Our Commission on Education (CoE) works to offer many opportunities for young people to encounter God and get to know the Word. We offer a variety of bible studies and activities that are coordinated for children and youth ranging from toddlers to teens. Here are just some of the programs that we offer:
Sunday School: From September to May, we offer Sunday School classes before church. The classes include bible studies, music, and crafts as well as occasionally preparing for participation in our worship service (skits, musicals, etc.) We offer classes for all school-age children and teens. We encourage you to come as you are! We also have different bible studies for the adults at the same for anyone that is interested.
VIBE (5th – 12th graders): On Wednesdays we offer a time for our youth to finish their homework, fellowship with other youth, and receive the Word through a devotional. We are always looking for volunteers that want to connect with our youth and help grow their faith and relationship in God. If you are interested in helping, please contact our CoE members or Pastor to help you get involved. Our summer program varies from year-to-year. We encourage you to contact the office or reach out to us on Facebook or Instagram if you have any questions.
Parents – Get information on VIBE here.
Wednesday Night Live: On Wednesdays from October to April, we offer programming for all ages.We offer snack for our kids, music classes, bible studies, recreation, crafts, and more for children & youth of all ages.
At 5:30pm, EVERYONE gathers together in the Fellowship Hall to enjoy a community dinner together. You do not have to come to the earlier programming. Feel free to join us for a home cooked meal.
This program is open to all people that would love to join us. Come as you are. The dinner does have a free-will offering, but you are not required to donate to join us.
Roller Skating: On Tuesdays from October to April we ROLLER SKATE! That’s right, roller skating right here at the church between 6:30pm and 7:30pm. It costs $1 per skater. We have tons of skates available (rental included in your dollar). You can bring your own skates, but only if they’ve never been used outdoors (to protect our floor). It’s a blast!
Youth Music: Our youth have a variety of opportunities to get involved in our music ministry. We have youth involved in our Hand Bell Choir, Bethany Band, and Choir. Practices happen throughout the week. If you and/or youth would like to get involved, please contact the church and we will connect you to the right people. We also have Happy Bells that are used throughout the year during Worship that serves as a fun way for the children, youth, and adults to get involved in making a joyful noise!
United Methodist Summer Camp: Contact the church office or Les Randall about the various camp opportunities that the UMC offers. The UMC has a variety of camps across the state that your youth can participate in. We offer a variety of fundraising opportunities throughout the year to help offset the cost of camp. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Youth Missions: Our Bethany UMC youth participate in a variety of mission projects throughout the year including Operation Christmas Child, 30-Hour Famine, and others. To help support these missions, our youth collect a loose coin offering. You’ll find the bin to drop your coins in the Education Wing.
Other Activities: We try to plan a variety of fun activities, both on- and off-campus, for our youth and children throughout the year. We’ve attended our Conference’s U-Nite lock-in with youth throughout the district and conference. We’ve attended Winter Jam, which is a huge Christian concert. We also have done NERF nights, Laser Tag, Messy Game Nights, VBS, Lock-Ins, and more at the church as well. We also offer a variety of fundraising opportunities for our mission projects, camp scholarships, and overall ministry needs.
Check out some photos of some of the activities for the youth of Bethany United Methodist Church