News

Sunday school gets new attention as means of faith development

Bethel UMC has undergone a transformation in its Sunday school classrooms in the past year. “We had been watching Sunday school dwindle, and there was some discussion regarding whether we needed to keep it going,” Rev. Len Krudop said. “We decided that yes, we need to keep it, and we need to do it with excellence.” They made that happen by a combination of value shopping, looking within their congregation for specific resources and seeking a grant. One of the areas...

Grace UMC accommodates community childcare need

When Jessie Bell called Grace United Methodist Church, she was looking for a recommendation. What she got was an invitation. Ozark Area Community Action Corporation needed a location to start an early pre-school for children of teen mothers, so they could finish school. Bell, education specialist for OCACA,  thought someone at the church might recommend a location. Instead, they offered the church. “When this church was started about 14 years ago, part of the original vision...

Clark to come back to Missouri

The seminar, Hurt: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers, led by Chap Clark at Manchester UMC on September 17 – 18 provided great insight for parents and local churches involved in youth ministry. Dr. Chap Clark is a leading authority on teenagers and speaks around the country at many conferences and churches. Some of the key learnings: adolescence today is now in 3 stages, early (11-14), middle (15-18) and late (19-25). This is new within the last 20 years. Adolescence begins...

Youth give week to community service

Summer means service for hundreds of United Methodist youth across Missouri. July 5 through 9, about 100 youth came together in Jefferson City to participate in the Missouri Conference youth work camp that week, and work on projects in the surrounding community. They were part of about 1,150 youth and adult sponsors who are participating in Missouri Conference youth work camps this summer. Having that many extra hands on deck can be a big boost to organizations in need of help. The youth...

Workshop focuses on growing children's ministry

Ms. Legler and Ms. Daugherty have successfully grown the children’s ministry by starting with prayer and the commitment of the congregation to designate both money and time. Creating a church facility that is kid friendly is essential to attracting and keeping children and their families. This means not only cosmetic upgrades but repurposing space throughout the build- ing. Room uses are determined by what the curriculum will require. A rotation system of curriculum has worked at West...

Youth groups encouraged to attend Annual Conference on Sunday

Sunday, June 6 is Youth Night at Annual Conference. The youth will be leading worship Sunday evening, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Joe Castillo, the Sand Artist, will be sharing the Good News. Local churches are invited to attend, especially youth groups. This would be a great climax to Confirmation. Come on Sunday afternoon and witness a bit of the legislative session, 2-4 p.m. The youth, camping and college students will be giving their report the last thing of the afternoon session. There is a supper...

Youth Leaders meet with Bishop to discuss ministries

With a spirit of collaboration, United Methodist youth leaders from across the state gathered at the Conference Center in Columbia for a meeting to talk about their youth ministries and the difference they can make in young peoples live. The meeting was called by Missouri Bishop Robert Schnase, and was the first Bishop-led youth ministers meeting that anyone could remember. Reading scripture from his iPhone, Bishop Schnase began with Luke chapter 9, verses 1-5 from the Message translation by...

2,100 youth come together at WOW

The largest gathering of United Methodists in Missouri isn’t Annual Conference Session in June, the meeting in which all active clergy are required to attend and every church sends voting lay members. It’s in January, and the average age is about 15. WOW has been called Winter Outreach Weekend, but it is also the most aptly named event in Methodism. “There’s 2,100 kids meeting in Springfield this weekend? Wow!” WOW started in 2001 in Columbia, with 300 in...

'Discernment Events' Planned to Assist: Laity in Finding God’s Will for Their Lives

New York, New York, March 20, 2008—To “discern” means to recognize or identify. United Methodist laity—women and men—seeking to discern God’s will for their lives will have that opportunity in late October, 2008. A Young Adult Discernment Event, open to United Methodist persons aged 20-30 living in the United States, will take place in New York City, October 31-November 2, 2008. The purpose of this Discernment Event is to provide a space for young adults...