Children in United Methodist Churches raise money to send to the United Methodist Children’s Fund for Christian Mission, which supports missions that help children. Each year four missions are selected (two in the U.S. and two in other countries) to receive the funding. The money collected is divided equally among the four mission sites. One year, over $100,000.00 was raised by children for this fund.

In 2010 the four mission sites chosen for the UM Children’s Fund are McCurdy School in Espanola, New Mexico; Partnership in Treatment, in Anchorage, Alaska; Kiev Street Children Ministry, Kiev, Ukraine; and Sudan Shalom Ministry, South Sudan.

In July, our K-5th grade Sunday School Classes learned about each of these mission projects and what they do. Then, in August the children studied the story of Jesus feeding more than 5000 people with two fish and five barley loaves given by a young boy. The children learned that God can take our small gift and perform miracles!

In response, through our Sunday School offering in June, July, and August, our children collected $60.00 to support the United Methodist Children’s Fund for Christian Mission. Way to go!

To learn more about the United Methodist Children’s Fund for Christian Mission, visit www.gbod.org/children.

On Saturday, April 17, 2010 during the Christmas in April Retreat, the 2010 Confirmation Class wrote their own Affirmation of Faith.  It was first read in worship on Confirmation Sunday, April 25, 2010 when 11 young people were confirmed, publicly professing their faith and choice to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Here is that creed:

We believe in God, the powerful, almighty Creator of heaven and earth, King and Ruler of anything and everything, Who gives us everlasting love, peace, and eternal life.

We believe in the Son of God, Savior of souls and Corrector of sin. Jesus loves us and nourishes us.

We believe in the Holy Spirit that opens the door to knowledge. The Spirit breathes into us the Breath of life, and is the Spark of the fire of love in our souls.

We believe in the Church, God’s house and place of fellowship, love, repentance, and devotion. It is a place where we learn about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible. Amen.

Back L-R:  Emma Knight, Millicent Paris, Lauren Meaders, Ashley Tate, Ali O’Connell, Myrah Rogers, Mason Lamb
Front L-R:  McKinley Thacker, Collin Brauner, Paul Acosta, Cory Press

Children age 4 – 5th grade are invited:

To Rec. Lobby
From 9:15-10:15am (during Sunday School)
On Sunday, April 25, 2010

We will have : Balloons, Food, Games, Music, and Fun Activities as a part of a celebration of our 2010 Capital Campaign!

One of the highlights of the Confirmation year is the “Christmas in April Retreat” where the Confirmands learn about and begin to discover their spiritual gifts for serving in the church.  This year was no exception.

As a part of the primary program time, parents and grandparents came to share the experience with their 6th graders.  Thus, all were able to consider the importance of every member of the body of Christ, the church.  When one is not there, the tasks before us are more difficult – sometimes impossible!  Plus, as members of the same body, we have to learn to work together in sharing and using our gifts for the good of all.

After supper, the eleven Confirmands worked on their own Affirmation of Faith in their own words, and this creed will be read for the first time in worship on Confirmation Sunday, April 25, 2010.  Then, after a bit of free time, they watched the theatrical version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and considered how John Wesley’s basic theology is summed up in that movie!

Special thanks go to six youth helpers (Andrew Beltchev, Drake Davis, Breanne Press, Hope Rouse, Courtney Tate, and Keeley Trevino) and three adults (Jeff & Holly Ginn and Wilma O’Connell) who worked with Rev. Troy Sims to make this event a success.

The Confirmands that attended this trip include Paul Acosta, Collin Brauner, Emma Knight, Mason Lamb, Lauren Meaders, Ali O’Connell, Millicent Paris, Cory Press, Myrah Rogers, Ashley Tate, and McKinley Thacker.

Check out the pictures below!

On February 6-7, 2010, nine members of the Confirmation Class and four adults went to the Dallas area for the annual “Confirmation Celebration Overnighter.”  This entailed MANY things:

Doing a canned / boxed good scavenger hunt to benefit CCA (Christian Community Action) in Lewisville, Texas;

Learning about what John Wesley thought were the most important themes in Scripture and for our faith (Prevenient, Justifying, and Sanctifying Grace);

Playing Put-Put Golf, Lazer Tag, Go Carts, and Arcade Games at Adventure Landing in Dallas;

Spending the night at FUMC Lewisville;

Attending St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church in South Dallas (Confirmands said this was AWESOME); and

Attending the Confirmation Celebration with Bishop Earl Bledsoe at FUMC Denton.  Several hundred other confirmands from around the North Texas Conference were there.

Special thanks for the adults that assisted Rev. Troy Sims:  Karen Rogers, Kevin O’Connell, and Jeff Thacker.  This event would not have been a success without them!

For more pictures, click the “strip” below:

The 2009-2010 Confirmation Class attended Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, October 3, 2009 in order to see similarities and differences between Catholocism and Protestantism.  After the service, Rev. Troy Sims showed the class some of the distinctively Catholic aspects of their Sanctuary and faith.

Check out the picture below taken after worship: