CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER 2025-26 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN - APPLY HERE
WELCOME TO COLUMBIA STUDENT MINISTRY
ABOUT
Our priority at Columbia is to create an environment for 7th - 12th graders and college students to experience the transformational power of Jesus and live as whole-life disciples. We want students to find an everyday faith for their everyday life. Students are invited to come and make friends and build community with us, and find a place where you can ask ‘difficult’ questions in the context of meaningful relationships with fellow students and trained leaders. While we do not have all the answers, we can point you to the One who does!
At Columbia, we want students to have THREE necessary experiences;
Love of God through worship,
Love for Others through serving, and
Love for self through small groups - these experiences are designed to assist students on their discipleship journey and equip them with an authentic faith.
To facilitate these experiences, students will have the following opportunities:
- Weekly family worship services to worship God
- Small Groups to grow closer to God and build community
- Weekly serving on Sunday mornings in the church body
- Student Hangouts to build friendships (both onsite and offsite activities)
Columbia's Student Ministry believes that the Gospel is the most important thing for students to understand. This is why the message of Christ is central to everything we do, and we want to help YOU know Jesus! Check out Pastor Kaelyn's message from the series "God With Us" where we explore the significance of Jesus coming down to be Immanuel- God with us!
Interested in knowing more about the Gospel? Have questions about faith, salvation, Jesus, the church, or anything else? We'd love to talk with you! Click the button below to get connected.
NEW
Welcome! We can't wait to get to know you!
We'd love to send you a welcome gift and help you get connected to a small group of students.
Click on the button below start the process!
SUNDAYS
SERVING & WORSHIP
Sundays, 9:30am and 11:15am
EDGE
Sundays, 5:30-7:30
301 N Washington St.
We believe that service is an essential part of discipleship, so on Sunday mornings, students serve in one of our church's ministries and then attend worship during the hour they are not serving. Stay up to date with our August theological training videos for service with the videos here! You can also go back and watch our Likewise series videos below.
Students can also serve on Sunday nights as members of the student band. Band rehearses on Sunday mornings @10am.
College Students are also encouraged to serve in the student ministry.
Freshman can serve on the teach team, kitchen team, gatekeeper team, and events team. Sophomores and up can serve on any of these teams and also have the opportunity to serve as small group leaders.
E D G E
On Sunday mornings, students serve in the main body of the church during one hour and then attend one of the main worship services the alternate hour. The student ministry has our main gatherings on Sunday nights from 5:30-6:30. Here, 7th-12th grade students build community, play games, engage in worship, receive age targeted teaching, and conclude the evening in discussion with their small group.
Our EDGE initiative is designed to help students "follow Jesus to the edge of their comfort zones where they can have Energized Discipleship & God Encounters."
When students feel like the belong, feel safe, known, loved, and wanted, their hearts are positioned in such a way to encounter God and the transformative power of Christ Jesus. It is the goal of the Columbia Student Ministry to ensure every student experiences these 5 impacts for this purpose.
College students have separate small group meetings that are more targeted towards their age. College and 7th-12th graders meet at the same location and time in the summers and separately during the year.
We value the leadership and voices of our students, which is why every few months we have Student-Led EDGE...aka SLEDGE!!
SLEDGE is a way to empower students of all ages to use their God-given talents to serve. At SLEDGE, students preach, lead small group, plan content, prep food, lead games, and basically everything else! Check out the most recent SLEDGE sermon! -->
Check out this video of
Pastor Kaelyn and Pastors
Jim & Kris discussing the Student Ministry future!
CALENDAR
January 12—Hot Chocolate Party EDGE
January 26— Pastor Kris Installation
February 2—EDGE Movie Night
February 8— no EDGE
February 16—SLEDGE
February 23— Baptism Service (no EDGE)
March 14-16 – DNow (no EDGE)
April 5—Women’s Tea Serving
April 13— Spring Break (no EDGE)
April 20— Easter (no EDGE)
April 27—SLEDGE
May 4— EDGE: Baptism Service
May 11— Mothers Day (no EDGE)
May 18— Camp Columbia Staff Kickoff
June 7-8—Senior Family Weekend
June 8—Senior Sunday
June 15— Fathers Day (no EDGE)
June 23-27— Centrifuge Camp
July 13-19— SWVA Mission Trip (Mandatory Meetings: 4-5pm on May 18, June 1, & June 29)
Centrifuge camp
FUGE camp is going to be EPIC!! This year we will be going to camp June 23-27 at Regent University in Virginia Beach!
Click the button to register and get all the info!
SWVA
The Southwest Virginia Mission Trip is an opportunity to love others as Jesus has loved us. Through our BGAV partnership with Impact Missions, work teams, comprised of students and adults, will do disaster response by building, repairing, and cleaning homes and areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Under the supervision of site leaders and crew chiefs, students will work as a site team, learn to plan the construction project, perform any demolition required, construct the project, and serve an individual/family in the name of Jesus.
- Location: Abingdon, VA
- 2025 Date: July 13-19
-Mandatory Meetings: 4-5pm on May 18, June 1, & June 29.
- Students must be completed 7th-12th Grade and we are excited to invite college students to participate this year as well!
- Cost per participant: TBA
Call Us
Supporting our students and families
Kaelyn Matthews
Associate Pastor for Discipleship, Students
COLUMBIA CHURCH
Looking for a church but not sure where to turn? We want to help you find a home. Columbia is dedicated to helping everyday people grow in Christ and become whole-life disciples. Join us on Sunday mornings or reach out to us today!
103 W. Columbia Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Sundays in-person & online 9:30 & 11:15AM
Call us today: 703-534-5700