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New quiz: Vocabulary What are some of the terms United Methodists use and what do they mean? Here’s a quick test to see which vocabulary words you know about our faith.
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1. What is the person called who assists in a worship service, including the lighting of candles?
- Server
- Acolyte
- Greeter
- Usher
Lovely Lane: A Methodist birthplace
“This was a denomination founded out of a profound need to serve people.” One of Methodism’s most important churches was dedicated on this day in 1887. Learn more about Lovely Lane UMC.
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Want some inspiration? Meet children across the connection who are doing great things like building wells and handing out bike helmets to keep kids safe.
“This was a denomination founded out of a profound need to serve people.” One of Methodism’s most important churches was dedicated on this day in 1887. Learn more about Lovely Lane UMC.
Watch video +
Want some inspiration? Meet children across the connection who are doing great things like building wells and handing out bike helmets to keep kids safe.
Amazing Kids of The United Methodist Church
United Methodist children across the connection are doing amazing things - things like raising funds to build water wells, hosting lemonade stands to assist others, and handing out free bike helmets to keep kids safe. During the summer of 2017 we highlighted a few of these spectacular youth on ourFacebook page.
Silja Bijnagte led an effort to build and maintain a community garden that provides fresh produce to people in need in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her congregation at Lake Harriet United Methodist Church was pivotal to the work.11-Year-Old Plants Food Pantry Garden
Fresh food isn’t always available at food pantries, but it will be at Joyce Uptown Foodshelf in Minneapolis, Minnesota, thanks to Silja Bijnagte. Her determination to build raised garden beds brought together volunteers from Lake Harriet United Methodist Church in a common goal of serving their neighbors – one carrot at a time.
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Script:
(Locator: Minneapolis, MN)
Silja Bijnagte: “I like carrots. I like most vegetables.”
Silja Bijnagte sprouted an idea for a Minneapolis Food pantry while volunteering with her United Methodist church.
Silja Bijnagte, Lake Harriet United Methodist Church: “I knew that people here don’t get as much fresh food as most people need and I came up with building gardens.”
Beth Ann Dodds, Joyce Uptown Foodshelf: “She got the lumber donated, the seeds donated, the soil donated, enlisted the help of her family and friends and they all came together on a Saturday afternoon and built the boxes and put them in.”
(Silja pointing to plans) “This one is the scale drawing.”
The Rev. Melanie Homan, Lake Harriet United Methodist Church: “Silja and her family are very active at Lake Harriet United Methodist Church. When she put out the call on Sunday morning for volunteers on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter, it was amazing to see the response and the number of people who showed up ready to saw and drill and dig in the dirt and get the work done all in a day. And it’s just been a delight to see the way our congregation, which is very intergenerational, rallies around the kids and the youth and their ideas and to help them make them come to life.”
Eleven-year-old Silja and volunteers will tend the gardens, picking fresh vegetables for the 800 people a month the pantry serves.
Melanie Homan: “Young people like Silja, they are leaders already and it’s important for me to empower people when they have ideas and dreams about how to make the world a better place. It reinforces for them a lifelong mission of being in service to others.”
Tag:
Joyce Uptown Foodshelf is a community outreach of Lake Harriet United Methodist Church, where Silja Bijnagte is an active part of the congregation.
More more information contact Joyce Uptown Foodshelf at 612-825-4431.
This video was produced by United Methodist Communications in Nashville, TN.
Media contact is Fran Walsh, 615-742-5458.
Miranda Braswell celebrates her birthday by collecting funds, personal items, food, toys and clothing for people in need…so many items, they wouldn’t fit in a room at her church, Shiloh United Methodist Church in Gaston, North Carolina.
Photo illustration by Diane Degnan, United Methodist Communications
Miranda, Ronyn, Marley Jane and Kayla were featured on The United Methodist Church Facebook page as part of summer 2017's #AmazingUMCKids campaign.
United Methodist birthday girls celebrate through giving by Natalie Bannon
“I had a tingle,” is how 10-year-old Miranda Braswell (Shiloh United Methodist Church, Gaston, N.C.) describes the moment she found out she was going to be able to help hundreds of others in need for her birthday.
Miranda Braswell received so many donations that she had to borrow a room at the church to store the items. Photo courtesy of Michele Braswell. That’s right. Instead of receiving birthday presents, Miranda decided to give. It’s something she’s done the past two years.
For her ninth birthday, Miranda collected stuffed animals, coloring books and letters to create gift baskets for children hospitalized at Halifax Regional Medical Center.
She wanted to continue the tradition of helping others this year, so she asked her mom, Michele, about other non-profit organizations in their community.
After a rundown, Miranda decided to help Angel’s Closet (an ecumenical ministry that focuses on the needs of school children), Hannah’s Place (dedicated to helping prevent and eliminate domestic violence and sexual assault), and the local Department of Social Services.
Michele helped her daughter set up meetings with the local organizations so she could get their permission to collect donations.
When word got out, so many donations started pouring in that Miranda had to borrow a room at the church to store the items. Soon it began to overflow.
In the end, Miranda collected $450 in monetary donations, 225 personal care items, 175 food items and 40 large bags of clothing. She divided the donations and delivered them to the organizations.
Hannah’s Place was so impressed, they contacted the local newspaper. Miranda was reluctant to tell them her story until Michele reassured her that it would inspire others to be selfless.
“It makes me feel good to help others,” Miranda explained. “God expects me to do it. Some people need more things than others.”
Miranda is not alone. Other children who attend United Methodist churches have traded traditional birthday bashes for donation drives.
Ronyn Kelley wanted to collect items for a food bank for her birthday. Photo courtesy of the Kelley family.During a Wednesday night service at church, little Ronyn bravely stood in front of the congregation and asked them for their help.
“I wasn’t really scared,” she said. “I was nervous - between nervous and happy.”
On December 2, Ronyn delivered 192 pounds of food and enough monetary donations to provide 360 meals to Share Your Christmas, an annual televised food drive for the Chattanooga Food Bank that is hosted by a local TV station.
“I felt great because I got to donate all that food to the people that actually needed it,” said Ronyn.
Ronyn encourages other children to use their birthdays as an opportunity to help those in need. “I would say that children need to do something else than ask for presents for yourself,” she said. “It is a good idea to help other people than be selfish and have all the presents.”
Marley Jane Musser collected about 30 bags of food for the Washington County C.C. Porter Animal Shelter. Photo courtesy of the Musser family. Another child making a difference is Marley Jane Musser (Damascus United Methodist Church, Damascus, Va.). Marley Jane turned 10 last September. For the second year, she asked her friends and family to bring bags of cat and dog food to her birthday party instead of presents.
She then donated that food, about 30 bags, to the Washington County C.C. Porter Animal Shelter.
“I’ve always loved animals, and I just felt that I already had a lot of stuff,” explains Marley Jane, whose pet family includes a cat and two dogs, one of whom was rescued from a shelter. “I was happy to do that. The animals need all the help they can get.”
Marley Jane says she felt sad at first when delivering the food to the shelter, seeing all of the animals without a home. "But then I felt really good because I knew I was helping them and the shelter out," she adds.
Pet food tops of the list of animal shelters’ wish lists, so Marley Jane’s donation was a welcome donation. "They were really surprised and grateful," said Marley Jane. "The food came at a good time because they said their food supply was low."
The soon-to-be 11-year-old plans to make pet food collection a birthday tradition, one that she hopes grows in quantity each year. “If more kids do this, then it could help out their own shelters too,” says Marley Jane.
Kayla Smith hopes to have a storage warehouse for Diaper Angels, part of the National Diaper Bank, a network of 300 community-based diaper banks. Photo courtesy of the Smith family.Eleven-year-old Kayla Smith (Jerome United Methodist Church, Plain City, Ohio), also planned to help a local animal shelter for her birthday, but she pivoted during a discussion on the way to church. She asked her mom, “Why not diapers?”
Kayla and her mother, Amy, spearhead the Diaper Angels ministry at their church.
“It was my mom’s friend who really started it,” said Kayla. “She had a baby and noticed the need for diapers and how they are really expensive.”
For her tenth birthday, Kayla’s goal was to collect 10,000 diapers. She received 12,000. This year, her goal was 15,000 diapers. She exceeded it again by collecting 16,000.
“The funniest part was every day we’d get diapers in the mail. The mailman was like, ‘Why is she getting so many diapers?’” Kayla laughed.
She’s just getting started. Her goal is to one day have a storage warehouse for Diaper Angels, which is part of the National Diaper Bank, a network of 300 community-based diaper banks.
“I think it will be even bigger. Our goal is to have a Huggies truck delivered,” said Kayla. “To receive a truck of Huggies, we have to have a loading dock. So the goal is to one day have a storage warehouse.”
Here’s Kayla’s advice: “Just go with what your heart tells you to do.”
Miranda, Ronyn, Marley Jane and Kayla were featured on The United Methodist Church Facebook page as part of summer 2017's #AmazingUMCKids campaign.
*Natalie Bannon is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tenn. Media contact at United Methodist Communications is Laura Buchanan, at 615-742-5413.
Lucy Barkholz has a heart for serving people and bringing them joy, whether it’s visiting a nursing home, praying for others, serving meals or helping in worship services at Maumee United Methodist Church in Maumee, Ohio.
#amazingUMC kids
Eight-year-old Lucy Barkholz of Maumee (Ohio) United Methodist Church seeks to grow deeper in her faith and has a heart for serving others. Whether she's packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child, serving meals to the less privileged, tying knots
on prayer quilts or helping out with worship service, Lucy enjoys getting "to do things in the church together." One of her favorite experiences was visiting a nursing home. "All the people I played games with were so nice and so happy that kids were there," said Lucy, who learned a bit about playing checkers from one of the seniors. Even just inviting someone to church can make them feel "really happy," says Lucy. — with Maumee United Methodist Church 405 Sackett St and West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Lucy Chelton, who won the Food Network’s “Chopped Jr.” competition by making rattlesnake nuggets, likes to cook for the local food bank with church friends from Christ United Methodist Church in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. “I like the smiles on people’s faces when I give them good food,” she says.Learn more.
Dylan & Jesse Clay built a blessing box in front of their home to provide a place for neighbors to pick up food as well as donate food and items to others. The boys attend First United Methodist Church in San Diego, California.Watch video.
Gage Duke, 11 from First United Methodist Church in Rockwall, Texas, started Just Cuz Helmets Matter to distribute free bicycle helmets following a family tragedy. “Where it says ‘love your neighbor’ in the Bible, I love my neighbor because I help them with bike safety and helmets,” he says.Watch video.
Chrasel Grace B. Garcera, 9, is amazing in many ways. Honor student. Solo vocal champion. Faithful church member. Chrasel, who attends Bethel United Methodist Church, Poblacion, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, in the Philippines, has achieved her accomplishments despite being born prematurely, weighing only 1.3 pounds, and being visually impaired.
member. Chrasel Grace B. Garcera, 9, is amazing in many ways. Chrasel, who attends Bethel United Methodist Church, Poblacion, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, in the Philippines, has achieved her accomplishments despite being born prematurely, weighing only 1.3 pounds, and being visually impaired.
Jakayla Green, member of Journey United Methodist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, authored the book “Daddy’s Girl” after navigating a tough time in her life: her parents’ separation. She helps other kids cope and heal.Watch video.
Will Green was inspired through VBS at Hilton United Methodist Church in Hilton, New York, to raise funds to build a well in Nicaragua. He then got to visit the community where it now provides clean water.Will Green raised funds that built a well in Nicaragua.
August 10, 2016 / By Shannon Hodson / Email
Eleven-year old Will Green is responsible for providing clean water to a community in Nicaragua. His story is an inspiring one.
It all began two years ago when Will was working on his required summer inquiry project for school. He decided to focus on water, and he learned about that many communities do not have access to clean water. He felt God was calling on him to do something about this.At the same time Will’s church, Hilton UMC, was focusing on a mission project for Vacation Bible School. This is something they do each summer, and Will thought what better idea than to raise money to build a well for a community that needs water.
Will said, “First, I thought that Africa would be a good place to build a well. Many people there do not have access to water. But then it came to my attention through a church member that some people in Nicaragua do not have clean water.” That summer, the fundraising project for Hilton’s VBS was to raise money for a well to be built in a Nicaragua community. The VBS raised $400, but that was only the beginning. If Hilton UMC raised $1,000 toward the well, El Porvenir, would match their funds, for a total of $2,000, which is what is needed for a well. Hilton UMC gave the money through United Methodist Committee on Relief because El Porvenir is an UMCOR Advanced Special.
Will was determined to raise the $1,000 by soliciting donations from the church members. The pastor of the church, Rev. Jennifer Green, Will’s mother, said “I told Will that he has to be patient. I warned him that it may take many months to raise another $600 toward this project. I was surprised when we raised the $1,000 needed in three weeks.” Will was quick to interject when he said, “We actually raised more than $1,000.” His mother responded, “You are right; we raised a little bit more than $1,000.”
With the money in hand, a well was to be built in a community three hours from Project Chacocente, which is where the Genesee Valley goes for its mission project every February. Project Chacocente was founded by Cheryl Avery in 2004. With the help of North American Christian youth, the plight of ten families living in a city dump in Managua changed forever. The families moved from their homes atop the trash heap to the fresh air and fertile land of rural Masaya, the home-base of Project Chacocente. Will described this project as a place that has schools for the children to learn and vocations taught to their parents so that they may earn a living.
A family friend of the Greens and former member of Hilton UMC, Ashley Sullivan, was so moved by Project Chacocente when she went on a mission trip as a teenager that she now lives in Nicaragua. She works for the 4 Walls Project, an organization that builds safe, sturdy houses in El Sauce, Nicaragua. This past winter, with Ashley’s help, Will was able to go see the well that was built because of the fundraiser he initiated.
Will and his mother joined the Genesee Valley District on their annual mission trip to Project Chacocente in February. After
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they completed their mission work, Ashley helped arrange for a driver and an interpreter to drive Will and Rev. Jennifer 20 minutes away to the countryside outside of El Sauce so that Will could see the well. They rode in the back of a truck driven by a young teenage boy. Their interpreter was, Chiky, a resident of Project Chacocente who the Greens learned recently passed away.When Will first saw the well, he became very quiet; he was overwhelmed.
Imprinted on the well is “Hilton UMC.” This well serves 25 people who never had clean water. Will said, “The town elder told us how the well was built. Workers had to dig down 25 feet by hand to where water the water was.” Rev. Jennifer added, “They dug the hole and searched for the water reservoir in the dry season so that they would know that water would be available even if they were faced with a drought.” The town elder also informed them that before the well was built, they used to have to walk six miles to get clean water and six miles back with a heavy bucket of water._301_169.JPG)
Will’s response to God’s call to help people in need has left an impression, not only in his church, but also in the community at large. He recently received the Rochester Police Department’s “Do the Right Thing” award. This award recognizes youth in Monroe County for positive behavior.
Will’s story is proof that no matter who you are, through God, all things are possible. Even a young boy can be the source of vital world-wide ministry. So the next time you don’t think your church has the resources to do something big for God, remember a nine-year-old boy built a well in Nicaragua that was life changing to the people it serves.
Ollie Harr, is a generous member of First-Centenary United Methodist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has given his own toys to kids in need and given Christmas gifts to families in the NICU where he spent time as an infant.Learn more.
Abbigail Henderson of Grace United Methodist Church in Auburn, Alabama, was born with a heart intent on giving, as evidenced by the way the 8-year-old sees a need, then finds a way to contribute.
Photo courtesy of Molly HendersonAbbagail Henderson donated her allowance to purchase school supplies for a first-year teacher.
Giving comes naturally to Alabama third grader by Crystal Caviness*Clearly, Abbagail Henderson was born with a heart intent on giving. Even as an 8-year-old, Abbagail already has a track record of seeing a need, then finding a way to contribute.
As recently as one week ago, Abbagail did extra chores, such as mopping the kitchen floor, washing her mom’s truck and cleaning the bathrooms, to raise money to purchase pet food for animals affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. When a friend said he was driving to Texas to help with flood recovery, Abbagail asked him to deliver the $100 worth of dog and cat food.
Abbagail says she was motivated to help the animals in Houston because of her love for her own two dogs. “It made me sad and upset to think that Daisy and Noah might not have food,” she says.
The yearning to give started when Abbagail was in preschool at Grace United Methodist Church, where the family attends. Through an event called Penny Harvest, Abbagail participated when her preschool raised money for a local food bank. Soon after, the youngster asked to be given canned food instead of gifts for her birthday; she donated 70 pounds of items to the local food bank.
Last Christmas, Abbagail came up with another idea: give everybody in her school a gift. After talking about it with her mom, Abbagail began doing extra chores to raise money and her mom also set up a website so others could donate. In the end, Abbagail collected enough money to assemble 430 gifts – enough for every child in the school – that included a Christmas cup, two pencils, a small toy and a piece of candy.
Right before Christmas, Abbagail and her mom went to school one evening and set out gifts at each teacher’s door with a note that said “Merry Christmas. Enjoy your presents. Love, Abby.”
“That felt good,” Abbagail says, noting that everyone was excited about their special treat. “We accomplished what we wanted so nobody got left out.”
The list of ways that Abbagail helps is lengthy. She and her mom volunteer to walk dogs at the local animal humane society; using her allowance, she purchased school supplies for a first-year teacher at her school; she contributed money and helped paint at a fundraiser for No More Shacks Sweet Homes for Alabama, and she has helped out at a community garden.
Next up: “Me and mommy are making Christmas bears for every kid at St. Jude’s. It’s a lot of kids,” she says. In preparation, Abbagail’s grandmother is currently teaching her how to sew. The goal, according to Abbagail’s mom, is to make 100 bears for patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
The third grader already knows what she wants to do when she gets older. “I want to go on mission trips,” she says. “I like to help other people and to help them learn about God.”
* Crystal Caviness is a PR specialist at United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tennessee.
You can contact her at 615-742-5138 or ccaviness@umcom.org.
Ronyn Kelley asked her congregation at First-Centenary United Methodist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to donate food to the local food bank in honor of her birthday. She delivered enough food and funds to provide 360 meals!Photo illustration by Diane Degnan, United Methodist Communications
Miranda, Ronyn, Marley Jane and Kayla were featured on The United Methodist Church Facebook page as part of summer 2017's #AmazingUMCKids campaign.
United Methodist birthday girls celebrate through giving by Natalie Bannon
“I had a tingle,” is how 10-year-old Miranda Braswell (Shiloh United Methodist Church, Gaston, N.C.) describes the moment she found out she was going to be able to help hundreds of others in need for her birthday.
Miranda Braswell received so many donations that she had to borrow a room at the church to store the items. Photo courtesy of Michele Braswell. That’s right. Instead of receiving birthday presents, Miranda decided to give. It’s something she’s done the past two years.
For her ninth birthday, Miranda collected stuffed animals, coloring books and letters to create gift baskets for children hospitalized at Halifax Regional Medical Center.
She wanted to continue the tradition of helping others this year, so she asked her mom, Michele, about other non-profit organizations in their community.
After a rundown, Miranda decided to help Angel’s Closet (an ecumenical ministry that focuses on the needs of school children), Hannah’s Place (dedicated to helping prevent and eliminate domestic violence and sexual assault), and the local Department of Social Services.
Michele helped her daughter set up meetings with the local organizations so she could get their permission to collect donations.
When word got out, so many donations started pouring in that Miranda had to borrow a room at the church to store the items. Soon it began to overflow.
In the end, Miranda collected $450 in monetary donations, 225 personal care items, 175 food items and 40 large bags of clothing. She divided the donations and delivered them to the organizations.
Hannah’s Place was so impressed, they contacted the local newspaper. Miranda was reluctant to tell them her story until Michele reassured her that it would inspire others to be selfless.
“It makes me feel good to help others,” Miranda explained. “God expects me to do it. Some people need more things than others.”
Miranda is not alone. Other children who attend United Methodist churches have traded traditional birthday bashes for donation drives.
Ronyn Kelley wanted to collect items for a food bank for her birthday. Photo courtesy of the Kelley family.During a Wednesday night service at church, little Ronyn bravely stood in front of the congregation and asked them for their help.
“I wasn’t really scared,” she said. “I was nervous - between nervous and happy.”
On December 2, Ronyn delivered 192 pounds of food and enough monetary donations to provide 360 meals to Share Your Christmas, an annual televised food drive for the Chattanooga Food Bank that is hosted by a local TV station.
“I felt great because I got to donate all that food to the people that actually needed it,” said Ronyn.
Ronyn encourages other children to use their birthdays as an opportunity to help those in need. “I would say that children need to do something else than ask for presents for yourself,” she said. “It is a good idea to help other people than be selfish and have all the presents.”
Marley Jane Musser collected about 30 bags of food for the Washington County C.C. Porter Animal Shelter. Photo courtesy of the Musser family. Another child making a difference is Marley Jane Musser (Damascus United Methodist Church, Damascus, Va.). Marley Jane turned 10 last September. For the second year, she asked her friends and family to bring bags of cat and dog food to her birthday party instead of presents.
She then donated that food, about 30 bags, to the Washington County C.C. Porter Animal Shelter.
“I’ve always loved animals, and I just felt that I already had a lot of stuff,” explains Marley Jane, whose pet family includes a cat and two dogs, one of whom was rescued from a shelter. “I was happy to do that. The animals need all the help they can get.”
Marley Jane says she felt sad at first when delivering the food to the shelter, seeing all of the animals without a home. "But then I felt really good because I knew I was helping them and the shelter out," she adds.
Pet food tops of the list of animal shelters’ wish lists, so Marley Jane’s donation was a welcome donation. "They were really surprised and grateful," said Marley Jane. "The food came at a good time because they said their food supply was low."
The soon-to-be 11-year-old plans to make pet food collection a birthday tradition, one that she hopes grows in quantity each year. “If more kids do this, then it could help out their own shelters too,” says Marley Jane.
Kayla Smith hopes to have a storage warehouse for Diaper Angels, part of the National Diaper Bank, a network of 300 community-based diaper banks. Photo courtesy of the Smith family.Eleven-year-old Kayla Smith (Jerome United Methodist Church, Plain City, Ohio), also planned to help a local animal shelter for her birthday, but she pivoted during a discussion on the way to church. She asked her mom, “Why not diapers?”
Kayla and her mother, Amy, spearhead the Diaper Angels ministry at their church.
“It was my mom’s friend who really started it,” said Kayla. “She had a baby and noticed the need for diapers and how they are really expensive.”
For her tenth birthday, Kayla’s goal was to collect 10,000 diapers. She received 12,000. This year, her goal was 15,000 diapers. She exceeded it again by collecting 16,000.
“The funniest part was every day we’d get diapers in the mail. The mailman was like, ‘Why is she getting so many diapers?’” Kayla laughed.
She’s just getting started. Her goal is to one day have a storage warehouse for Diaper Angels, which is part of the National Diaper Bank, a network of 300 community-based diaper banks.
“I think it will be even bigger. Our goal is to have a Huggies truck delivered,” said Kayla. “To receive a truck of Huggies, we have to have a loading dock. So the goal is to one day have a storage warehouse.”
Here’s Kayla’s advice: “Just go with what your heart tells you to do.”
Miranda, Ronyn, Marley Jane and Kayla were featured on The United Methodist Church Facebook page as part of summer 2017's #AmazingUMCKids campaign.
*Natalie Bannon is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tenn. Media contact at United Methodist Communications is Laura Buchanan, at 615-742-5413.Read more.
Kalee & Kenzie Hinkson lead an annual donation drive to provide cuddle bears and books for 300 kids who are hospitalized and under treatment for cancer. They attend Hope United Methodist Church in Dallas, Georgia.Learn more.
Brooklynn Kilgore, of The Garden Community United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, is always helping. She hosts lemonade stands to aid veterans, knits collars for rescue dogs and gathers items for kids in foster care.
Learn more.
Learn more.
Samuel Kratohwill from First United Methodist Church in Richwood, West Virginia, is a pastor in the making. From the first day that the 8-year-old walked into the church with his dad, the youngster has been eager to participate in all aspects of the congregation, from helping with communion, leading singing, assisting with the offertory and giving the Benediction.Learn more.
Sophie & Abby Kreft and Claire Serold from Spring Valley United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, came together to host a lemonade stand so that they could support a program focused on transforming the community.Learn more.
Nathan Murray inspires his congregation at Poteau First United Methodist Church in Poteau, Oklahoma, through his deep commitment to his faith. He has become a key part of the worship team as liturgist and acolyte.Learn more.
Marley Jane Musser requested bags of pet food for a local animal shelter instead of birthday gifts for the last two years and plans to make it an annual tradition. She attends Damascus United Methodist Church in Damascus, Virginia.Read more.
Kaden Newton was so inspired by the message of “Treat others the way you want to be treated” that he heard at First United Methodist Church of Rockwall, Texas, that he stared Mac & Cheese and Pancakes, a nonprofit that has provided more than 46,000 pounds of kid-friendly food to North Texas food banks. “It makes my heart happy,” says Kaden.Watch video.
Warrick Quarry has been a pint-sized member of the music program at Poteau First United Methodist Church in Poteau, Oklahoma, since he was four. A step stool and a passion for music have made him a key choir member.Photo courtesy of Kaycee Quarry
The Celebration Choir of the Poteau First United Methodist Church, which includes nine-year-old (in 2016) Warrick Quarry, sings at a Sunday worship service.Youngest choir member inspires United Methodist church, A UMC.org feature by Christopher Fenoglio*
Kaycee Quarry looked at her son sitting at the kitchen table, thumbing through his United Methodist Hymnal. She asked, "Warrick, what do you plan to do when you grow up?"
Warrick looked up at her, flashing a large, toothy grin, and said,
"What do you think? Choir director!"
His mother smiled a knowing smile and said to herself, "I thought so."Most of the congregation at the Poteau First United Methodist Church in Poteau, Oklahoma think so too. They have watched Warrick Quarry grow up in and around the church choir for most of his young life.
Warrick Quarry's love of music moves him to serve his church as a choir member. Photo courtesy of Kaycee Quarry.
When he could stand on his own, Warrick would attend services in the second row next to his grandmother while his mother worked in the nursery. Warrick would stand in the pew and sway to the music.
As he grew a little older, Warrick would leave the pew and stand in the middle of the aisle, dancing as the church choir sang.
Later, the four-year-old Warrick began to notice the choir director as he stood in front of the choir and used hand gestures to lead them through each song. That was all Warrick needed to see; he began "directing" the choir from his seat in pew on the second row.
One Christmas when Warrick was chosen (along with seven girls) to sing a song for the church's youth program, Warrick focused on what he wanted the most. "Mama, I'm not singing with all of those girls,” he told her. “I'm going to direct instead!"
When Kaycee asked the children’s music director what she should do, she received a lot of support. "Let him direct," said the director. "Encourage him to do what he loves."
A day before the Christmas program, Warrick received a gift from one of the high school band directors: an old baton. Once the program began, there was Warrick in front of the seven girls in the preschool choir, waving his baton just like the director. He even gave them a sharp cut off at the end.
Fast forward to 2015 when the church choir began rehearsing their upcoming Christmas cantata. Eight-year-old Warrick often spent weekday afternoons with his mother at church. They began staying later on Wednesdays in order to listen to the choir practice. Soon Warrick was sitting in the midst of the choir for the entire practice. Finally, he decided that he wanted to sing the cantata as a member of the choir.
On the day of the cantata, his mother found the smallest acolyte robe she could find and used safety pins to make it fit just right. She even found a purple sash that fit his small frame.
That morning, as the organ began to play, the entire choir walked out into the choir area. Joining them was the tiny boy at least 30 years younger than any of them. Warrick stepped up on a wooden box and sang the cantata like a seasoned veteran.
“Where some kids have Batman or Superman or baseball players as their heroes, the people in the church choir are Warrick’s heroes,” says Mary Lynn Perkin, director of music at Poteau United Methodist Church.
When he could stand on his own, Warrick would attend services in the second row next to his grandmother while his mother worked in the nursery. Warrick would stand in the pew and sway to the music.
As he grew a little older, Warrick would leave the pew and stand in the middle of the aisle, dancing as the church choir sang.
Later, the four-year-old Warrick began to notice the choir director as he stood in front of the choir and used hand gestures to lead them through each song. That was all Warrick needed to see; he began "directing" the choir from his seat in pew on the second row.
One Christmas when Warrick was chosen (along with seven girls) to sing a song for the church's youth program, Warrick focused on what he wanted the most. "Mama, I'm not singing with all of those girls,” he told her. “I'm going to direct instead!"
When Kaycee asked the children’s music director what she should do, she received a lot of support. "Let him direct," said the director. "Encourage him to do what he loves."
A day before the Christmas program, Warrick received a gift from one of the high school band directors: an old baton. Once the program began, there was Warrick in front of the seven girls in the preschool choir, waving his baton just like the director. He even gave them a sharp cut off at the end.
Fast forward to 2015 when the church choir began rehearsing their upcoming Christmas cantata. Eight-year-old Warrick often spent weekday afternoons with his mother at church. They began staying later on Wednesdays in order to listen to the choir practice. Soon Warrick was sitting in the midst of the choir for the entire practice. Finally, he decided that he wanted to sing the cantata as a member of the choir.
On the day of the cantata, his mother found the smallest acolyte robe she could find and used safety pins to make it fit just right. She even found a purple sash that fit his small frame.
That morning, as the organ began to play, the entire choir walked out into the choir area. Joining them was the tiny boy at least 30 years younger than any of them. Warrick stepped up on a wooden box and sang the cantata like a seasoned veteran.
“Where some kids have Batman or Superman or baseball players as their heroes, the people in the church choir are Warrick’s heroes,” says Mary Lynn Perkin, director of music at Poteau United Methodist Church.
Warrick Quarry, who turned ten-years-old in 2017, continues to sing in the choir, now joined by cousins McKinlee and Kennedy Thomas. Photo by Kaycee Quarry.“He memorizes and internalizes everything about worship each Sunday. He can even tell you what anthem we sang the last time I wore my pink shirt. But it's not his crazy knack for remembering things that makes you love him. It's the passion he has to serve through music and song.”
His passion for music moves some church members to tears when they thank him for singing in the choir.
“We all need a little bit of that passion at times,” says Perkin. “It's a young, enthusiastic boy who reminds us why and who we serve each Sunday. Any choir is blessed to have someone that loves God so strongly, no matter what age they are,” she says.
Warrick still attends practice most weeks and sings with the choir every Sunday. According to his mother, many thanks have to go to his director and choir members who encourage him every day.
“I can't tell you how happy and proud this makes me,” says his mother. “Warrick has such a great love for church and his choir. He could teach others a few things.”
One thing Warrick teaches us is how to live out the lyrics of “My Life Flows On” (#2212 in The Faith We Sing): “Since love is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?”
*Christopher Fenoglio works for UMC.org at United Methodist Communications. Contact him by email or at 615-312-3734.
This article was originally posted on June 23, 2016.
Rachel Ritchie spent five years gathering donations to build an all-access playground in Vine Grove, Kentucky, so that everyone could have fun together. Her congregation at Vine Grove United Methodist Church supported her work.Watch video.
Sean Santellan turned “trash to toilets” when the 6-year-old joined in his church’s capital campaign for renovations by collecting recyclables. Sean picked up plastic bottles and cans in local parks and waterways, earning more than $300 in six months, enough to purchase two new toilets for the bathroom remodel at Napa Methodist Church in Napa, California.Learn more.
Grant Skelton runs his own foundation, Granting Grace, which identifies people in need and makes sure they receive help. He partners with local law enforcement and Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.Watch video.
Kayla Smith supported the Diaper Angels program at Jerome United Methodist Church in Plain City, Ohio, by collecting 28,000 diapers for families in need in lieu of birthday gifts the past two years. She plans to continue.Read more.
Lindsay Stanfield of Dalewood United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, decided to spend her summer vacation helping others and learned that she could still have a good time along the way.Watch video.
Emily Trumbature of Moody United Methodist Church in Galveston, Texas, gives without reservation. She helps in her school, offers food to hungry strangers and even gave her bike to a child in need at Christmas.Learn more.
Marlee Whitlock was inspired by The Garden Community United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, to change the world by selling bracelets to raise funds for an Ethiopian school. She was adopted from Ethiopia as an infant.Watch video.
This article was originally published on October 9, 2017.
*Do you know about other Amazing Kids of the United Methodist Church? Send us an e-mail and let us know! We may use your submission in a future page!
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