Children and Youth

What if church wasn't just a place to go? what if "church" was a verb? Changing "church" into a verb is a goal for the United Methodist Church. See how you can help.

Shepherd of the Hills built an education building in 2007 to accommodate more programs for our children and youth. Our programs involve children of all ages throughout the year.

The youth group members
strive to "LTE." That stands for
Live The Example, and our
activities are aimed at helping
them do just that -- live the example that Christ set for all of us.

Our youth group is comprised of students in ages six through 12. They meet each week for Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. Sundays. Then, every other Sunday evening at 6 p.m., the group gets together for fellowship, service projects and to learn more about God's plan for their lives.

All youth sixth through 12th grade are invited to attend. LTE meets in the youth room.

Shepherd of the Hills UMC provides a Vacation Bible School for children in the community each summer. This event introduces the basics of Christ's teachings to children in a fun setting. We include a time for Bible stories, crafts, games and music. We also provide special features from time to time. The 2009 edition, for example, included a science station.

The Live The Example youth group began a new tradition in the summer of 2009 with a youth mission trip. In this first effort, four of our youth members traveled to the Durango, Colo., area for a
week of missions,
worship and fellow-

ship with more than
800 other youth from
across the nation.

Our youth helped
clean up and re-
novate a home
that is used as a
fellowship area for a relatively new church in the Durango area. The kids also took part in nightly worship services featuring Christian recording artists The Michael Gungor Band.

SHUMC

offers an

Easter egg

hunt each

year, usually

the Saturday

prior to the

Easter

holiday.

Our Care

and Kindness

Committee works each year to provide this opportunity for the children of the church and their friends. If you would like to donate candy or assist with the hunt, watch this site for details as the holiday draws closer.

YOUTH CLASS: The youth Sunday School is starting a series of lessons about stories from the Bible. These are the stories kids learn early in Sunday School, but now the stories will be discussed for context and to bring a deeper meaning.

LIVE THE EXAMPLE: The youth would like to say "thank you" to everyone who helped with the group's fundraiser breakfast on April 11. Thanks to your generosity, the youth raised about $900 for their mission project and summer activities. LTE meets every other Sunday at 6 p.m. in the youth room.

Children play a significant role in our church's worship services. They participate in our praise band and Wesley Ringers bell choir. Youth also serve as acolytes, who light and extinguish our candles, symbolizing the bringing in and the taking out of the light Jesus shed on the Scriptures each week.

Kids also take part in our children's time during the traditional service each week, which involves the telling of a story that parallels the sermon for that day.

Each month during the school year we offer our Kids Klub. This event brings together all children in grades five and younger.

The kids get to hear a short Bible study and devotional. They take part in crafts and games. And they also sing songs about Jesus and how to treat others.

Our Kids Klub is organized by our Education Committee but is run by parents and others interested in the lives of our children in the church.

Check our church calendar page to see when the next Kids Klub will be conducted.