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. Small groups happen during the service and will relaunch in September! Be sure to register your student for MS Small Groups now! This August, our Middle School students will open up the school year with a series on our student ministry vision. This vision is summed up in three simple words: Belong, Believe, Become. We'll break down each of these and how we see Jesus give people a sense of belonging when He was around them, how ultimately He invites us to believe in Him as the Son of God, and then begins a lifelong journey of us becoming more like Him. 
• FGS High: High School meets Sunday nights from 6-8 PM only at our Hwy 14 Campus. Small groups happen during the service and will relaunch in September! Be sure to register your student for HS Small Groups now! In August, our High School students will start a new series called “Family Matters” in which we’ll be exploring some of the matters that matter most when it comes to belonging to the Family of Jesus. There are certain ways of life that are central and core to walking with Jesus and belonging to the family of God. This series will be all about deepening specific spiritual practices, habits, and rhythms that keep our life with God and others alive.
• Next Gen Leader Recruitment: Each Sunday during the month of August, Next Gen will have a table set up in the commons of Hwy 14 and Adams Mill with staff and volunteers to recruit leaders for our kids and student ministries for everything from birth to 18 years old! Positions include small group leaders, large group leaders, directors, floaters, worship team, tech team, connections team, and more! Stop by the table before or after service one Sunday to find out more about what serving in Next Gen could look like for you!

• No FGS on August 2: FGS Middle and High School will not meet on Sunday, August 2 because of Next Gen Sunday. We would like all our students to be a part of the main FG service that morning!
• 9 Rise: FGS invites all rising 9th graders and their parents to 9 Rise on Sunday, August 2 from 6-8 PM, where you will get to meet the FGS staff and experience dynamic games, activities, and teachings all designed to help navigate this transition into high school. This event is a great way for students to begin the transition into FGS High and feel more comfortable about coming to their first High School Programming on Rise Sunday the next week. Register for this free event online!
• 6 Rise at Adams Mill: FGS invites all rising 6th graders and their parents at Adams Mill to 6 Rise on Friday, August 7 from 6-8 PM, where you will get to meet the FGS staff and experience dynamic games, activities, and teachings all designed to help navigate this transition into middle school. This event is a great way for students to begin the transition into FGS and feel more comfortable about coming to FGS Middle on Rise Sunday the next day. Register for this Adams Mill event online!
• 6 Rise at Hwy 14: FGS invites all rising 6th graders and their parents at Hwy 14 to 6 Rise on Saturday, August 8 from 1:30-4:30 PM, where you will get to meet the FGS staff and experience dynamic games, activities, and teachings all designed to help navigate this transition into middle school. This event is a great way for students to begin the transition into FGS and feel more comfortable about coming to FGS Middle on Rise Sunday the next day. Register for this Hwy 14 event online!
• Rise Sunday: Sunday, August 9 is Rise Sunday, the day that all grades will move up to their grade for the 2026-2027 school year! On Rise Sunday, FG Students will kick off a new year of FGS Programming!
• 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 now for $284 per student! Registration will close on August 16 or when spots are filled, so sign up your students online as soon as possible!
• No FGS on September 6: FGS Middle and High School will not meet on Sunday, September 6 because our staff and most of our students and leaders will be on the EPIC Retreat!
• Small Group Launch: Our Middle and High School small groups will launch on Sunday, September 13, after the EPIC Retreat. We place a very high value and emphasis on our small groups and the transformation that happens within community. Middle School small groups meet during Sunday morning services at either 9 or 11 AM. High School small groups meet from 5-6 PM before HS Programming on Sunday nights (only at Highway 14). Please register your students for MS Small Groups and HS Small Groups even if you have registered them for past years.
• Regen for Students: Fellowship Greenville is now offering Re:generation for Students! Regen for Students is a 12-week program open to any student in grades 9-12 seeking God’s help with the brokenness in their life and willing to do the work. The class will meet weekly on Mondays at 6 PM starting September 14. By walking the steps of healing given to us by God through the Bible, many people have found freedom from personal struggles like substance abuse, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, grief, people pleasing, sexual sin, eating disorders, the pain of a broken home, depression, suicidal thoughts, the pain of abuse, anger, and many more. Step Groups are arranged by age and gender, and groups have up to 10 students led by two adult Step Group Leaders. In Step Groups, participants share what they are learning in book work as well as challenges or questions they are facing. This is a place for each participant to be known, accepted, and encouraged to continue walking the steps toward healing. Registration for this semester is just $30 and includes a workbook and pizza each week!
• Foundations Night: Is your student a new believer? Are they curious about following Jesus? Do they have questions about God, the Bible, or what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life? The FGS Team invites any student wanting to know more about the foundations of our faith to Foundations Night, a special event on Tuesday, September 15 from 6-8 PM for dinner, teaching, and discussions. Register online for free!

Our Parent Resource Highlight for this month is The Pour Over News and its version for families called Decaf. Our kids and students are hearing about the news at school, from friends, through social media, and in day-to-day life. Decaf is designed to help parents raise children to have a spiritually healthy relationship with the news by teaching kids and students to be discerning about what really matters, find hope and peace in Christ even when the news is scary, love everyone, even when that’s hard, and respond and help others when appropriate. In each edition, you will find the story of the week followed by some suggested questions (and answers) to reflect on and ideas for how to respond. You can subscribe now for free!

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. With the start of the new school year, the launch of small groups in the fall, and all grades moving up, Next Gen is in need of volunteer leaders to serve and disciple our kids and students. We are praying for at least 186 people to step into volunteering with Next Gen in one of our many serving opportunities. We encourage you to pray as a family about how you could serve the next generation at our church!

Brentley Sheehan and the FGS Team