Rising 6th Graders and Families,
Congratulations on completing your final year of Elementary School! Many things are about to change in your life! Many of you will be starting at new schools, making new friends, and adjusting to new schedules. We have exciting news for you! Starting very soon you can officially start participating in Hayes Barton’s Student Ministry! We have been praying for you over the last few months and cannot wait for you to be a part of our ministry. We are so excited to meet you and get to know you! Allow us to tell you a little bit about ourselves.
My name is Chris Varnson and I am the Director of Student Ministries at Hayes Barton United Church. I started at Hayes Barton in October of 2021. Before I started here I was completing my Masters of Divinity Degree from Duke Divinity School. Currently, I am a certified candidate in the United Methodist Church pursuing the elder track to be a pastor in the Alabama-West Florida Conference. My call to becoming a minister comes from my roots in serving youth in youth ministry. From my past nine months of serving the youth at Hayes Barton I have loved the fun, the friendships, and the spiritual growth that happens at this church. I am blessed to be a part of it, and I am blessed to be welcoming you new 6th graders into our youth program.
This summer we have several opportunities for you to start to get acclimated with the student ministry before the fall:
During the summer, we will meet for “LunchBunch!” This is a time for students to meet at a restaurant, enjoy a meal, and just hang out in fellowship together. The dates for Lunch Bunch are June 29, July 13, 27, and August 24. Please see the attached summer calendar, or take a look on our website for the location of each date. (hbumcyouth.com)
We will have a Movie Night on July 28th! More information will come out soon about what movie, where it will be hosted, and what to expect, but be sure to mark your calendars!
This year, we are going to start a Youth Group Friends Program. We want to help you feel welcome and know you will have a friend when you start attending HBUMC Youth events. We will be pairing all of our rising 6th graders with a high school student to help you get acquainted with the student ministry at Hayes Barton! Please let us know if you do not want a high school pairing, and we will not assign you one.
Beginning in August, we would love for you to join us upstairs in the youth area at Hayes Barton UMC on floor 3A! Here is how you can begin to get involved:
You are invited to join us on August 20th from 10:00am -10:50am for a Welcome Breakfast and then 6-8pm for a Trampoline Party. Make sure to register today! You can find the link under sign up and registrations here on our website!
You are invited to join us for the UMYF Kick-off Event on August 27th from 6:00-8:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. This is for both parents and students!
Join us every Sunday morning at 10am for Sunday School in the JOY Class Assembly Room on 3A.
Join us every Sunday night for UMYF that includes food, fellowship, worship, and word at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall.
a.) UMYF stands for United Methodist Youth Fellowship. We meet every Sunday evening during the school year for dinner, fellowship, and devotion.
This year we will be offering small groups as part of our Christian education programming. You will be invited to sign up for the small group that best fits you and your schedule. Information about the groups will be available late July.
You are also invited to join us for every middle school trip that we offer, including the middle school State Fair night, January retreat, summer mission experiences and more!
Your 7th grade year, you will be invited to join us on the. annual JOY Beach retreat!
Once you move into 8th grade, you are invited to join our Confirmation Class.
We are incredibly excited to welcome you into the Hayes Barton Student Ministry. We feel confident that you will find a home in our group, and will enjoy the many things that this ministry has to offer. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat about something please feel free to reach out to us and we will be happy to help in any way that we can.
On this page, you will find a copy of 6th Grade FAQ’s, JOY Class Cheat Sheet, and the summer calendar! I’m looking forward to meeting you and experiencing many wonderful adventures in following Christ together.
