United Methodist Church offers weekly student ministry program
Photo by Heather Young. Tracey Finegan, center right, teaches the fourth and fifth grade Bible Study with Angela Barakat, far left, at The MIX during the 2016-17 MIX year.
–The Atascadero United Methodist Church, 11605 El Camino Real, is getting ready to start the seventh year of the MIX, which is short for Movement in Christ, a student ministry program based on the Logos Ministry Model. The 2017-18 MIX year will kick off on Sunday, Aug. 27 with a kick off event, where people can learn about The MIX, register a child or sign up to volunteer. The kick off will include dinner, with options for people with any food allergies or dietary restrictions. The MIX will officially start on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
The MIX is a means of providing an in-depth and well-rounded program of Christian nurture for children, teens and the church as a whole. The MIX meets the first three Wednesdays of the month from September to April (with some exceptions) from 4:15 to 7:15 p.m. at the church and is meant to bridge the gap between Sundays while providing a meaningful multi-generational ministry.
“The MIX is about relationships: relationships with peers, relationships with older and younger children, relationships with older and younger adults,” the Rev. Diane Rehfield said. “Through games and crafts, family-style dinner time, prayer and music, and Bible study, we build relationships with one another and with God. It’s all about experiencing the love of God and learning to love one another as children of God.”
Atascadero United Methodist Church MIX volunteer Ron Sullivan and sixth grader Amelia Long don pirate attire during Pirate Night at The MIX. Photo by Heather Young.
The No. 1 rule of the MIX, Rehfield said, is “I am a child of God. You are a child of God. We will treat each other as children of God with love and respect.” As a child of God, she said, each person is of infinite worth and deserves to be treated with respect, kindness, patience and all other aspects of love. Built into this rule is the goal that each young person understand that he or she is really of value and that each young person learns, sometimes over and over again, to treat all other people in this way.
Rehfield added that the goal of The MIX is to practice positive relationships based on the teachings of Jesus. The weekly ministry also offers people the opportunity to explore one’s identity in a Christian environment.
The are four parts to the MIX: Bible study, worship skills, recreation and crafts, and family time. In keeping with the church’s Protestant heritage, scripture is the primary source and guide for faith at the MIX. At each meeting, all children will partake in a shared meal that is served family-style.
The MIX is open to children 3 to 4 years of age through 12th grade and is open to all students in the community, not just those who attend the church. For children in Pre-K and kindergarten, the program will run from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m. with child care provided from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.
Photo by Heather Young. MIX participants and volunteers practice the “thank you to the cooks” after dinner at The MIX.
Registration for this ministry is ongoing and guests are always welcome. Parents, guardians or caregivers are welcome to attend on their own or with their children to experience the MIX. There are registration fees that cover the partial cost of study materials, meals and supplies. However, no child will be denied enrollment due to limited financial resources. Scholarships or deferred payment are available as needed.
For more information or to register, contact MIX Director Heather Young at [email protected] or (805) 466-2566.
About Atascadero United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church began in Atascadero in 1979 at Chapel of the Roses. The local congregation is a family “of diverse individuals committed to love and acceptance and called by God to be open to many points of view.” The church is a Reconciling Congregation and seeks “to be an extended family for all people, regardless of age, race, ethnic origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic situation, marital status, physical or mental ability.” Worship is held each Sunday at 10 a.m.
