Children's, Youth, and Family Ministry
At FUMC we strive to provide a fun, welcoming environment to all, while helping children and families grow in their faith together.
Children's Church
Children’s Church is available for kids ages 3 – 2nd grade. After Children’s Time during our regular church services on Sundays, the children are invited to go downstairs to Kids Kingdom for the remainder of the service to learn about their bible story for the day. Similar to Sunday School, it walks the kids through the bible with fun, interactive activities for each story. We currently use Cokesbury’s Deep Blue curriculum.
When: Children’s Church will resume in September!
Pathfinders
Pathfinders is for 3rd-5th grade children. They will enjoy a 6-7 week series each semester focusing on finding their path in God’s Kingdom. These series will focus on short bible lessons, team building, fellowship, and self-discovery.
Pathfinders Schedule
Regular meetings will begin again in the fall, stay tuned for more details!
We will have the church van available to pick up kids from Northstar Elementary. Snacks will be provided!
2023 Family BBQ – Join us on June 29th from 5-8pm at the Marion County Park for our summer Pathfinders Family BBQ. Bring the whole family and join us for a fun evening of food, fellowship, and games. Contact Lauren at lpetersen@kfumc.com if you are interested in attending.
Living Way Youth
Our Youth Group is comprised of youth in grades 6-12. This group will enjoy bible lessons focusing on getting to know God and Jesus and answering some of life’s questions. They also participate in team building, games, fellowship, service projects, mission trips, and more.
Living Way Youth welcome anyone who wishes to participate. The youth assist in planning events such as service projects, mission trips, and more.
When: Regular Youth Group Meetings will begin again in the fall!
Upcoming Events:
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- June 25th, 2023 from 5-8pm: BBQ and Games at Camp Collins (Boy Scout camp south of Knoxville). Help us kick off summer with a fun BBQ, outdoor games, and team building!
- July 22nd-23rd: Urban Plunge Service Project in Des Moines. This is our mini-mission trip for the summer with a one day service project in Des Moines followed by an overnight at Ankeny FUMC where we will attend church on Sunday.
- August 27th, 2023: Bonfire and introduction of new youth members, time TBA
Upcoming Children's and Family Events
We offer a variety of Children’s and Family events throughout the year. Here is a listing of what we have scheduled for Summer 2023. More events may get added, watch our Facebook page for updated information.
Our Setting
We have newly renovated spaces for our Children’s and Youth Ministries with bright, colorful, inviting rooms that are multifunctional for a variety of activities. We also have access to an indoor play area, outdoor playground, and our new Outdoor Life Center featuring pickleball and basketball.
Director of Children's, Youth, and Family Ministry
My name is Lauren Petersen and I am the new Children’s, Youth, and Families Ministry Director. Here is a little bit of information about me. My husband Jacob and I have two daughters, Nora and Anna. We live on a farm outside of Knoxville where we raise sheep along with chickens, rabbits, ducks, dogs, and cats. I love spending time outside on the farm doing chores and helping my girls with all their animals. In the summers we travel all around the state showing sheep. In my spare time I love to read, swim, go for walks, and just enjoy the outdoors.
I am very excited to be a part of First United Methodist Church’s staff and look forward to getting to know all our wonderful families and kids. My goal in this position is to make a positive impact on peoples lives and help our children and youth grow in their faith and understanding of God. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Email address: lpetersen@kfumc.com or call 641-84-3712