All youth are welcome at Hennepin!

Teenagers in grades 8-12 have a multi-faceted ministry in Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church. You’re encouraged to join Youth Director Rick Belbutoski and other adult leaders for a variety of ministries, events, and ways to serve your neighbor in the name of Jesus Christ. Read on to learn about Confirmation, Youth Fellowship, Bread Break meal, and Journey choir rehearsal, plus field trips, service projects, and special events.

Meet Rick Belbutoski >>>
Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries

Email Rick

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Email Rick

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rick@haumc.org

Click Here!

Register for Events

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Register for Events

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https://e.onrealm.org/events

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Newsletter

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Newsletter

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Email digital newsletter

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youth events

weekly youth events: 
Invite your friends!
Confirmation Begins 
September 12
Save the date: Mission Trip
July 17–22, 2022

Hennepin Scholars Grants

Hennepin Scholars

Hennepin Avenue UMC annually awards “Hennepin Scholars” scholarships in modest amounts, typically $500-$3000, for one year at a time to deserving individuals. The timeline for Hennepin Scholars applications enables award recipients from Hennepin Avenue UMC to apply for Dollars for Scholars awards to attend a United Methodist-related institution.

Visit the Hennepin Scholars webpage

Calling for Applications: Hennepin Scholars 2022-2023

Applicants may be Hennepin members, Hennepin employees, or others. The application deadline is January 24, 2022; award notification by February 7, 2022.

Apply Now

Sunday Morning Small Group

Sundays 10–11 AM | Church of Youth Room
8th–12th Graders

This is a group for youth who are interested in gathering together on Sunday mornings during the 10am Traditional Worship Service. Join us!

Confirmation

Sundays 9–9:45 AM | Church of Youth Room
8th–9th Graders
September–May

Eighth and ninth graders taking part in the confirmation program will meet on Sunday mornings from 9-9:45 in the Church of Youth Room. Confirmation will take place every Sunday morning with the exception of the first Sunday of each month.

Our mission is to help youth feel and share the love of Christ in order to confirm the vows taken at their baptism and become full members of Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church. Teens will learn something new about Jesus, themselves, and have fun and deepen friendships along the way as we explore ways to tie together faith and everyday life.

In Year A, we focus on The Word, becoming more comfortable, knowledgeable, and practiced with the Bible as a way to get to know God and ourselves. In Year B, we focus on The Church, becoming more comfortable, knowledgeable, and practiced with being a member of the United Methodist Church.

Families who want to be part of Confirmation this year should please contact Youth Director Rick Belbutoski.

UMYF Youth Fellowship

Sundays 5–8 PM | Church of Youth
8th–12th Graders
September–May

On many first and fifth Sundays, we serve at Community Meals

Second Sundays 5–6 PM

Second Sunday ” is all about fun and games. Every month, we dedicate Second Sunday to providing our youth group time to get away from the weekly stresses and just have fun.

All Other Sundays 5–6 PM

Large-group activities (art, videos, games, service, etc.) and LYFE Group-style small group check-in. Youth Group runs from 5–6pm every Sunday in the Church of Youth Room.

6–6:30 PM
Bread Break

We break bread together with a meal, $2 each. Families sign up to bring a meal at SignUpGenius.com.

6:30–7:30 PM
Journey Rehearsal | Choir Room

Directed by Rev. Stephanie Escher, new voices are always welcome!

Journey Choir

Sundays 6:30–7:30 PM | Choir Room
8th-12th Graders
September–May

Journey sings a wide variety of music and offers the gift of its music in worship and in special concerts. The choir is always open to new voices.

Contact Mark Squire, Director of Music and Fine Arts, to get involved.

Special Events

Various Dates  |  Various Locations
8th–12th Graders
Year-round

• Lock-ins (Timeframes Vary)
• Murder Mystery Party (November)
• Christmas Party (Mid December)
• Ski Trip (President’s Day Weekend)
• Confirmation Retreat (March)
• LYFE Camp (Summer)

youth highlight reels

HIGHLIGHT REEL > > > TRUNK OR TREAT 2021

Trunk or Treat was a huge success! With 25 trunks, you were a part of making Sunday’s event the biggest group of volunteers this event has ever seen. We gave out 230 bags of candy to children and had hundreds of guests step on the Hennepin grounds for the first time. Your commitment to welcoming guests is an important part of showing Christ’s love to our neighbors.

You should also know that the votes are in, and the trunk voted as our guest favorite is Trunk #22, the Cookie Monster Trunk. This awesome trunk was hosted by the Godfread family.

Thanks again to all who helped make Sunday an amazing community event. These events are such an important opportunity for our church, and you helped make it special.

HIGHLIGHT REEL > > > SERVE MSP: LOCAL JUSTICE MISSION

Serve MSP was a big success this week, as youth from all four United Methodist Churches crisscrossed the cities, loving our neighbors, and bringing a bit of heaven to earth. We packed 400 school supply kits, made blankets, sorted donations, backed meals for kids’ suffering from food insecurity, and raised awareness for the need to keep our waterways clean. Here are some of the great photos from the week you may have missed on social.

watch now > > > Hot Topics: Returning to School in a pandemic

Returning to School After 18-Months of Covid Pandemic: A Conversation with Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski – A Facebook Live interview will air Wednesday, 8/25/21..

Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski are teaming up for another “Hot Topics” conversation titled, “Returning to School After 18-Months of Covid Pandemic.”
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watch > > > Hot Topics: Navigating Another Pandemic Summer

Navigating Another Pandemic Summer: A Conversation with Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski – A Facebook Live interview recorded Wednesday, 7/21/21..

Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski are teaming up for another “Hot Topics” conversation titled, “Navigating Another Pandemic Summer.”
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watch > > > Hot Topics:
What It Means to be a Good Ally to LGBTQIA+ Youth

What It Means To Be a Good Ally: A Conversation with Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski – A Facebook Live interview recorded Wednesday, 6/16/21..

Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski are teaming up for another “Hot Topics” conversation titled, “What It Means To Be a Good Ally.”
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watch > > > Hot Topics:
Mental Health & the Effects of Racial Trauma

Mental Health & the Effects of Racial Trauma: A Conversation with Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski – A Facebook Live interview recorded Wednesday, 5/12/21..

Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski are teaming up for another “Hot Topics” conversation titled, “Mental Health & the Effects of Racial Trauma.”
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watch > > > Hot Topics:
SUPPORTING STRESSED TEENS

Supporting Stressed Teens: A Conversation with Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski – A Facebook Live interview recorded Sunday, 4/11/21..

April is Stress Awareness Month, and as we began the second year of the pandemic it was important to recognize that our youth were dealing with a lot of stress. Heather Alden and Rick Belbutoski held a conversation to discuss the topic of teen stress and how parents and guardians are so important to helping teens work through it.
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watch > > >  instagram takeover for Women’s History Month: Dana on Arianna Nason

In celebration of March being Women’s History Month, Hennepin Avenue UMC friends are taking over Hennepin’s social media!

In this episode, Hennepin Youth Dana is inspired by Arianna Nason–a local Anishinaabe activist building alliances between the Black and Native American communities! Read more about Arianna Nason and all of her impressive accomplishments here > > > https://www.wbur.org/…/these-are-the-minneapolis…
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Through a series of posts spread throughout the month, Hennepin friends will be sharing stories about the contributions made by women that most inspire them, with the goal of celebrating and raising awareness of the important contributions being made by women in our community, in our country, and in our world every day.
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Follow us on Instagram > > > instagram.com/hennepinaveumc/
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watch > > > youth instagram takeover for Black History Month: Ella on Mae Jemison

In celebration of February being Black History Month, Hennepin Youth are taking over Hennepin’s social media!
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This week, Hennepin Youth Ella is inspired by Mae Jemison–the first Black woman in space! Read more about Mae Jemison and all of her impressive accomplishments here > > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_Jemison
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Through a series of posts spread throughout the month, Hennepin Youth will be sharing stories about the contributions made by African Americans that most inspire them, with the goal of celebrating and raising awareness of the important contributions being made by African Americans in our community and country every day.
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Keep your eyes on Hennepin’s social media channels to learn and celebrate Black History with HAUMC Youth.
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Follow us on Instagram > > > instagram.com/hennepinaveumc/
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watch > > > live reading of the Rev. Dr. King’s famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

Hennepin Avenue UMC’s clergy, staff and youth invite you to watch their live reading of King’s famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
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Together we may hold space and time to reflect on King’s vision for justice, and his call for us all to be “extremists for love.”
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You are invited to share your own reflection about what King’s message means for you by posting in the comments of the video recording.
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WATCH > > > FAITH & JUSTICE: A CONVERSATION WITH HANNAH L. DRAKE

Rick Belbutoski, Dir. of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, held a Facebook Live interview with renowned blogger, activist, and poet Hannah L. Drake on the Hennepin Avenue UMC Facebook page on Sunday, 10/25/20.
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The conversation centered around the intersection of faith and social justice, and the role that everyone has to play in creating a better world.
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Hannah L. Drake has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine and recognized for her work by First Lady Michelle Obama. Drake says “My sole purpose in writing and speaking is not that I entertain you. I am trying to shake a nation.”

watch > > > 2020 CONFIRMATION HIGHLIGHT REEL