Middle School

Welcome to the Middle School Ministry Page.

The Middle School Ministry at St. Luke's UMC partners with families in the spiritual formation of middle school students. Our goal is to be a safe environment for students to grow in relationship with God and others. We split into three groups after our worship time together to go more in-depth at an age appropriate level, in line with STEPS.

* 5th and 6th grades meet in our chapel and rotate years between Old and New Testament.

* 7th grade meets upstairs in the Cafe for Confirmation

* 8th grade meets in our Prayer Chapel to discuss Spiritual Gifts

At 11AM we offer a music program for our students in Luke's Lodge. Students may choose between:

* JUBILATION CHOIR - You will practice pieces with other middle schoolers under the direction of Amy Thornburg. Jubilation will perform a few time throughout the school year, as well! Click here to sign up!

* MIDDLE SCHOOL WORSHIP TEAM - This program helps our students use their gifts both vocally and instrumentally in order to lead worship each week for our students.

Connect

Sundays

At 9:30AM we offer programming for Middle School students in Luke's Lodge. Each Sunday students experience worship, games, large group teaching and small groups with dedicated leaders. 

Confirmation

Confirmation is a major milestone in the faith journey of a student and is about helping students make two commitments: a commitment to following Christ with their whole heart, and the commitment to uphold St. Luke's as a member of the church. All 7th graders go through Confirmation during our Sunday morning programming as a way to deepen the connections they made with their small groups during 5th and 6th grades. Confirmation runs from August through May. We also offer an option for older students.

Events

  • August 12 | Middle School Parent Meetings & Open House
  • September 13-15 | FUSE WKND
  • September 26 - October 31 | Pumpkin Sales
  • December 20-21 | Middle School Overnighter

More Info


Calling all 5th through 8th Graders!

Middle School Invite Night is a once-a-month event on a Friday night on St. Luke's campus for 5th through 8th graders.

We'll have a high-energy evening of fun, complete with worship and teaching. Each event begins and ends at Luke's Lodge and goes from 6:30 to 9:30PM. What's awesome about these events: They are no-cost, require no sign-up, on campus, and are an AMAZING opportunity to invite friends and our community.


Invite Nights for the 2019-20 year are August 16, September 27, October 25, November 22, January 24, February 21 and March 27.  

For more information, contact Heather Kenison. 

Huddles with Heather

Each Wednesday during the summer, students can meet Heather for FREE ice cream at Huddles in Nora. This is an awesome way for students to gather in the summer, and often parents gather for their own 


Middle School Mayhem

Current 4th-7th grades | June 24-29

This is our FAVORITE event of the year, and our theme this year will be "JURASSIC MAYHEM: GOD'S KINGDOM." We're going to be focusing on the kingdom narratives that Jesus taught about in the gospels, focusing on our role in bringing the Kingdom of God to earth now. The week consists of worship, recreation and games, snacks, service projects, and time for a message and reflection in groups competing for a grand prize!

Click here for more information and to sign up!


Middle School Mission Trip 2019 | 5 Spots left

Louisville, KY | Current 6th-8th grades | July 14-19

Students and Adult Leaders will have a variety of service opportunities. including working with local organizations that serve children, the elderly, the homeless, and refugees. In the evenings, we will explore Waterfront Park, a local church service, Churchill Downs, and host a community cookout. 

Click here for more information and to sign up!

  • 5th - 8th Grade Fall Retreat | September 13-14, 2019
  • 5th - 8th Grade Overnighter | December 20-21, 2019
  • 5th & 6th Grade Retreat | March 6-7, 2020
  • 8th Grade Retreat | May 1-2, 2020

Upcoming Events

Additional Information and Resources

Our STEPS curriculum and programming are designed to move our students through age-appropriate lessons. Here’s a quick outline.

  • 5th-6th Grade – Foundations: Rediscovering God's Story – Learning How God’s Story Intersects My Story
  • 7th Grade – Confirmation – Owning My Faith through Confirmation
  • 8th Grade – Spiritual Gifts – Owning My Gifts through Affirmation
  • 9th-10th Grade – Spiritual Practices: Horizontal & Vertical – Learning Spiritual Disciplines for Living Out My Faith
  • 11th-12th Grade – Spiritual Roots: Connected to the Church – Sharing My Faith Through Servant Leadership in the Church
  • Emerging Adults – Pathways: Finding my Call

We offer plenty of opportunities to pay for retreats, mission trips, and activities by offering fundraisers that put money into Scholarship Accounts.

  • Pumpkin Sale, September 26 - October 31 – Each year in October, our Youth Ministry raises money for students by selling pumpkins. Youth and families who work a shift earn scholarship credit. 
  • Stock Sales, Month of January 0 Members of the church can purchase "shares" of our youth mission trips, receiving personalized thank you notes from our youth and an invitation to meet them and hear about their trip at a Shareholder's Dinner in August.
  • Silent Auction, March 15 - Our annual Silent Auction and Hire-A-Teen is our largest fundraiser of the year, accounting for half of our overall sales. There are a variety of goods and experiences for sale! 

Want to lead a small group? Think Invite Nights sound fun? Want to chaperone a trip? Youth volunteers must complete a Volunteer Form and email the completed form to Nancy Jarosinski, Family Ministries Administrative Assistant.

For more information, contact Heather Kenison, Middle School Youth Director or Travis Bannon, High School Youth Director or by phone 317-846-3404 .

Ministry Team
Heather Kenison
Heather Kenison
Director of Student Ministries
Meet Heather