UNITE Youth, our Junior high and high school ministry, is a safe place where students can come together in the middle of the week and talk about life, faith, and God. The mission of UNITE Youth goes hand in hand with the mission of the United Methodist Church. Our mission is to provide: a safe community and meaningful experiences for students to seek Jesus and grow into disciple makers who live like Him.
Making this mission a reality means doing our best to create opportunities for students to encounter God on a weekly basis, as well as have a good time together. The youth, through UNITE Youth, will be able to get to know Jesus and each other, sharpen one another to live out their faith, and have plenty of fun mixed in along the way. We welcome any and all students from 6th graders to High School seniors to join us! To see more of our ministry, follow our Radical Facebook page.
When & where does UNITE Youth meet, and what do students do within the ministry?
Sunday Nights – UNITE Youth
UNITE Youth is a combined group with teens from Grace UMC and First UMC. They meet at Pekin First (church by the lagoon) April through September in the lobby area, and at Pekin Grace from October through March. Junior High students gather from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and high school students gather from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in room 208 of the Mason Building (the Youth Room). UNITE Youth starts with a welcome and announcements, followed by a group game, worship, a lesson, and small group discussion. We want to balance intentional time growing in faith with having fun together.
Confirmation
Confirmation classes are available for 7th and 8th graders, along with high school students. These classes generally occur in late winter/spring.
Other Events
Our youth ministry has many opportunities for students to connect with God and each other and make memories along the way. Anything from concerts to campfires, we always have things planned! Check out the Radical Calendar to keep up with what’s happening!
Missions & Service
Serving is a vital part of what it means to follow Jesus. That’s why we intentionally provide our students with opportunities to volunteer and serve others. In addition to our week-long summer mission trips, we also find ways to assist with local missions efforts regularly.
