High School at Athens First is open to all students in grades 9-12. The programming opportunities below, from Wednesday night Bible study to retreats and everything in between, are designed with your High Schooler in mind!
High School at AFUMC
Destination KNOWN! Rock Lobsters Game
Kick off the New Year with your claws high up in the air as Athens First UMC Student Ministry takes our Destination KNOWN adventures across town to see the Athens Rock Lobsters hockey team on Friday, January 9, 2026. The Wesleyan Youth Choir will be performing the National Anthem for the game, and members from our entire congregation are invited for one big church-wide Rock Lobsters Night!
Students Attending the Rock Lobsters with Athens First Student Ministry (NON CHOIR) - Please register your student through this registration to ensure tickets together for the game! The cost is $20.
Wesleyan Youth Choir - Register through the Wesleyan Youth choir registration link.
Families Looking to Attend - Family members and church members who would like to attend the game, please purchase your tickets through the Athens Rock Lobsters group ticketing portal found in the eSteeple!
Register
Winter Retreat 2026
This retreat is happening January 16-19, and we are heading back to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This retreat is open to all 6th-12th grade students. We will stay in two cabins (girls’ cabin and boys’ cabin), cooking our meals, enjoying some Winter fun in Pigeon Forge, spending time in devotions and worship, and enjoying the nature and beauty of the Great Smokies!
The retreat costs $205 and covers lodging, a hoodie, all meals, and activities for the weekend. Registration will close on Sunday, January 4! Space is limited to the first 34 students to register, so make sure to register early!
All students who will attend this retreat will need to have a Student Information Form on file. If your student went on a trip in the fall of 2025 with us, we will not need a Student Information Form.
The Elijah Project
The Elijah Project is an inter-generational prayer ministry connecting adults and youth in our congregation through consistent, expectant prayer. Students and adults partner together in prayer, rejoicing and giving thanks for the highs, and giving comfort and encouragement during the lows. This ministry blesses youth and adults alike each year.
AGAPE
Created in the Fall of 2021, the goal of AGAPE - All God's Abilities Purposefully Engaged - is to create a safe and comfortable, inclusive Christian environment for children and students of all abilities. AGAPE is continuing to grow and develop and we welcome you to be part of it!
Whether you are a parent of a child with special needs, interested in volunteering, or want to know more about this ministry, we invite you to be part of this unique, growing ministry at Athens First UMC.
