Mind, Body, & Spirit
After School Program
Pilot Program
First UCC will be offering an after school program for 12-18 middle school students this fall, for the first 12-18 students that sign up. This is a trial run pilot program for what we hope will be a helpful regular weekly program for more students in years to come.
We are looking for interested middle school youth (especially those in 6th & 7th grades), and invite students’ feedback, as well as the feedback of parents/guardians, school staff, and our volunteers.
We will have an Open House for students and parents/guardians to check out the church building and meet our volunteers on Sunday, September 20 at 12:00noon and Tuesday, September 22 at 4:00pm.
For the email friendly registration form, click on this MB&S E-mail- Friendly Flyer & Registration Form link.
For the printer friendly registration form and flyer, click on this MB&S Printer-Friendly Flyer & Registration Form link.
Overview
The program will be offered on Tuesdays after school from 2:45pm to 5:00pm, from September 29 to November 17, 2026 at First UCC in Hamburg.
The program is free for students.
Helping Mind, Body, & Spirit
We hope to offer a program that you will feel is good for you body, mind, and spirit.
Mind: homework and reading assistance;
Body: physical activities (Tai Chi this fall) and a healthy meal; and
Spirit: peer socializing, interaction with caring adults, opportunity to hear a positive faith message, and prayer.
During the pilot program we will be offering Tai Chi from a professional instructor (or students can opt for other games or activities during that time). Our pastor is also a licensed therapist, who has completed additional certification in ADHD, and may be able to provide students, parents, and volunteers with additional guidance for challenges related to learning differences. Our adult volunteers will have completed background checks and following our safety policy requirements for working with youth.
Parents/guardians of students who normally ride the bus will need to provide the school with a permission note to allow their child to walk from the school to the church building. On the registration form there is a place to indicate whether a student needs to be picked up or is allowed by their parent/guardian to walk home.
Tentative Schedule:
Arrive & Sign-in: 2:45-3:00pm
Tai Chi: 3:00-3:30pm
After sitting in class rooms all day, we hope getting up and moving will be of help in destressing and reenergizing.
We hope Tai Chi will be a fun and helpful thing to try, but if that is not for you, we will have alternative activities.
Encouraging Message & Prayer: 3:30-3:45pm
Before enjoying a meal, one of our volunteers will share in a short, positive, faith-based message to encourage our spirit and then will lead us in prayer for the meal.
Please note the below message about our valuing the spiritual diversity and faith backgrounds of all of our participants.
Meal: 3:45-4:15pm
We will be offering a free healthy, balanced meal.
Please note the section on the registration form if your student has any particular food allergies, sensitivities, or other dietary needs.
Homework & Reading Assistance: 4:15-5:00pm
After the students have had a chance to eat, we will help students with homework and reading.
Please note the section on the registration form to indicate if there are any particular needs.
Dismissal: 5:00pm
Please note the section on the registration form to indicate whether a student may walk home or will be picked up by a parent/guardian approved adult.
Open House
Sunday, September 20 at 12:00noon
Tuesday, September 22 at 4:00pm
We will be offering two open houses for students and parents/guardians to see the building, meet some of our volunteers, and ask questions about this pilot program.
Spiritual Diversity
Although many of the volunteers come from First UCC, our volunteers are coming from Christian churches of different denominations. We value the religious diversity found within our community; we encourage individuals to continue with whatever faith community of which they are already a part; and we are not seeking to convert anyone from their present religion to that of one of our participating churches. None of our volunteers will be professing their denomination to be better than all other denominations, but rather we seek to work ecumenically with faith groups. We humbly seek to offer what we hope will be a helpful program to the youth of our community.
We will be offering prayer as a part of this program (such as before the meal). Youth will not be compelled to pray, but will be invited to pause in courteous silence during a prayer.
If you have any questions about this program, including the encouraging the spirit part, please contact our church office via phone or email, or ask us at one of the open houses.