Hello from the FGS Team!

Parents, we believe the Middle School and High School years are crucial in the life of every child, and we want to do our best to partner with you through this season. One way we do that is by keeping you in the loop about all that is happening in our Student Ministry. In this newsletter, you will find an update on what is currently happening on Sundays, events to know about in the coming weeks, and a monthly resource highlight.

• FGS Middle: Middle School meets Sunday mornings at 9 and 11 AM at both the Hwy 14 and Adams Mill Campuses! Middle School small groups have paused for summer and will resume in September! This month, our Middle School students are looking back to some of the stories we heard about as small kids in our new series, “Retold.” Whether on a felt board in an old church, in a classroom in FG Kids, or on an episode of Veggie Tales, the classic Bible stories about Daniel, Ruth, Abraham, Moses, and Jacob are familiar enough stories to us, but we don’t always know how they actually apply to our lives. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look back to these familiar narratives and see what wisdom God has for us within them.
• FGS High: High School meets Sunday nights from 6-8 PM only at our Hwy 14 Campus! Small groups have paused for summer and will resume in September! This summer, our High School students will be in a new series, “Fighting Shadows.” In this series, we’ll be exploring spiritual shadows or struggles that can often plague and damage a Christian’s friendship and walk with God. These shadows can feel elusive, invisible, and hard to talk about. Jesus wants to give us His power for overcoming shadows like comparison, doubt, apathy, and shame. Discovering our already won spiritual victory in Christ is our passion and pursuit with our High Schoolers this summer!
• Summer Mission Trips: We have two Student Mission Trips in June! A group of 25 students and 8 leaders will be in Lexington, SC May 31-June 6, and a group of 16 students and 5 leaders will be in Tilaran, Costa Rica June 13-June 19. Please be praying for our teams and the people of Lexington and Tilaran!

• FGS Summer Programming: Our Summer Programming for Middle and High School launched on Sunday, May 31! Over the summer, Middle School will meet weekly (except on July 5), and High School will meet most Sunday nights (except June 14 and July 5) from 6-8 PM. Small groups do not meet over the summer.
• Senior Sessions: All graduated seniors are invited to join our summer Senior Sessions after High School Programming on Sunday nights from 9-10:30 PM from May 31 - July 19! We will meet in the Student Cafe as we spend time worshiping together and discussing a variety of topics about your next stage of life. These Senior Sessions are free to attend with no registration needed, and all dates can be found online.
• Women’s Ministry Body Image Workshop: On Wednesday, June 10 from 9:30-11:30 AM at our Hwy 14 location, the Women’s Ministry at FG has invited all female students in Middle and High School to join them for an interactive workshop led by Kathryn Davis, LPC on body image and how breaking free from shame can lead us to walk more deeply with Christ and live the life He’s called us to. Register online for free to join us for this unique opportunity!
• No HS on June 14: FGS High School will not meet on Sunday night, June 14 because our team and upperclassmen will be on the Costa Rica Mission Trip!
• MS Missional Impact X-Day: On Monday, June 15 and July 13, FGS Middle will be coming together to serve the Greenville community. To foster growing hearts and minds focused on serving, students will have the opportunity to learn and serve alongside some of our local partners. Students can sign up for just one of the two summer serve days (Monday, June 15 or Monday, July 13), to allow as many students to participate as possible. Students will meet at FG, ride in vans together, and return to FG that afternoon for pickup. The cost is $15 per student to cover transportation and food. All spots are currently filled, but please reach out to us if your student would like to get on the waiting list!
• MS Park Day: It’s time for some fun in the sun! On Monday, June 22 from 11 AM - 1 PM, all Middle Schoolers are invited to join the FGS Staff at the fields at our Adams Mill Campus to play some games and hang out. Feel free to invite any of your Middle School friends! Make sure to bring your own packed lunch. Registration is not required!
• HS Pool Party: High School students are invited to cool off from the summer heat with us on Thursday, June 25 from 6-8 PM at our HS Pool Party! Join us for a fun evening of swimming, grilling out, playing outside games, and hanging out with other students and leaders. Invite a friend and register for this free event on the website to receive the address.
• No FGS on July 5: FGS Middle and High School will not be on Sunday, July 5 because of Independence Day Weekend. We encourage our families to enjoy main service together and spend time with family and friends!
• Discovery Island: FGS invites all Middle and High School students and their immediate families out to Discovery Island Waterpark for a fun evening of water sliding, flo-riding, and enjoying summer with our FGS families! This free event is on Wednesday, July 8, from 5:45-7:45 PM. 
• HS Missional Impact X-Day: To foster hearts and minds focused on serving others locally, our High School students will have the opportunity to spend the day on Tuesday, July 21 learning and serving alongside some of our local partners. Students will meet at FG, ride in vans together, and return to FG that afternoon for pickup. The cost is $15 per student to cover transportation and food. There is limited space so make sure to sign up online as soon as possible!
• HS Pool Party: High School students are invited to cool off from the summer heat with us on Thursday, July 30 from 7-9 PM at our HS Pool Party! Join us for a fun evening of swimming, smores, playing outside games, and hanging out with other students and leaders. Registration for this free event will open on July 1!
• EPIC Retreat: FG Students is offering an amazing experience for your students on Labor Day weekend—our annual EPIC Retreat! Students can unplug from distractions (including phones) and escape for a weekend at Woodlands Camp in Cleveland, GA. This year, our theme will be “The Search,” and we are stepping into the story of Nicodemus in the Gospel of John, a religious leader who quietly came to Jesus with big questions and an honest desire to know what was true. We’d love for your Middle and High School students to come to EPIC 2026 as we dive into Scripture to explore who Jesus is, why He can be trusted, and how His truth speaks into real life right now. This weekend is not only an incredible opportunity for physical and spiritual rest, loads of fun, but also a unique chance to jumpstart our students’ faith as they enter into the new school year. Register for this retreat online by June 30 to pay the early bird pricing of $244 per student! There are limited spots, so sign up your students as soon as possible!

Our Parent Resource Highlight for this month is The Bible Project! The Bible Project offers free, high-quality resources to help people understand and experience the Bible as one unified story that leads to Jesus. Many of their resources come in the form of engaging videos that provide overviews of each book of the Bible, explore key themes across Scripture, and explain difficult to understand concepts in Scripture. In addition to videos, The Bible Project offers podcasts, study guides, articles, and online classes that make the Bible accessible and transformative for students, parents, and families. If your student is interested in digging deeper into Scripture or if you are looking for content to go through as a family, this is a great resource!

If you ever have any questions about our ministry or about navigating life with a middle schooler or high schooler, feel free to reach out to our student staff! You can find all of our contact information on the website!

P.S. Don't forget to register your students for our EPIC Retreat now! Our students always say this trip is the highlight of their year. EPIC is also a great way for students to build relationships with other students and leaders that could be in their small group before groups resume in September!

Brentley Sheehan and the FGS Team