We are all about youth

... and we are all about keeping our youth (and their families) safe and healthy.


Weekly In-Person Events beginning September 12!

We're doing our best to keep everyone safe, happy, and healthy. 


(Only you and your loved ones can decide what's right for your family.)


St. Paul’s has a large and varied program of youth ministries overseen by a Council on Youth Ministries (CYM) and directed by our full-time Youth Pastor, Mr. Micah Smartt. 


SCROLL DOWN to find upcoming events, registration forms, and youth news.

sign-up Forms

For your convenience, we've moved sign-ups and payments online! Below you will find registration or sign up forms, information for events which require payments, surveys, and permission slips for events.


Click Here for the High School Fall Retreat Sign Up


SPY News

Updates and news-to-know can be found right here. Be sure to sign up for the email newsletter, too!

  • Weekly SPY meetings - In Person!!

    In-Person Meeting

    Sundays

    Middle School 4:30-6:00 PM

    High School 7:00-8:30 PM


    St. Paul’s Youth will begin weekly meetings with a Welcome Back event on Sunday, September 12 during our new, regular meetings times: Middle School (grades 6-8) will meet 4:30-6:00 PM and High School (grades 9-12) will meet 7:00-8:30 PM. SPY is open to all friends of St. Paul’s!


    All the details are in the SPY emails, so check it out! Sign up to get these messages by entering your email in the form above, or contact Micah at msmartt@stpaulsk.org.

  • HIgh School Fall Youth Retreat

    November 5-7, 2021 | Manidokan Retreat Center | Cost: $85 | Grades 9-12


    Our retreat theme this semester is "RESTART?" - and will feature stories from the bible about what heroes of our faith do when they are forced to start from square one.


    We'll be changing up the retreat schedule a bit and try out some new things, including building in some time to get a bit of homework done during the retreat!


    We will be following the Covid-19 protocols for that the Baltimore Washington Conference Retreat and Camping Ministries has set forth. For more information on the protocols the camp is requiring, visit:
    BWC Camps Covid-19 protocols


    As always, camp scholarships (camperships) are available - money should never be a barrier when deciding to send your youth on any trip with us. To discuss options privately, please contact Micah. All conversations are kept confidential.

    If you have any questions, please contact Micah at msmartt@stpaulsk.org

  • RE-ENTERING WELL FOR YOUTH

    There are a few brand new protocols (and a few very familiar protocols) we've got to help families and youth stay safe and healthy. As Christians, our goal is to model what it looks like to care for others like Christ cares for us and so we ask that you follow all the following procedures to the best of your ability.


    1. Wear your mask - I totally get it, it's not my favorite thing to do either, but the science shows that beyond vaccinations, it is the single easiest and most helpful thing we can do to stop the spread of COVID.
    2. Bring a reusable water bottle - we don't want youth drinking straight from water fountains. We can fill our bottles from fountains and faucets multiple times and keeps us from transmitting or receiving various germs. We will be offering single serve flavor packets (like lemonade) during our time together. Plus, it's good for the environment - that's a win-win!
    3. During the hour break in-between the two groups, our volunteers and I will be cleaning the commonly touched surfaces in the youth lounge and around the building.
    4. We have a new entrance/exit we are asking everyone to use. It allows us to keep better track of who is entering the building - but also makes it easier for you, when the renovation makes the parking lot door harder to access. Our new entrance will be at the back of the building - the exterior entrance to the Multipurpose Room, below Fellowship Hall on Fawcett Street.(See picture on right.) We'll have signs up the first couple times to help your find your way! This will likely remain our entrance for the entire year, and well into the future.


    Of course, we may change these procedures throughout the year to keep our youth, volunteers, and families safe.

  • wilderness trail 2022

    We are already looking forward to our Wilderness Trail Trip in Summer 2022! Wilderness Trail is a backpacking ministry set along the Appalachian Trail in southern Virginia with the aim of participants getting to better know themselves, each other, and God as we hike and camp over 4 days on the trail and 2ish days of activities at "the Property." WT has changed some of their schedule from last year, which includes more of some favorite traditions from a time before COVID.


    Our dates this year will be July 26 - 31 (which is their last event of the summer). We have 12 open spots for youth and up to 3 for chaperones!


    As always, camperships are available as needed - simply reach out to Micah for a completely confidential conversation about financial aid. If you'd like more information, please contact Micah at msmartt@stpaulsk.org

  • 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 Micah Smartt (msmartt@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext. 111) to discuss scholarship/campership financial aid needs confidentially, one-on-one.

  • Youth CHoir update

    Our Youth Choir is looking to return... but not this fall. We hope to relaunch in January, during the 6:00 hour after Middle High Youth and before Senior High Youth starts. For questions or more information, visit our website or email Tom Pedersen at tpedersen@stpaulsk.org.

  • you've got (less) mail

    In an effort to cut down on some costs, streamline our flow of information, and to be a little more environmentally friendly, we've made the decision to stop production of the printed SPY Briefing newsletter.


    From now on, we'll be putting all of our SPY information into the pages of the monthly newsletter: The Epistle from St. Paul's. If you were on our SPY Briefing mailing list, you'll be receiving a hard copy of the Epistle instead through the rest of the school year. Contact Micah (msmartt@stpaulsk.org) if you did not receive the January edition of the Epistle and would like to be added to the list, or if you would like to be removed from the list.


    We'll also be revising and updating this website (and with greater frequency) so it's even more up to date with info than before.


    That doesn't mean that you'll stop receiving mail from our youth ministry however! For special events and retreats, we plan to send out flyers and postcards with all the information you'll need! While those mailings will be less frequent than a monthly newsletter mailing, this will still give you a taste of what we've got going on!

St. Paul's Educational Award

St. Paul’s, through its Council on Youth Ministries, provides an Educational Award annually to one or more graduating High School Seniors to help cover expenses for their next stage of life, whatever that may look like! 


Award amounts 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. Only those who apply can be considered!


The 2021 application deadline was Sunday, May 2, 2021. Awards will be distributed during the 10:30 Worship Service on Sunday, May 16. 


Congratulations to this year's award recipients!

Emma Cooper

Katie Orndorff

Meghan Simpson

Cliff Weaver

Jonah Webb


Since 1989, over $80,000 has been distributed to 100 college-bound students who have attended over 55 different college campuses in 18 states and the District of Columbia. 


Questions about the Educational Award? Contact Micah Smartt, Minister of Youth and Design, at msmartt @ stpaulsk.org. This award is made possible by our donors. You can contribute to this fund by check made out to St. Paul's UMC with "Ed Award" in the memo line, or by going to the Giving page and scrolling down to Additional Contribution Options.

Confirmation Class 2021-22

Each year, youth in Grade 7 or above who have not been confirmed are invited to join Confirmation Class.

 

OVERVIEW

Confirmation is a serious commitment requiring regular attendance, study, service, and participation in certain worship services. Classes introduce important concepts about our faith, church history, and our membership vows. Each confirmand will also be assigned a member of the congregation to serve as a mentor.


JOINING THE CHURCH

Participants who completed confirmation classes and chose to become full church members will be received into membership during the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Pentecost Sunday.


MEETING SCHEDULE

The exact series of dates and courses can vary year to year. Look for more information the Fall


SIGNING UP

Contact Micah Smartt at msmartt@stpaulsk.org to express an interest in joining!


PLANS FOR THE FUTURE: Confirmation '22

We realize some families may wish to delay confirmation this Spring and consider participating in Confirmation '22. "Confirmation '22" will have a different format. Classes will likely start in the Fall and run through May 2022, with either twice-a-month 90-minute sessions or shorter classes weekly. We hope and pray that covid-19 conditions will allow for more of our "normal" Confirmation events, like a lock-in or retreat. 


Please contact Micah Smartt, Youth Pastor, at msmartt@stpaulsk.org if you have any questions.

CONGRATULATIONS, 

CLASS OF 2021

Congratulations to these graduating high school seniors from the St. Paul's community for reaching this milestone. We wish you all the best as you move boldly into the next chapter of your lives!


CLASS OF 2021

Alexander Bartleman

Deirde Jane Bartleman

Emma Rachelle Cooper*

Alec Cornwell

William James Crittenden IV

Kiera Green

Boyd E. Hammond

Lucas Jack Hartmann

Rudy Kaufman

Sarah S. (Sadie) McMullen

Kathryn Grace Orndorff*

Meghan Ainsley Simpson*

Ellie Tan

Clifford Thomas Weaver*

Jonah Webb*

(* recipients of the St. Paul's 2021 Educational Award)

Wilderness Trail

We were all disappointed after Wilderness Trail had to cancel last year, but they've come up with a plan to make sure we can all safely hike together this coming Summer! Much has changed to make sure everyone can stay as healthy and safe as possible, but the core of the program remains!


For more information, click on each tab for information, PDF files, or our Registration link!

  • Dates: July 25-30
  • Participants: 14 youth spots, 3 adult chaperone spots. Anyone currently in 6th - 12th grade, plus last year's seniors may attend.
  • Cost: $305 per participant. We ask for a $75 deposit for the trip. Scholarships/Camperships are available. Please contact Micah to discuss options privately.