Middle School Youth Ministry
Branching Out is the Middle School Youth Ministry program at St. John Neumann parish. Branching Out aims to provide a number of opportunities for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to engage in service-oriented, social, and faith-growing experiences to complement the Rooted program. As we become more ROOTED in our faith, we are called to BRANCH OUT as Christ’s hands in the world around us. (Youth do NOT need to be in Rooted to join Branching Out opportunities.)
Please contact Angela Davis (adavis@saintjn.org) if you have any questions.
Related Links
- Rooted (SJN’s Middle School Faith Formation Program)?
- Rooted-In-Service (our fundraising efforts to support our service projects)
- Teen Confirmation
ADULT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are in need of adult chaperones and other volunteers for many of our Branching Out events and groups. Please consider volunteering! Email Angela Davis (adavis@saintjn.org) to discuss!
Calendar at a Glance:
This list is updated regularly so please check back often! Scroll down to register and for more information on these events. Hope to see you there!
- May 28 – Fire Pit Dinner 6:00pm-7:30pm
- June 8 – Youth Adoration – 5:30pm-7:00pm
- June 15 – Paint Night – 6:00pm-8:15pm
- June 26-June 30 – Branching Out WEEK – day-camp week
- July 13 – Youth Adoration – 5:30pm-7:00pm
- July 23 – Fire Pit Dinner 6:00pm-7:30pm
- July 30-August 5 – EDGE Camp – sleep-away camp
- August 10 – Youth Adoration – 5:30pm-7:00pm
- August 27 – Fire Pit Dinner 6:00pm-7:30pm
BOYS GROUP – Check below to see our upcoming plans and sign-up to receive email updates as new activities are scheduled.
GIRLS GROUP – Check below to see our upcoming plans and sign-up to receive email updates as new activities are scheduled.
IMPORTANT CANCELATION NOTE: The overnight lock-in which we were hoping to have in early June will need to be rescheduled. We hope to be able to offer this event in the Fall but will keep you posted as plans are confirmed.
Youth Volunteer Opportunities:
There are often opportunities for youth to serve the SJN community. Here is where you can find more information and sign up to help!
GENERAL INFORMATION:
According to Diocesan policy, cell phones and other “smart” devices (tablets, watches, etc.) are prohibited for youth during events.
During events, Angela Davis can usually be reached by call or text at her work cell at 571-306-3341. This number is NOT checked regularly except during specific events and we do not always get reliable cell service. This is not a good place to leave messages or texts except important information needing to be communicated DURING events.
Full and partial scholarships are available for most events, contact Angela to inquire.
Friends from outside the parish are often welcome, contact Angela to inquire.
If you have not already completed the “General 2022/2023 Branching Out Permission Slip” you can download it HERE! Additional paperwork may be required for some events.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Boys Group
Boys Group meets about twice a month throughout the year for a variety of activities including game nights, dinner, Topgolf, hiking, and campfire hangouts. We are always looking for new members and new ideas! Please let us know you are interested and you will be added to the email list to receive regular updates as events are scheduled. (Boys with busy schedules who may need to miss frequently are strongly encouraged to still join us when able!)
- Registration: SIGN UP HERE!
- Who: All rising 6th-9th graders (This includes current 5th graders.) (Friends from outside the parish are welcome but must be registered).
- Dates / Times: Varies. We will try to schedule events/meetings at a variety of times to best meet the needs of our members.
- May 27 – Possible outing in the morning
- Location: Varies. We sometimes meet at the parish and sometimes meet for outings in other locations.
- Cost: Free (Though some activities include a registration fee depending on what we are doing. Scholarships are available as needed.)
Girls Group
Girls Group meets regularly (about weekly) throughout the year to grow in faith and friendship. Girls receive frequent take-home gifts as a reminder of what was discussed in each session. (Girls with busy schedules who may need to miss frequently are strongly encouraged to still join us when able!)
- Registration: SIGN UP HERE!
- Who: All rising 6th-9th graders (This includes current 5th graders.) (Friends from outside the parish are welcome but must be registered).
- Dates / Times: We have a group who meets most Tuesdays 5:15pm-6:30pm and a group who meets most Sundays 10:45am-12:00pm. Specific dates are updated below and by email to the groups.
- More dates to be scheduled soon!
- Location: SJN – In the TREEHOUSE Room (Room B6)
- Cost: Free (We will occasionally ask for donations when needed!)
Fire Pit Dinners
Join us around the fire pit to roast hotdogs and smores while having fun and showing off your lawn game and gaga ball skills!
- Registration: SIGN UP HERE for the May 28 date!
- Registration Period: Now through May 25 (we’ll leave it open another day or two).
- Upcoming Dates: May 28, July 23, August 27
- Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
- Location: SJN (backyard)
- Cost: $10 (scholarships available upon request)
- Who: 5th – 8th Grade youth (Youth are encouraged to invite a friend/guest as long as the guest’s parent registers them and completes the permission slip.)
Youth Adoration
Join us as we come together for a youth focused Eucharistic Adoration. If you’ve never done Adoration or have questions, no worries! We will first meet for dinner and discussion about Eucharistic Adoration. Then we will move to the Chapel to prayerfully participate in Eucharistic Adoration (usually with praise and worship music). Finally, there will be an opportunity to come back together after our prayer time to socialize, snack, play games, and just hang out!
- SIGNUP FOR THE June 8th ADORATION There is no deadline to signup but we will be ordering food and would like to have an idea of who to expect.
- Upcoming Dates: June 8, July 13, August 10
- Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm
- Cost: This is a free event. Please let us know if you would like to assist by providing dinner, snacks, drinks, or contributing in another way.
- Who: 5th – 12th Grade youth. Parents and siblings (younger siblings need to be accompanied by an adult) welcome.
- Location / Itinerary:
- 5:30pm-6:00pm – We will begin in The Treehouse Room (B6) or the High School Youth Room (next to B6) for dinner and to prepare ourselves for Eucharistic Adoration. This time is intended for 5th through 12th grade youth. Families of these youth are also welcome.
- 6:00pm-6:30pm – During this time, we will move to the Chapel for Eucharistic Adoration. Usually this time will include praise and worship music. This is open to anyone of any age to join! Parents, please know that we would love to have you and your families with us!
- 6:30pm-7:00pm – Youth are welcome to remain in Adoration as long as they would like. However, once they are done, they are also welcome to head back downstairs to The Treehouse (B6) / HS Youth Room to spend a bit more time together, play games, have a snack, or just relax. Families of these youth are also welcome.
MUSIC VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
- Adult and/or teen volunteers needed to assist with music! Please contact Angela (adavis@saintjn.org) if you would like to help!
Paint Night
Joins us for dinner and a guided paint lesson. Each youth will have the opportunity to create their own canvas painting to bring home.
- Registration: SIGN UP HERE!
- Registration period: now through June 11
- Date: June 15
- Time: 6:00pm-8:15pm
- Location: SJN (The Treehouse Room – B6)
- Cost: $20 (scholarships available upon request)
- Who: 5th-8th Grade youth (Youth are encouraged to invite a friend/guest as long as the guest’s parent registers them and completes the permission slip.)
Branching Out WEEK!
Summer 2023
Join us for a week of fun, service, outings, faith, and friendship!
- Register: HERE!
- Registration period: now-June 1 (or until we are full)
- Dates: June 26 – June 30
- Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
- Participants are welcome to arrive as early as 8:30am with prior notice.
- There will likely be one or two days when everyone must arrive earlier for a potential outing.
- Friday will likely be a half day and end with an ice cream social for families and friends.
- Cost: $250 (full and partial scholarships may be available) (this cost includes all activities, fees, food, and transportation for outings)
- Who: All current 5th-8th graders. (If you would like to request to invite a friend/guest from outside the parish please contact Angela at adavis@saintjn.org to ensure space is available.)
- Service Hours: Youth will complete at least 10 hours of service during Branching Out Week.
- Itinerary: An official itinerary will be published closer to the event week. The week will likely include three outings, one for fun, one for faith, and one for service! We will also do activities and service work on-site at the church.
- Location: SJN will be our primary location.
- Transportation: We will transport to outings using a private bus service such as Chariots for Hire.
More information:
- Adult volunteers needed! (Teen volunteers may be needed.) Please contact Angela (adavis@saintjn.org) if you would like to help!
- Check out this recap video from our Summer 2023 Branching Out WEEK!
EDGE Camp – Summer 2023
Info about Edge Camp (a LifeTeen ministry)…
- Dates: July 30-August 5, 2023
- Departure time on July 30 is TBD – We will likely leave very early in the morning from the SJN parking lot. This will be worked out far in advance but is somewhat dependent on numbers.
- Return time will be either very late on August 5 or very VERY early (like 2:00am) on August 6. This will depend on many factors that cannot be determined ahead of time. We will keep you updated with our ETA along the way.
- Registration Dates: Space is more limited than we expected!
- General Registration is closed but there are spots still available!
- Email Angela (adavis@saintjn.org) to inquire. We will likely be able to accommodate additional campers, though spots cannot be guaranteed until registration is completed.
- Cost: $850
- $100 due at Registration
- $500 ($600 total) due by Feb 15
- $250 ($850 total) due by April 15
- This cost includes transportation.
- Some partial scholarships are available.
- The actual cost of the camp and transportation is much higher than this. We are committed to keeping this experience affordable for families. If you are interested in knowing more or would like to offer a donation to assist with this cost, please contact Angela (adavis@saintjn.org).
- Who: All CURRENT 5th-8th graders who are members of SJN. Space may be available for non-SJN youth upon request.
- Location: Dahlonega, GA (Camp Hidden Lake)
- Transportation: We will likely take a private bus. The cost of transportation is included in the price listed above. Additional financial support is needed to cover transportation, please contact Angela (adavis@saintjn.org) if you are interested in contributing.
More information:
- Check out this recap video from our Summer 2022 EDGE Camp!
Check out these photos and videos from past Branching Out events:
EDGE Camp – August 2022
Branching Out WEEK – June 2022
EDGE Camp – August 2021
Upper Room Zoom – April/May 2021
