A Message from our Youth Director to Parents & Youth
As we begin to look at our Fall schedule, there are a lot of opportunities available to keep our youth busy in serving the Lord and growing spiritually!  We will begin determining where best we can serve God by the activities/mission available.  So nothing is definite as of the date of this newsletter.  By the next newsletter, we will have our schedule in place and more details will follow.  I would ask the church family to be in prayer for the youth.  There are so many choices these days as to the way they use and spend their time.  In thinking about Pastor Williams’ recent sermon, we as a church family are helping to lay the foundation of our youth and children.  Ultimately, the choice will be theirs as they mature whether they continue to build on that foundation, but until that time comes, we are responsible as parents, grandparents….to help them ‘grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’
— Your Youth Director - Penny Mueller

Sole Collectors
The Senior High Youth are sponoring an exciting mission project called the Shoeman Water Project.  It involves collecting old shoes which can be recycled to generate funds for water filtration systems in Kenya and now Haiti.  We would like to challenge other youth groups in the Jefferson City area to join us in this exciting project.  Find out more details about our upcoming plans for this event.  Remember, don't throw away any shoes because we're going to put them to good use.
Shoe Update - Have you seen all the shoes in fellowship hall?  We will be counting them this week and moving what is collected to date so more can come in!  Several churches are joining us too in this and that is exciting!  We will continue to collect shoes through the middle of September and then take them to Eldon where a driver will deliver them to St. Louis for us.  Thank you for cleaning out those closets of unwanted shoes.  A simple act will make a big difference for someone else!

Youth Camp Luncheon
Parents, workcamp stockholders, all senior high and middle school youth group members and their parents plus interested church members will have an opportunity to hear about youth experiences at both the June Youth Workcamp and the July church camp immediately following the late service on Sunday, September 26.  This new approach will highlight workcamp projects and church camp experiences through individual youth testimonials and a shortened slideshow featuring both summer activities.

Thanks from the Youth Group to Those who Shared
Thanks go out to Kristin Ripperger, Emily Wheeler and Stephanie Adams-Greiner for coming during the College Chat Nights and sharing your experiences and advice with the college-bound youth.  Your time was very much appreciated by the youth, their parents, and Penny.

A Great Week of Youth V.I.M. at Wesley
If you were around Wesley during the first week of July, you saw a host of activity as the church was home to a Youth Volunteer Mission (V.I.M.) Team from all over Missouri. The meals were all served at Wesley. A special thanks to the Mission Monday youth and adult helpers for cooking and serving the meal on Monday; to Gloria Chaney, Phyllis Burton, Susan Carlson, and Jerene Enloe for fixing/serving on Tuesday, and to the UMM (Keith Mueller, Ed Bybee, Michael Flynn, Kirk Boyer, Dave McAllister, and Bill Burton) and Gloria Chaney for grilling/fixing and serving on Wednesday. In addition, many thanks to Bill Burton and Doug Stephens for their extra custodian work during the week.

Mission Mondays
The youth have just completed their third annual series of Mission Monday Projects.  Click here to read about all the good work our youth did this July.

Our Graduates Were Honored at Church
The Senior Graduation Breakfast was held last Sunday to honor Josh Boyer, Alloch Burton, Terra Carlson, Brandon Peper, David Uballez, and Courtney Walker.  These youth are top-notch!  They all have college plans and know what they want to do with their lives.  They have done everything needed to be successful in their high school years which now benefits them as they go off to college.  We wish them all of God's greatest blessing and may they allow Him to continue to guide and direct their paths.

[More Confirmation Pictures]

Three Confirmands Join the Church On Sunday, April 25, the Wesley United Methodist Church was blessed to receive into full membership Michelle Boyer, Shelby Newberry, and Charlie Winborn.  Family, friends and God-Parents were on hand for the celebration.  The entire Wesley congregation worshiped together as one group at a special single worship that morning so that all could celebrate the importance of this special event.  The three confirmands had completed a 10-week study with the pastor and performed 10 hours of community service outside the church as well as 10 hours of service within the church.  The confirmands had also led this years Easter Sunrise service.

Venturing Crew for Youth
The Wesley United Methodist Men's Group is sponsoring a Venturing Crew through the Boy Scouts of America, which is for young adults ages 14-20.  Venturing is one of the basic programs of the Boy Scouts of America to help build character, values, and leadership.  It provides ideals to last a lifetime, sets a solid course for the future, and lets young adults plan their own activities for positive recognition today.  High school age young adults can find themselves at a crossroads in life.  As they are confronted by an increasing number of challenges, the Venturing program helps youth at that crossroads to find direction for their lives.  For more information about Wesley's Venturing Crew, please contact Jeff Korman or Kirk Boyer.  Or go to the official website for Venturing.

Pop Your Top!
The Wesley Junior High Youth are still collecting pop can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House and they want to thank everyone who has brought in pop tabs to church. 
As of May 1, Wesley U.M.C. has donated a little over 54,000 tabs or 22 pounds to the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia.  Please continue to collect and bring them to church.  Don't forget the tabs on soup cans also count. Let's see how many we can collect.  Every little bit helps!  The collection container is a cardboard house located on the counter next to the pop machine.  Please deposit your can tabs there.