JA Youth

Connecting Teens to Jesus

Intern Summer Video: CLICK HERE (9 minute video of photos with the interns)
Thank you Jesse & Sheri!

  • Friendsgiving on 11/20/2024 
  • A meal together with friends is just what God has in store for us! JAYM will take care of the main dishes (Turkey & Ham), Drinks, & Paper Goods.
    Please sign up to bring sides and desserts!
    https://www.PerfectPotluck.com/GCUK7834
    Parents, if you want to fix siblings a plate at 6:10pm before they go to Bible class, go for it. Parents are welcome to stay downstairs to feast and worship with us!

    Our agenda for the afternoon/evening looks like:
    3:30pm - Gym opens for cookies & fun
    4:00pm - WAS Service project at the Building
    4:45pm - Bowling together at Cookeville Bowling Alley (Cost is covered)
    6:15pm - Greet Visitors & Get ready for meal.
    6:30pm - Meal together
    7:10pm - Grateful Thanks Singing & Devo with friends!
  • We'll have disposable cameras on hand for your enjoyment!


 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!
To answer many of your organizational questions, click here to download our updated JAYM Handbook of Policies and Procedures! 

Current & Upcoming Activities

Want to see what we have going on?
Follow us on INSTAGRAM or text JAYOUTH to 40650 for updates.

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

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

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

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
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