Welcome to St. James Student Ministries
St. James Youth Ministries is composed of youth from 6th-12th grade.
Our mission is to connect all middle school & high school students with Jesus by BELONGING, FORMING, and experiencing Truth.
Our faith grows towards maturity and is shared from our personal and communal truth in Christ, our recognition of belonging to his church,
and our understanding that our identity is formed in the image of God.
St. James Youth Ministries is composed of youth from 6th-12th grade.
Our mission is to connect all middle school & high school students with Jesus by BELONGING, FORMING, and experiencing Truth.
Our faith grows towards maturity and is shared from our personal and communal truth in Christ, our recognition of belonging to his church,
and our understanding that our identity is formed in the image of God.
Weekly ProgrammingA Place to Connect. A Faith to Call Your Own. Every week, St. James Students have opportunities to build friendships, ask big questions, worship together, and grow deeper in their faith. From Sunday morning conversations to Wednesday night worship and small groups, our weekly programming gives Middle and High School students a consistent place to be known, supported, and challenged as they discover what following Jesus looks like in their own lives. |
sunday school
Sundays, 10:00am-10:50am
Christian Life Center Student Sunday School is a place to connect with friends, ask questions, and grow deeper in faith each week. Students begin Sunday mornings together in the Big Room in the Christian Life Center with games, fellowship, and announcements before Middle School and High School split into separate classrooms for age-appropriate teaching and discussion. Together, students explore Scripture, talk honestly about faith and life, and discover how what they believe connects to the world they’re navigating every day. confirmation
Making Faith Your Own
Confirmation is an important next step in the faith journey of our students. Open to 8th graders and older, this year-long experience gives students space to ask questions, explore what they believe, and deepen their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. Through teaching, conversation, relationships, and shared experiences, students build a stronger foundation of discipleship as they move into high school—and a faith we hope will continue to grow throughout their lives. Confirmation is also a journey for families. Parents and mentors gather monthly during the Sunday School hour to explore upcoming topics, learn ways to continue conversations at home, and connect with other families walking through the experience together. 🕒 Sundays | 10:00AM 📅 September 13, 2026–May 2, 2027 📍 CLC Student Area – Upstairs Classrooms wednesday night dinner
Make Wednesday nights easy! Before Encounter begins, families are invited to gather in Jones Hall for dinner and fellowship with the St. James community. It's a great chance for students to eat with friends, families to connect with one another, and everyone to settle in before the evening's activities begin.
🕒Wednesdays beginning Sept. 2nd, 5pm-6pm 📍Jones Hall 💵 $12/person (free for kids under 12) wednesday nights
Wednesday nights are a chance for students to step away from the week, connect with friends, and grow deeper in their faith. Encounter brings Middle and High School students together for worship, small groups, games, and—of course—food from time to time!
Worship is led by Contemporary Worship Leader Trenton Teegarden, often alongside our own students. After worship, students break into Middle School and High School small groups for conversation, encouragement, and a chance to talk honestly about faith and life. There’s also plenty of time for games in the Big Room or gym, laughter, and simply being together. Encounter is a place to show up as you are, find your people, and live out a faith that’s becoming your own. 🕒Wednesdays beginning Sept. 2nd; 6:00pm-7:30pm 📍Christian Life Center |
More to ExploreSome of the best memories—and biggest moments of growth—happen when students step outside the ordinary. Throughout the year, St. James Students have opportunities to travel, serve, retreat, celebrate, and experience faith together beyond our regular weekly programming. From summer trips and mission experiences to retreats, special events, and plenty of just-for-fun adventures, these experiences give students a chance to build deeper friendships, try something new, and discover what it looks like to live out their faith wherever they go. |
central district youth events
Bigger Community. More Connections.
Throughout the year, St. James Students join youth from United Methodist churches across Central Arkansas for special Central District gatherings. Each event is a little different, but students can expect a fun evening of worship, dinner, games, and connection with other students beyond their own church community. These gatherings are a great reminder that our students are part of something bigger—giving them opportunities to make new friends, reconnect with familiar faces, and experience faith alongside young people from across the area. 📅 2026–2027 Dates: September 27 • November 15 • January 31 • April 25 volunteering in children's ministry
Leading the Next Generation
At St. James, students aren't just participants—they're leaders. Throughout the year, our Middle and High School students play an important role in creating some of our biggest experiences for younger children and families. Students serve as leaders and helpers during Vacation Bible School and Easter Eggstravaganza, and each fall, they take the lead in putting on our Fall Carnival for the entire church and community. These opportunities give students a chance to step up, use their gifts, build confidence, and experience what it means to serve others. And for our younger kids, having a teenager who knows their name, plays alongside them, and makes church fun can make a lasting impact. It's students leading, serving, and showing the next generation what belonging at St. James looks like. 📅Fall Carnival • October 25, 2026 retreats
Get Away. Grow Together.
Sometimes stepping away from the everyday routine creates space for deeper friendships, new experiences, and meaningful growth. Throughout the year, St. James Students have opportunities to attend retreats designed for fellowship, worship, spiritual growth, and plenty of fun. Refuge: Middle School Fall Retreat Refuge brings Middle School students from United Methodist churches across Arkansas together for a weekend in the Ozarks. Created by youth, for youth through the Arkansas Conference Council on Youth Ministries, the weekend combines worship and spiritual growth with games, outdoor activities, time with friends, and a chance to recharge in the mountains. 🏕️ Shepherd of the Ozarks 📅 Registration deadline: September 22 ⚡ Space is limited and this retreat fills quickly! Adult sponsors are also needed. Contact John Kimberlin if you're interested in joining our students for the weekend. ozark mission project
Serve. Grow. Make a Difference.
Ozark Mission Project (OMP) is a week-long summer mission experience where Middle and High School students put their faith into action by serving communities right here in Arkansas. During the day, students work together on meaningful projects for neighbors in need—from painting and yard work to building wheelchair ramps and completing home repairs. But OMP is about more than the work. Students build relationships with the people they serve, form friendships with youth from across the state, and discover how even simple acts of service can make a lasting difference. Evenings bring everyone back together for worship, games, fellowship, and plenty of fun, making OMP a week of service, spiritual growth, and memories our students look forward to year after year. ☀️ OMP takes place each summer. 📅 2027 dates coming soon! youth 2027 trip
One Church. Thousands of Students. One Unforgettable Experience.
Every four years, United Methodist students from across the country come together for YOUTH, a national gathering filled with powerful worship, inspiring speakers, new friendships, and plenty of fun. In summer 2027, St. James High School students will head to Dallas, Texas, to experience it together! It's a unique opportunity to step outside our own church walls, meet students from across the United Methodist connection, and experience what it feels like to worship alongside thousands of other young people. More than just a trip, YOUTH 2027 is a chance to grow in faith, build lasting friendships, and discover that you're part of a church much bigger than your own community. 📅 July 11–15, 2027 📍 Dallas, Texas 🎒 Open to High School students assembly
A Week of Faith, Friends & Fun
Assembly is a week-long United Methodist youth experience held each summer on the campus of Hendrix College in Conway. Students from across Arkansas come together for a week filled with worship, fellowship, spiritual growth, activities, and plenty of fun. It's a chance to experience a taste of campus life, make new friends from around the state, reconnect with familiar faces, and step away from the everyday routine to focus on faith and community. For many students, Assembly becomes a summer tradition—and a place where friendships and faith grow year after year. 📍 Hendrix College | Conway, Arkansas ☀️ Offered during the summer guatemala mission trip
Faith in Action—Across Borders
In July 2027, St. James Students will travel to San Juan, Guatemala, for our first international student mission trip since 2023. Students will serve alongside Impacto Missions, continuing a longstanding relationship and commitment between St. James and our ministry partners in Guatemala. Throughout the trip, students will have opportunities to serve, build relationships, experience another culture, and see faith from a new perspective. It's more than a week away from home—it's an opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, discover the power of serving alongside others, and experience what it means to be part of God's work beyond their own community. 📍San Juan, Guatemala 📅 July 2027 family days of summer
Summer Fun for Every Generation
Family Days of Summer bring the whole St. James family together for fun, connection, and memory-making all summer long. From movie and trivia nights to pool parties, baseball games, and more, each event offers a different way to gather and enjoy the season together. And when we say family, we mean everyone. Kids, students, parents, grandparents, empty nesters, singles, and friends of every age are invited. These aren't just events for families with children—they're opportunities for generations to come together, build relationships, and simply have fun as one church family. ☀️ Different events are offered throughout each summer. Come to one or come to them all! |
Volunteering
If you have a passion for teenagers and believe that Christ is equipping you to minister to Middle School and High School students there are opportunities to become a consistent part of the St. James Youth Ministry. These are the adults that have made the commitment to serve in the ministry each week, teaching or being an active part of a class on Sundays or Wednesdays, and building relationships with the students. If you would like to learn more, fill out the form below, or contact [email protected] to begin this conversation.
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The church’s Safe Gatherings Policy requires volunteers who have regular, direct contact with any “protected person” at a church sponsored event (on-site or off campus) to complete the Safe Gatherings certification process. Protected people are children under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults who may be unable to care for or protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation due to mental or other disability, age, or illness. Safe Gatherings is a program developed by the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church to screen and train staff and volunteers. Requirements include an online application, electronic reference checks, four levels of background checks (including county of residence), completion of online video training, and regular re-certification. There is no cost to volunteers for background checks and Safe Gatherings certification. Select the following from the dropdown menus: Type of Organization: Church or Faith-Based Organization Denomination: Methodist Next field type in: St. James Little Rock Continue with the instructions on the screen When it asks for applicant type, please select “Volunteer” Once you have registered and given the details of your references, you will be able to take the course. When you have completed the online course and the background check, and your references have filled out the forms that will be emailed to them, you and St. James UMC will be notified that you have completed all that is required and you will officially be Safe Gatherings Certified. |