
church. They are important members of our church family now!
Because children and youth are important to us, we provide a
Children’s Message during every worship service followed by
Children’s Church and a nursery with a regular attendant every
Sunday morning at 11 am.
We also provide a Messy Church service every second Sunday at
5:30 pm. Messy Church is for ALL AGES, but it is especially geared
toward children and youth and their families. The craft/game/
mission stations are sometimes messy and always fun and
enriching to the Bible story theme of the evening. Our songs and
our “sermons” are always lively and meaningful.
Our youth (6th -12th grade) join us at Messy Church on the
second Sundays of the month and then on the third Sunday of the
month at 4:30 pm we gather with youth of McDowell and Burke
County UMC’s for a Youth Fest of food, games, and devotions.
In the summers of 2023 and 2024, our youth went on Mission
Trips to repair houses and grow their faith in Jesus at White Lake
Christian Camp near Wilmington. One of our youth also went on a
“Give Children the World” Mission Trip in Orlando, Florida which
works with the “Make a Wish” organization to provide a
wonderful vacation for a family with a child who has a terminal or
serious disease or disorder. The youth plan to participate in both
these missions again in the summer of 2025.
Recently, Angela Bryan and Kathy Rabb have planned fellowship
outings for our children to the movies, to a pumpkin patch and
corn maze, and at the end of this month, an ’Outdoor Movie
Night” here at the church. It promises to be lots of fun!
We take ministry to children and youth very seriously here at
FUMC. DO YOU? How can you participate and promote the
spiritual growth of our children? Bring your children or your
grandchildren or your neighbors’ children to our church
programs. Children and youth need Jesus. You can help
introduce them!
Other ways to help include helping prepare meals, leading
Children’s Church, planning and/or staffing a Messy Church
craft/game/mission station or helping with the meal. Or, you can
just come to Messy Church and hang out with all of us and enjoy
a free meal. The fellowship is great and your presence makes it
more fun! Seriously! Just your being there makes a difference!
If “80% of youth who do not accept Christ by 18 never will” is still
true, then we have our evangelistic work cut out for us! Let
FUMC help you reach out to God’s children living in our
community!
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