Connecting Teens to Jesus
Service Week Info: Monday - Wednesday - 9am to 3pmish.
Scroll down and click individual day events to register!
Youth Service Day - Monday
Working at the building! (MONDAY!)
July 15, 2024 - 9:00am - 3:00pm
Let Topher know by 10pm the night before if you need van pick-up/drop-off.
*Students arrive at 9am with work clothes.
*We have two projects to do throughout the day. Clean and paint the new teen overflow classroom upstairs and organize/clean some gym area (and build shelving) with Mrs. Jackie! This will be a light but fun service day. Please register to let us know you're coming.
*Food will be catered in for lunch.
*At 3pm we'll wrap up the service/play time. If you need your student dropped off at home, let Topher know. Van rides are available.
Sign up here: https://subspla.sh/wg5cdnn
Youth Service Day - Tuesday Non-Profits
Building & Delivering Bunk Beds & Packing Food Bags
July 16, 2024 - 9:00am - 3:00pm
Let Topher know by 10pm the night before if you need van pick-up/drop-off.
*Students arrive at 9am with work clothes.
*We have two projects to do throughout the day. We will be working with a new non-profit called Sleep In Heavenly Peace. They make, deliver, & assemble bunk beds for underprivileged children. We have two beds to deliver and assemble on Tuesday morning. Tuesday after lunch will be a familiar time as we work hard at the UCHRA packing food bags.
*Food will be catered in for lunch at the building.
*At 3pm we'll wrap up the service/play time. If you need your student dropped off at home, let Topher know. Van rides are available.
Sign up here: https://subspla.sh/rt2rdwq
Youth Service Day - Wednesday Waterfalls & Caves
Trash at Rock Island Waterfalls and Graffiti in Lost Creek Caves
July 17, 2024 - 9:00am - 4:00pm or till 6:30pm Bible class
Let Topher know by 10pm the night before if you need van pick-up/drop-off.
*Students arrive at 9am with work clothes & clothes that can get wet! Also bring a flashlight.
*We have two projects to do throughout the day. Pickup trash at the Rock Island waterfalls (It will be hot, but the spray from the falls will cool us down. We'll also be working with park rangers to scrub graffiti off the walls inside a massive cave called Lost Creek! This will be a safe subterranean adventure using wire brushes. the temperature will be cool at about 60 degrees in the cave. Bring a flash light! Also, you'll likely get wet if you want in the small Lost Creek Waterfall.
*Food will be brought in for lunch.
*At 4pm we'll wrap up the service/play time. and drive back to the building arriving at about 5pm. Any students who want to go out to eat for dinner, just bring a little cash and we'll pick a place together and stay together till church Bible classes at 6:30pm.
*If you need your student dropped off at home, let Topher know. Van rides are available.
sign up here: https://subspla.sh/j9pxby4
Kayaking Day - Thursday
We'll meet at 9am at JA before driving to a boat ramp near the Horseshoe Bend Marina.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cAFXeaNos2K7xNUv5
Then we'll do a very easy kayak/canoe across the Caney where we'll hike up to a waterfall that you can only access by boat. We'll look for naturally forming geodes and definitely get wet!
Wear shoes that can get wet!
Bring a brown bag lunch. We'll bring a cooler of drinks.
Waterfall location is: 35°49'59.9"N 85°41'21.8"W
Tell Topher if you need a kayak/paddle/life jacket. If not, bring your own and we'll load it into a truck and trailer.
https://subspla.sh/yx39shv
Who We Are
The Jefferson Avenue Youth Ministry (JAYM) is a group of individuals who are committed to God and his Word, supportive of each other, dedicated to selfless living, and always willing to create space for more to join. JAYM exists to transform teens into vessels of God - filled and filling others with God's love, compassion and truth.
New to JAYM?
FILL OUT OUR QUICK YOUTH INFO SURVEY HERE: YOUTH SURVEY https://forms.gle/93Zddu8pD6AZQRMdA
Connect to the latest JAYM announcements through REMIND App!
Scroll down and click individual day events to register!
Youth Service Day - Monday
Working at the building! (MONDAY!)
July 15, 2024 - 9:00am - 3:00pm
Let Topher know by 10pm the night before if you need van pick-up/drop-off.
*Students arrive at 9am with work clothes.
*We have two projects to do throughout the day. Clean and paint the new teen overflow classroom upstairs and organize/clean some gym area (and build shelving) with Mrs. Jackie! This will be a light but fun service day. Please register to let us know you're coming.
*Food will be catered in for lunch.
*At 3pm we'll wrap up the service/play time. If you need your student dropped off at home, let Topher know. Van rides are available.
Sign up here: https://subspla.sh/wg5cdnn
Youth Service Day - Tuesday Non-Profits
Building & Delivering Bunk Beds & Packing Food Bags
July 16, 2024 - 9:00am - 3:00pm
Let Topher know by 10pm the night before if you need van pick-up/drop-off.
*Students arrive at 9am with work clothes.
*We have two projects to do throughout the day. We will be working with a new non-profit called Sleep In Heavenly Peace. They make, deliver, & assemble bunk beds for underprivileged children. We have two beds to deliver and assemble on Tuesday morning. Tuesday after lunch will be a familiar time as we work hard at the UCHRA packing food bags.
*Food will be catered in for lunch at the building.
*At 3pm we'll wrap up the service/play time. If you need your student dropped off at home, let Topher know. Van rides are available.
Sign up here: https://subspla.sh/rt2rdwq
Youth Service Day - Wednesday Waterfalls & Caves
Trash at Rock Island Waterfalls and Graffiti in Lost Creek Caves
July 17, 2024 - 9:00am - 4:00pm or till 6:30pm Bible class
Let Topher know by 10pm the night before if you need van pick-up/drop-off.
*Students arrive at 9am with work clothes & clothes that can get wet! Also bring a flashlight.
*We have two projects to do throughout the day. Pickup trash at the Rock Island waterfalls (It will be hot, but the spray from the falls will cool us down. We'll also be working with park rangers to scrub graffiti off the walls inside a massive cave called Lost Creek! This will be a safe subterranean adventure using wire brushes. the temperature will be cool at about 60 degrees in the cave. Bring a flash light! Also, you'll likely get wet if you want in the small Lost Creek Waterfall.
*Food will be brought in for lunch.
*At 4pm we'll wrap up the service/play time. and drive back to the building arriving at about 5pm. Any students who want to go out to eat for dinner, just bring a little cash and we'll pick a place together and stay together till church Bible classes at 6:30pm.
*If you need your student dropped off at home, let Topher know. Van rides are available.
sign up here: https://subspla.sh/j9pxby4
Kayaking Day - Thursday
We'll meet at 9am at JA before driving to a boat ramp near the Horseshoe Bend Marina.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cAFXeaNos2K7xNUv5
Then we'll do a very easy kayak/canoe across the Caney where we'll hike up to a waterfall that you can only access by boat. We'll look for naturally forming geodes and definitely get wet!
Wear shoes that can get wet!
Bring a brown bag lunch. We'll bring a cooler of drinks.
Waterfall location is: 35°49'59.9"N 85°41'21.8"W
Tell Topher if you need a kayak/paddle/life jacket. If not, bring your own and we'll load it into a truck and trailer.
https://subspla.sh/yx39shv
Who We Are
The Jefferson Avenue Youth Ministry (JAYM) is a group of individuals who are committed to God and his Word, supportive of each other, dedicated to selfless living, and always willing to create space for more to join. JAYM exists to transform teens into vessels of God - filled and filling others with God's love, compassion and truth.
New to JAYM?
FILL OUT OUR QUICK YOUTH INFO SURVEY HERE: YOUTH SURVEY https://forms.gle/93Zddu8pD6AZQRMdA
Connect to the latest JAYM announcements through REMIND App!
- Teens, text “@jayouth” to the number 8101 or click here: https://www.remind.com/join/jayouth
- Parents, text "@jacoc1" to the number 8101 or click here: https://www.remind.com/join/jacoc1
Meet the Youth ministry team of Ja.
Topher Wiles
Youth Minister
ChrisTopher loves his wife and four kids. After being inspired by a youth minister to follow Jesus, Topher was baptized into Christ in 1996. Topher then received a degree in theology from Lipscomb University with an emphasis in Youth Ministry & Biblical Languages. By God's grace he also served as principal of the local homeschool cooperative, tennis coach of multiple teams, high school math teacher, and a chaplain at a local hospital. Along with 18 years of experience in full time ministry, in 2020 & 2021 he was also voted "Community Role Model" by the public of White County. His special talents include squeezing as much life as he can into every minute, sparring with three boys at one time without anyone being seriously injured, and bringing adventure to anyone who will join him. Will you join Topher in an adventure with Jesus?
Contact Topher: topher@jacoc.org
Contact Topher: topher@jacoc.org
Don Foy
Elder for Youth
Don has been involved in the Jefferson Avenue youth ministry since 1987, as a youth deacon from 2007 to 2014 and as an elder since 2014. He and his wife Jane have two daughters who went through the youth program at JA. Don has invested much of his professional career in newspaper news media and information technology management. During baseball season you can find Don immersed in everything around his favorite baseball team, the Atlanta Braves.
Contact Don: dfoy@jacoc.org
Contact Don: dfoy@jacoc.org
Seth Gilbert
Youth Deacon
Seth Gilbert, born and raised here at JA! Seth grew up here in the JA Youth, baptized at age 14. He graduated from TTU in 2005 with a degree in business management, thanks to Brook! Seth is an entrepreneur and started a mowing business at the age of 15, which has now expanded and he continues to do. If you ever wonder where he and Brook are, you can probably find them in a gym or field somewhere watching Cara Lee or Callie playing one of their sports. In his free time, you can find him playing golf, working on the farm, on the lake, watching the Minnesota Vikings or Duke Basketball, or hunting.
Contact Seth: seth_brookgilbert@hotmail.com
Contact Seth: seth_brookgilbert@hotmail.com
Mark McCowan
Youth Deacon
Mark grew up in the church just down the street from Jefferson Avenue at Sycamore Church of Christ. Today, he is joined at Jefferson Avenue by his wife, Lauren, and four daughters, Lily, Kailee, Elin, and Isla. You're likely to run into the McCowan's at a local softball field, where all four girls play, or at a campground somewhere in the Smokies. Since volunteer coaching and camping don't pay the bills, Mark is a financial advisor at Wilson Bank Investment Services, holding his Certified Public Accountant license and Certified Financial Planner designation. When he's not busy being a girl dad, he enjoys hunting, exercising, and playing bad golf.
Contact Mark: mark.mccowan@gmail.com
Contact Mark: mark.mccowan@gmail.com