Katelyn is the daughter of Scot and Cheri Albright. She attended River Ridge High School and graduated May 25th in 2023. She enrolled at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga (Fall 2023), as well as planning to double major in interior design and business. While in high school, she stayed incredibly busy with volunteering at SEEDS non-profit resale shop, kicking off the school year by distributing school supplies, served under 7 Bridges, Co-Founded the "Overflow" , served on Wednesday nights for ministry to high schoolers, and supported the Special Olympics. She was the Peer-Facilitator for a high school special education classrooms. With that impressive involvement, she was also active with the Diversity Awareness Club.

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"I grew up in a Christian household and attended a private Christian school. Even though I was immersed in that atmosphere, my faith has not always been steady. As a student, I did not always feel accepted, was not readily offered God's grace, and did not feel like I truly belonged to a community. After completing eighth grade, I attended public high school. It was a huge culture shock for me. I urgently wanted to fit in, be liked, and have friends. I found myself becoming friends with people who weren't Christians but were nice people in my eyes. Since we didn't have the same beliefs, their influence began to impact me, and I stopped going to church. As we hung out more, I began witnessing their true colors. They started smoking weed, drinking, and all around getting into bad things. Soon I realized that these were not the people I should surround myself with, and cut off all ties. During the time I was alone and without a friend group, God put Morgan Harrison in my life. Morgan invited me to go with her to church, RUMC Students Ministry. After one visit I realized this was what I was longing for. A Christian community where I personally experienced students coming together and loving one another through Christ. Morgan had friends who were tight, loved each other, supported one another, had fun, and worshipped the Lord while most importantly doing it together. So, I joined Bible study and Crossroads for the rest of the summer and couldn't get enough of the people at RUMC or what was being taught. Eventually, I started attending on my own, built relationships, and became involved in the church community. It was scary the first time I went without Morgan. I passionately wanted to hear what the Lord had to say to me. I had a hole in my heart that was being filed for the first time. After going by myself, I knew I was meant to be there. I redeemed my faith in the Lord and continue to grow closer to him each day.”

Over her high school years, Katelyn was (still is when in town) a regular in Chapel, she sang in CHAOS and did an internship under pastor Jason Scot for the youth ministries. “I didn't realize the impact the internship would have on me, or how much I learned from Jason and the rest of the staff. Both Jason and Emily influenced my life and guided me in my walk with Christ.” By the way, her parents are now active at RUMC too.

Makenna is the daughter of Ben and Slater Rowlett. She attended Roswell High School and graduated May 22nd in 2023. As of Fall 2023, she is studying at the University of North Georgia majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Korean. Throughout high school, her energy was involved as a Confirmation Leader. Her persistence pushed her to attend a Louisiana Mission trip in the summer of 2022. While being a member of small groups (called CRU) as well as Altar Your Life (AYL) since 6th grade, her help with the multiple outreach programs provided through RUMC indoctrinated passion, and consistency that lasted indefinitely. Through school and church, many programs she was involved with include MUST ministries, the Drake House, 7 Bridges, and the Foster Care Foundation. Most of her summers and school breaks you’d see her helping at the North Fulton Charities and in all formality during Roswell High School football games with her JROTC class, serving as a counselor for the RHS band while hosting little kids in band camps, and even teaching young girls flag football at a summer camp in 2022 as a member of the RHS girl's flag football team.

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"God has always been a wholistic cornerstone in my life. My parents raised me at RUMC when they adopted me, however as I grew older, I have always struggled with feelings of insecurity, and unworthiness, partially because I was adopted at 4. I couldn't remember my life before I was adopted and because we live in a world where the majority values so much on popularity and who you are around, I never quite fit into a group of people who accepted me for who I was. I felt always on the outskirts. These feelings began to worsen, especially during COVID since we were quarantined, and away from everyone. I remember having days where I would think "God cannot see me, He couldn't possibly care about me, when the whole world was suffering". RUMC helped bring me out of that time. My small group would check up on me with texts and calls. They would make me feel included by starting zoom calls, and even face time. I think God was using them to reassure me that he was there, listened, and cared about me. He ended up putting all these people in my life who also cared about me. I didn't think I could be cared for, yet with God's Love all that is impossible becomes possible indefinitely."

Catherine is the daughter of Jason and Jennifer Scott. She attended The Kings Academy (fine arts) and graduated in May 2023. Yes, her dad is a RUMC pastor and that does give perks having a parent like that at home (if a teen would say), Catherine won the Hall Scholarship because of the outstanding character and influence she holds all on her own. She has lived on the church campus as long as we can remember. We mean that literally! Some of us thought she was on staff. Her talents are unmeasurable. Those talents have led her to enroll at Lipscomb University (Fall 2023) to major in Graphic Design. Her artistic touch has been seen all over campus and at school. One of Catherine's favorite things about RUMC was the ability to speak and write devotionals. That prompted her to promote faith by volunteering to help with the RUMC Students social media pages, as well as schedule speakers from different backgrounds and walks of life. Catherine attended and served in RUMC’s Kid Zone, Alter Your Life, and RUMC’s Middle School Camp, lead worship during Confirmation Retreats, served at Kenya missions, helped grow CHAOS on Sunday nights, and also attended Sunday mornings in Chapel. Plus supported 7 Bridges, The Garden, Foster Care Support, Street Grace, Must Ministries, and the Drake House. And…Catherine earned the prestigious Girl Scouts Gold Award. She lettered 3-years in Varsity Basketball, and 2-years in Varsity Softball, as well as, she successfully led painting and publications of 6 theater shows at her school.

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“On the last night of my Confirmation retreat , I gave my life to Jesus. It was nerve-wracking, raising my hand and going to the front. But God had other plans for next thing I knew I was up there. I was so excited to have made this life-changing decision. My Confirmation mentor said to me, “The journey from your head to your heart is the toughest journey of them all.” After giving my life to Christ, things seemed to start falling into place. I got accepted into my dream high school and made genuine close friends. As I got more of the things and status I wanted, I seemed to seek out God less and less. Because I was trusted to seek only myself, my self-image and mental health suffered. I thought I had to do it on my own. After a while of battling with negative thoughts, one week at CHAOS, the topic was God’s love. It seems like such a simple topic for high school small groups, but one part of our discussion stuck with me. We took John 3:16, a verse every Christian knows by memory, and replaced certain words with our name. “For God so loved Catherine that he gave his one and only Son, that if she believes in him, she shall not perish but have eternal life”. I was brought to tears. God loves me. Me! I had wasted so much of my life worried about what people thought of me, instead of what was ultimately more important; what God thought about me and how I should glorify and trust Him. Without the ministries at RUMC, I would not have the faith and bravery I have today. My whole faith journey has been through the programs, and people cultivated by my church. I'm thankful for everything I have and will continue to experience. I happily represent Him well through my thoughts, words, and actions. I want to fully trust Him as he guides me through my college career and beyond, using the gifts and people he has given me to give Him all the glory.”