Gayton Student LIFE

Gayton Student Life is the youth ministry of Gayton Baptist Church for students in grades 6-12. 

The vision is to lead students to experience LIFE in Jesus Christ through:

Discipleship: in worship, prayer, and Bible study 

Community:              in friendship, fun, and support

Action​:                       in leadership, outreach, and serving others

For more information, email Rev. Jennifer Mullins, Youth & Young Adult Pastor, at jennifer@gayton.church.

Gayton Student Ministry Updated Schedule 

Weekly 

Sunday, 10:00am: Morning Worship (for all ages) 

Sunday, 11:00am: Youth Brunch Bible Study 

(Adult classes & Kids Min also offered at this time.) 

Regular Youth Brunch resumes February 2. 

Sunday, 6:00-7:30pm Gayton Student LifeNight! 

Games, Activities, Gym, Worship, Bible study, Fun! 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sun, Feb. 23: LifeNight - 6:00-7:30 pm (Chili cook-off before- 5pm)

Sun, March 2: LifeNight - 6:00-7:30 pm 

Sun, March 9: LifeNight - 6:00-7:30 pm 

Sun, March 16: LifeNight - 6:00-7:30 pm 

Sun, March 23: LifeNight - 6:00-7:30 pm 

Sun, March 30: NO LifeNight 

Sun, April 6: LifeNight - 6:00-7:30 pm 

Sun, April 13: LifeNight - 6:00-7:30 pm 

Sun, April 20: NO LifeNight - Happy Easter! 

Sun. April 27: Creative Worship Night 

(Led by youth & young adults for whole church) 

Sun. May 4: Youth outing TBD 

Sun, May 11: NO LifeNIght - Happy Mother’s Day! 

Sun, May 18: Youth outing TBD (need volunteers to lead this) Sun, May 25: NO LifeNight - Happy Memorial Day! 

June/ July weekly Bible study 

Mondays, noon: “Middle School Lunch with Jen” Bible study Tuesdays, noon: “High School Lunch with Jen” Bible study * For Lunch with Jen - students pack/bring own lunch; come to her office at noon for lunch, sharing and Bible study on Psalms. Goes from noon-1:00pm.

June 

June 1: Graduate Sunday -10am / Cook-out -5:30-7:30pm June 9-13: VBS 

June 22-27: Youth Mission Trip - Jubilee Center Plus July/August 

Special Sundays: Summer Fun- schedule comes out in spring! Events will include LifeNights, open gym, paint night, outings, guys & girls nights! 

August-November 

August 22 or September 5: Friday Fifth Quarter 

9:00-11:30pm 

TBA: Fall Retreat & Fall Amazing Race 

Nov. 23:: 4th Annual Friendsgiving 

December: Seasonal programs and activities January 2026: January 23-25 - DNOW 2026/ Theme: Comm-UNITY!

Youth Mission Trip: SALT and LIGHT

June 23-27, 2025

For WHO?

This is for all students in COMPLETED grades 6th-12th.  

WHAT is this?

This is a week long youth mission trip.  Each day, we will be providing a Vacation Bible School for underprivileged children through the Jubilee Center of Lynchburg, Virginia. We will also be helping with manual labor projects to support the work of this non-profit and we will be working with other mission projects in the area.  In the evenings, we will share together as a youth group - in worship, Bible study, sharing and prayer in our lodge. During the afternoon and evenings, there will also be free time for rest, fun activities and community-building.  The theme is “Salt and Light” and what it means to make a difference in this world for Jesus Christ.

WHEN is this awesome trip?

Monday-Friday, June 23-27, 2025

We will meet to leave at 9:00am with plans to be on the road by 9:30 am on that Monday, June 23rd.  We will wrap up with lunch on that Friday, June 27th and head home, arriving back at Gayton Baptist by 3:30pm. 

WHERE is this exciting mission trip going to be?

Lynchburg, Virginia

Our group will be lodging and sharing meals in Juniper Lodge at Eagle Eyrie Conference Center in Lynchburg, Virginia. This is a Virginia Baptist retreat center located at the top of a mountain. Our group will be in a shared lodge with a guys hall and girls hall, with a common room and kitchen.  All of our Bible study, worship and fellowship time will be in the lodge. We will have meals in the large dining hall, and there are free time spaces with a pool, a field and a firepit.

Our mission site is the Jubilee Center in Lynchburg, Virginia - approx. 15 minutes from Eagle Eyrie. The other mission projects will be right there in the area  as well.

WHY go?

This is a great opportunity for a student to connect with God in a beautiful space; to grow in faith; and to serve and help others in Jesus name.  Students will grow in Christian community and friendship together, while fueling their relationship with Jesus, and while meeting needs in His name.  Students will teach children in VBS, and show God’s love and hope through fun activities and quality time, help out a wonderful non-profit and assist others with practical manual labor needs as well.  It will be a special time together!

HOW should I sign up?

Sign-up at the link below.  Cost is $360 which covers lodging, meals, mission and discipleship supplies, and programming. (If money is an issue, please contact Rev. Jennifer Mullins at jennifer@gayton.church and we will figure something out! Don’t let money be a reason you can’t come.)

Deadline to sign up is Easter, April 20, 2025.  This will give the team time to then set times for planning, VBS preparation, and team-building - as well as a meeting with parents and volunteers to go over expectations ahead of time.

When you sign-up, please indicate your t-shirt size.

A medical release form and a signed code of conduct will be required for all attending

Pass the word and invite your friends!

And here is WHAT TO PACK…

• Comfortable, modest, casual clothes for the week!  Pack for the weather.  Keep in mind to prepare for some messier mission projects and for being comfortable to work with kids.  FOLLOW CODE OF CONDUCT on dress.
• Linens ARE provided, but if you wish to bring your own towel/washcloth, blanket or pillow, you are welcome to do so.
•  (If you have your own personal snack, just label it accordingly)
• Guys - a case of water/ Girls - individually wrapped snacks (sweet or savory) - both to share with the whole group for the week. / All can bring any goody to share with the group - if so desired.
• Bible
• Pen and paper/journal (optional)
• Money for lunch stop on the way up on that Monday.
• Optional: $ for ice cream shop, coffee shop, gift shop; free time items such as a football, frisbee, book, cards, etc.  Just NO video games.
• As it gets closer, we will be asking the church to help us collect supplies for the VBS activities and crafts which we will take with us.

Volunteers are needed. We need more parent involvement for the strengthening of our youth ministry and we need more church involvement for more turnover and intergenerational connection. Please pss the word.

Volunteers help with our weekly GSM LifeNights, Bible studies, and upcoming special events. I will be creating a rotation schedule for adults who volunteer for the weekly gatherings and events- so that more folks can be involved and so that students can connect with more adults. Attached below to this email is the Adult Volunteer/Chaperone Policy. You can also find this on our website.  https://gayton.church/students

Below, you will see a link to a background check form and our code of conduct -- both required by any adult volunteer. Please read over these items as you pray about being a volunteer within our youth ministry.

2. Here is a sign-up genius link if you wish to be put on our Gayton Student Ministry volunteer list. You will see that there are three places you can sign up: LifeNights; Bible studies; and special events. Pray about signing up for one or more of those areas. The deadline to sign up is August 13. Please pray about this need. I will then schedule a zoom meeting for all the volunteers for the end of August.  

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E48ABA722A6FBCF8-50520663-gayton

There is a new Facebook group for Gayton Student Life! If you have a student in 6th-12th grade; if you are a student in 6th-12th grade or if you are a church member/active participant who would like to volunteer, help, teach or chaperone, then you are invited/ encouraged to join this Facebook group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/449431423775806/?ref=share_group_link

The following forms - Medical Information/Release Form and Code of Conduct Form must be completed for students to participate in activities sponsored by Gayton Baptist Church.

Forms are valid for one year from date of submission.

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS

View our Sunday page to find out what to expect on Sunday morning

View The Glance - our weekly church-wide update

If you have further questions about our Gayton Students experience or visiting with Gayton Students, simply submit the form below and get in touch with us!