Children’s Ministry

Natalie Adkinson, Director | nadkinson@germantownumc.org

Callie Beaver, Assoc. Director, Elem. | cbeaver@germantownumc.org

Janelle Crist, Assoc. Director, Nursery | jcrist@germantownumc.org

Mission and Movie Monday

June 19 10:00 am- 2:00 pm

Get out of the hot summer heat and join some friends for crafts, lesson, lunch, and a movie. Children have an incredible heart for missions but no way to generate income to financially support them. At MMM, we will learn about a different local, national, or international mission. We then create some high-quality crafts and then sacrificially donate them to be sold in the fall to generate money for a chosen mission. After our hard work, we will enjoy a pizza lunch and flop in the bean-bag chairs for a movie and treat. This is a great way to learn, give, and have fun – out of the summer heat! Cost is $5/child. Please register and pay online (or scan the QR code below from a mobile device.) Our nursery will be open for preschool-age siblings of elementary children who are attending MMM.

Lakeshore Camp

July 23-39, 2023

280 kids, youth, and adult volunteers are participating in GUMC’s Vacation Bible School in late May through early June. VBS 2023 is STELLAR—Shine Jesus’ Light! Please pray for our participants as we explore the vastness of God’s power and the depth of His love for all of us.

Weeknight VBS: May 31-June 2 from 5:30-8:00 am (OLEC Gym)

Weekday VBS: June 5-9 from 9:00 am – noon

We are taking a crew from GUMC to Lakeshore for this week of fun and fellowship. This designated week is for elementary (ages 8-12) and middle school (ages 12-14) students. Many of our youth will be serving as camp counselors. If you are interested in attending this week, please register through Lakeshore’s Website (https://lakeshorecamp.org/) and then drop an email to Callie Beaver or Natalie Adkinson. We will try to help coordinate carpooling and answer any questions you may have about sleep-away camp.

Lakeshore has an abundance of opportunities for all campers; there are a variety of camps offered all summer long! There are camps for people with special needs, as well as camps for people who have suffered traumatic experiences. There is a camp for people who love to fish, a camp for people who love aquatics, a camp for the arts, and a camp for those who love living in the wilderness. There is even a camp for people who love board games! There is a camp for everyone, so go to their website and take a peek.

Chloe Granberry, Director of Youth Ministries | cgranberry@germantownumc.org

On April 22, GUMC youth had their annual Daddy Craw Festival! This year’s festival is the first in-person Daddy Craw we have had since 2019, and we had over 150 people attend! In addition to crawfish, Ted Horrell and the Monday Night Card played live music, and we had a bouncy house, cornhole, and other outdoor games as well. The crawfish was incredibly delicious, and we could not have asked for better weather. We are already dreaming about next year’s festival!

As this year draws to a close, GUMC youth recognized our graduating high school seniors! In the week leading up to Senior Sunday, Senior Bibles were set out in the welcome center for church members to sign a time-honored GUMC tradition. After Reverend Tim’s address to the graduating seniors, they were presented their Bibles and knelt as the church prayed for their future journeys.

Besides being presented with their GUMC Senior Bibles, many of our seniors also participated in the Senior Banquet. Senior Banquet is a delightful event in which the achievement of our GUMC youth graduating seniors is recognized. The seniors and their families partook in a delicious meal provided by Jay McKinney, and they were served by a group of GUMC youth underclassmen. Along with this recognition, each year one senior is awarded a Scholarship by the appointed youth committee, and this year our scholarship was awarded to Bailey Jessop. Congratulations Bailey!

Looking forward, we have many summer trips and missions planned for 2023! We will update you on our summer adventures in forthcoming Tidings!