120 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone 734-662-4536
Fax 734-662-1321
Green Wood Location:
1001 Green Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Phone 734-665-8558
First United Methodist Church - Youth Ministries
PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE
Children’s Ministries serve ages birth through 6th grade and their families with the purpose to instill in children a lifelong desire to grow in Christian faith.
Children's and Youth Ministries were recently featured in a video for our stewardship campaign.
Click the play button!
Want to see Children's events on the church calendar? Click here, then click on "Unfiltered" (just above "Wed"), in the Event Type menu choose "Children & Family" and then click "Apply Filter."
Get Connected!Click here to sign up for regular emails (Family Faith Companion!) with announcements about Children's Ministries. Read a recent version here.
Click here for our Plug In Guide
to Children's Ministries for Feb-Apr 2012!
Sunday Morning Children’s Programs
Our Sunday morning educational program (Sunday’s Cool) meets during the first service (9:30-10:30 am) downtown.
Greenhouse (birth to kindergarten) meet in rooms on the ground floor, to the right from the west parking lot entrance (9:20 am)
Parents: Please escort children to the assigned room (see posters or bulletin), sign them in, and return to the room to sign them out after worship.
Cool Disciples (grades 1-6) meet on the top floor as well as the social hall and pine room. On the first Sunday of the month, Cool Disciples worship together with their families in our Communion worship service.
Parents: Bring your children to worship. After the children's moment, children will exit the sanctuary and go to their workshop locations (see bulletin or posters). Please pick up 1st and 2nd graders from their workshops. Arrange to meet your children in grades 3-6 in an agreed-upon location, such as the social hall during fellowship time.
Cafe 56 (grades 5 & 6) (September to May) meets for social time and refreshments in Room 215 (9:20-9:45 am), except on the first Sunday of the month (Family Worship/communion).
First Time Guests: If your child is joining us for the first time in a Cool Disciples workshop (grades 1-6), please escort your child to their classroom and introduce yourselves to the class shepherd.
Children ages 3 years old to 6th grade all participate in the Workshop Rotation Model™ of Sunday school. Every month we cover a different Bible story – what we call a Rotation. This capitalizes on kids’ love (and need) for repetition; they have a chance to develop a lasting memory of the story and an understanding of its content. How does this happen? The Cool Disciples rotate each week to different workshops such as Art, Cooking, Video, Games, and Drama. The Greenhouse kids stay put in the same rooms; the workshops come to them!
View the blog about our children's rotation workshop lessons here.
If you haven't already done so, please fill out a Family Registration form and forward it to the church office
Get involved in Sunday's COOL! Contact the church office if you are interested in any of the program opportunities.
Children’s Choirs
Contact Carole DeHart with any questions about the Children's Choirs.
Our typical Sunday rehearsal schedule (watch the bulletin for changes):
- Cherub Choir (3-4-5 year olds): 10:15 am (in Sunday's Cool)
- Carol Choir (grades 1-2): 10:45-11:10 am, Room 211
- Chimes (grades 3-6): 5:15-6 pm, Room 211
- Epworth Choir (grades 3-6): 6:30-7:30 pm, Room 211
- Rhythm (grades 3-6): 7:30-8:00 pm, Room 211
Children may join the youth for supper on Sunday evenings, 6-6:30 pm, if desired.
Children’s Ministry Team
Meet with us monthly to coordinate children’s and family events and to oversee all of children’s programming, including FUMCN (our nursery school). Contact Nancy Simpson with any questions.
Family Retreat
This annual spring retreat offers opportunities for fellowship and spiritual growth for families. Our 2012 event is scheduled for Memorial Weekend in May and will be held at the YMCA Camp in Hastings, MI.
FiSH (Families in Service Here)
We are currently supporting Birthdays@Bryant: an ongoing service program that kids really get! Provide a birthday box (total cost $30 or less) that contains a want, a need, a cake mix, and a frosting to a local child who might otherwise go without. To participate, contact Chris Nelson.
FiSH FRI.
No, not that kind of Fish Fry! Each FiSH FRI. offers a variety of hands-on service projects that families can work on together with their church community. All are welcome to participate.
Upcoming dates: January 20, February 17, March 16, April 20, and May 18.
Times: 6:00 pm optional dinner (order in advance), 6:30-8:00 pm service projects
Childcare available
To get on the volunteer email list, contact Tina Alee. Project details and sign up will be emailed prior to each Third Friday date.
JUMP STARTT
Junior United Methodist People Share Totally Awesome Relationships and Time Together is a faith based, fellowship, and fun oriented monthly program for youth in grades 5 and 6. The purpose of the group is to provide a safe, comfortable environment where kids can start to know and experience the relationship building and fellowship components of the youth ministry program they will enter in grade 7. The group plans to meet monthly on the third Friday during FiSH FRI. All youth in grades 5-6 are welcome and encouraged to bring friends. We are also looking for parent volunteers who would be willing help with logistical support for the program. For more information, please contact Drew Angotti.
Saturdays at Green Wood
If your family attends or would like to attend Saturday worship services at Green Wood at 5 pm, your children can participate in the same Cool Disciple workshops offered on Sunday mornings downtown. The children's program at Green Wood is geared to children ages 3-9. Younger children are welcome to join the other children if accompanied by a parent or to remain in the sanctuary during the worship service. Older children are always welcome to remain in worship or they may join the other children either as participants or as assistants.
David Vaughn, music director at Green Wood, works with the children each week on music that they sing for the congregation several times a year. At least every quarter, a family-friendly church meal is held after the service. If you have any questions, contact Tori Booker (vkbooker@aol.com; 913-2454). We hope you'll join us!
Vacation Bible Camp
FUMC hosts a week-long summer event annually, scheduled for July 9-13, 2012, 9:00 am-12 noon.
Safety Policy
You may link to a PDF of our Safety Policy for the Protection of Children and Youth here.
If you are interested in participating in any of these ministries, contact the church office, 734-662-4536 or email children@fumc-a2.org.
