We are all about youth
St. Paul’s has traditionally had a large and varied program of youth ministries overseen by staff and volunteers. If you are willing to be part of our youth group leadership team or have specific ideas for youth engagement, email Pastor Sheridan (sallmond@stpaulsk.org) or Pastor Joey (joeyhm@stpaulsk.org).
SCROLL DOWN to find upcoming events, registration forms, and youth news!
SPY Meeting:
Middle School & HIgh School
SPY will return in the 2026-2027 programming year with regular meetings, special trips, and lots of opportunities to build faith and have fun. All youth in grades 6-12 - and their friends - are invited to join us!
Look for the schedule to be published right here in the coming weeks!
To volunteer as a leader or for more information, contact Pastor Sheridan at sallmond@stpaulsk.org with.
Confirmation Class
The pastors will be offering a Confirmation Class during the 2026-2027 programming year!
Confirmation Class is designed for young people in Grade 6 (age 12) and up, who have not yet become full members of the church and would like to learn more about faith, beliefs, history, the present day United Methodist Church, and what it means to be a member.
If someone in your househould is a good fit for Confirmation Class, or if you have questions, contact Pastor Sheridan (sallmond@stpaulsk.org).
OVERVIEW
Confirmation is a serious commitment requiring regular class attendance, study, and reflection. Classes introduce important concepts about our faith, church history, and our membership vows. There are also usually volunteer or service elements, requirements for worship attendance and participation, and mentorship opportunities that create connections across generations at St. Paul's. Past classes have also enjoyed field trips to important historical sites, weekend retreats, art projects, and special guest speakers.
JOINING THE CHURCH
Participants who complete confirmation class and choose to become full church members will be received into membership, usually during the 10:30 AM worship service on Pentecost Sunday, or another notable date on the church calendar.
MEETING SCHEDULE
The exact series of dates, classes, and meeting times can vary Sometimes confirmation classes are scheduled to meet regularly throughout the year, others are condensed into a short but intensive time of study and discernment. Reach out to the pastors to find out more!
SIGNING UP
Please contact the pastors to express an interest in joining! Find our staff contact info at the Meet the Staff page.
CONGRATULATIONS,
CLASS OF 2026
Congratulations to these graduating high school seniors from the St. Paul's community! We are delighted you have reached this milestone. We wish you all the best as you move boldly into the next chapter of your lives! We will recognize our graduating high school seniors during the 10:30 AM worship service on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
CLASS OF 2026
Alexandra Bond
Jonah Chen
Charlotte DeLong
James Fitzpatrick
Libby Heaton
Casey Ruhlen
R.J. Soderstrum
Aidan Waner
Kyla Winter
Stella Yeskey
The Jim Smith Educational Award recipients will also be announced in worship on Sunday, May 31.
We never intentionally leave out a member of the graduating class, but sometimes our records are incomplete! Please contact Erin Steele in the church office at stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org if you wish to add or update a name or contact information for this list.
St. Paul's Educational Award
St. Paul's annual Educational Award is now known as The Jim Smith Educational Award, in memory of St. Paul's late member Jim B. Smith, Jr., a beloved teacher and mentor who helped establish the award. We hope that every recipient feels the love of St. Paul's and Jim’s immense joy radiating through the Educational Awards.
These modest financial awards are your congregation saying to our graduating high school seniors, "We are proud of you, praying for you, and behind you as you move toward college, university, or other post-secondary education!" Only those who apply can be considered!
Sorry, this application window has closed. If you are a graduating high school senior, we invite you to apply for the Jim Smith Educational Award by May 4, 2026.
Award amounts students receive may vary and are dependent on several factors, including available Educational Award funds and student responses to the application, which include academic and extracurricular achievement, need, and service to and engagement with the St. Paul's community.
Since 1989, over $80,000 has been distributed to over 130 college-bound students who have attended over 55 different college campuses in 18 states and the District of Columbia.
Award funds are made available through our generous donors and youth programming budget. Thank you! To keep the Jim Smith Educational Award fund strong, we welcome contributions any time by check made out to St. Paul's UMC with "Ed Award" in the memo line, or CLICK HERE to go to our Miscellaneous contributions portal, then type "Educational Award" as the designated fund or cause.
Questions about the Educational Award? Contact Anne Dean, lay leader, or the church office at stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org
Learn to Be an Acolyte
Calling all youth in grades 6-12! If you would like to carry the flame or the cross into worship on special Sundays or holidays during the year, please contact one of the pastors to learn how you can be part of this unique worship team.
PAST Event:
IGNITE Youth COnference
March 20-22, 2026
Ocean City, MD
The IGNITE youth conference is a special experience put together by the Baltimore-Washington & PeninsulaDelaware Conferences of the UMC. Like ROCK a generation before, the BWC conceives IGNITE as a high-impact, life-changing weekend for youth in grades 6-12. It features high-energy worship experiences with powerful worship bands, and relevant, engaging messages from nationally and locally known speakers.
Interactive and inspiring exhibits and activities led by dynamic professionals help participating youth build a diverse community both within and outside of each church’s group. Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling will be on hand, including a special Q&A with the Bishop. Retreat & Camping Ministries will be active in the Game Zone to lead crowd-favorite games from kickball to Giant Jenga, from ultimate frisbee to cornhole.
The theme for 2026 is "Belong."
Around 2,000 young people from across the region will attend - including several St. Paul’s Youth! We have secured a block of rooms in Ocean City, allowing our SPYs to stay close to the action at the Convention Center and also have a space to retreat and rest.
To learn more, visit the IGNITE website at https://www.igniteforyouth.com/ or contact SPY volunteer Megan Montgomery!
Past Events:
SPY Summer Invite Series
The fun events in the St. Paul's Youth Summer Invite Series are for students who are rising-6th graders through rising-12th graders - and their friends! It’s designed to be welcoming for our youth and folks who aren't necessarily connected to a church community. SPY students who bring a friend are entered to win a prize!
Full schedule of activities for Summer Series 2025:
June 28 - Movie Night
July 6 - Monster Mini Golf
July 20 - Bowling at Bowlero
August 10 - Hershey Park Day Trip
August 31 - Ice Cream & Field Games
Questions? Email volunteer coordinator Rachel Stalcup directly or contact the church office at stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org - please put “SPY Summer Series” in the subject line.
There is zero cost for youth to participate thanks to a grant from the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the UMC! These programs are partially funded by a $2,500 micro-grant, to support our youth ministry and outreach work.
SPY News
Updates and news-to-know can be found right here.
Emails Coming Your WAy!
Our volunteer leaders have set up an email group to share SPY news and information quickly among SPY families. If you aren't getting these messages and would like to, email Rachel Stalcup directly or contact the church office (stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org) to ask for her personal contact information.
Campership Financial Aid
Did you know...
We do a lot of great things here at St. Paul's Youth, and many are free or fairly inexpensive. However, we do have some events and trips that can cost quite a bit.
We never want a youth to be left out because of money. St. Paul's has a scholarship/campership fund available to help individuals and families cover part or all of the costs associated with youth fellowship, retreat, camp, or service activities.
These events we attend can be life changing experiences and we don't want anyone to miss out! Don't let an activity's price tag hold you back. Contact one of the pastors to discuss scholarship/campership financial aid needs confidentially, one-on-one. Reach Pastor Sheridan at sallmond@stpaulsk.org or Pastor Joey at joeyhm@stpaulsk.org.
Youth CHoir update
Youth singers are invited to check out the Sanctuary Choir this year! The Sanctuary Choir rehearses on Sunday mornings and sings each week for the 10:30 worship service. For questions or more information, visit our website or email Tom Pedersen, Director of Music, at tpedersen@stpaulsk.org.
you've got mail
When our youth volunteer leaders have news to share, we put it into the pages of the church's monthly newsletter: The Epistle from St. Paul's. If you would like to be added to the Epistle mailing list, you can email Erin Steele in the church office at stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org and a copy will magically show up in your real snail-mail mailbox about once a month.
We'll also be revising and updating this website regularly so it's up to date with info and links.
