Cedar Hill and Sand Rock UMCs offer "nomadic VBS" to reach different communities in their area

This year Cedar Hill United Methodist Church and Sand Rock United Methodist Church in the Mountain Lakes District decided to do something different for Vacation Bible School.  Not only were the two churches working together to reach their own community, but they also had a vision to reach out to other nearby communities in the hopes of teaching their youth and children that serving Christ means more than just serving those within the Church. During the first planning meeting, they...

Calera First UMC works toward outreach objective of helping children and families in need

Last month the Shelby County Reporter featured a story on the Feed My Sheep food pantry ministry of Calera First UMC. The food pantry ministry is part of a larger outreach objective the congregation adopted two years ago of “no more needy children” in Calera. The church started working toward this objective by first building relationships with teachers in local schools.  The news article explains, “Teachers were lifted up in prayer and encouraged. They...

Chapel Hill UMC's children collect school supplies for children in need

Chapel Hill UMC’s (Northwest District) children’s group, dubbed "God's Gang," decided that during Vacation Bible School they would collect school supplies for disadvantaged children in Decatur. Sunday School Teacher Mrs. Aileen, made a school house and the children went to work. At the VBS "Shake it Up Cafe" there was a baking contest for members of the church. Each contestant had to bake two entries -- one for the contest and one to auction off. The winner of...

Conference offering day camps to minister to children after disaster

Among the many opportunities to help those who have been affected by the April 27 storms, the North Alabama Conference has committed to not forget the ones to whom Jesus said, “Come unto me, and do not hinder them” – children. In an effort to better serve children in recovery, the North Alabama Conference will partner with Camp Noah and offer Camp Noah “To Go.” The camp invites multi-generational teams of 20 adults and youth (five members of each twenty-member...

Summer XP at Friendship UMC: a new way to do VBS

VBS is a special week we have always enjoyed and looked forward to at Friendship UMC. We couldn't wait to plan, decorate and then watch the hundreds of children who would fill our halls each summer. God has blessed us many times with the opportunity to plant seeds, water others, witness many first time professions of faith, grow relationships and form new ones. But it was always held on our campus, mostly for our church family and their friends. This year, instead of decorating our four walls...

Upper Sand Mountain Circuit creates joint Confirmation and Membership classes

from the Mountain Lakes District News January 2011 reposted with permission The Upper Sand Mountain Circuit from the District has worked together to create a joint confirmation and membership class series to offer to our small churches. While most churches in the circuit do not have enough by themselves to offer a confirmation class, together we started a confirmation class on January 16, 2011 that currently has 19 children. Simultaneously, a membership class is offered for those already...

Confirmation Camp helps students explore five vows of church membership

The North Alabama Conference held its first Alive with Five Confirmation Camp of the year on Jan. 28-29, 2011, at Camp Sumatanga. North Alabama Children’s Coordinator Beth Sanford says, “Alive With Five Confirmation Camp January 2011 was awesome! Our Confirmation Camp Team and 176 kids and adults from all over the North Alabama Conference participated in our first camp of 2011.” The weekend was built around the theme Alive with Five and focused on the five vows of membership...

Children of Fayette First UMC collect 536 pairs of shoes for mission project

More than 300 million children and 1.5 billion adults worldwide do not have footwear. In an effort to do their part in lowering this number, the children of Fayette First United Methodist Church challenged church members and the community the first 2 weeks of September to donate their gently worn shoes to those in need. With the help of the non-profit organization Soles4Souls, these shoes will be distributed free of charge to people in need around the world, regardless of race, religion,...

Central Park UMC’s Learning Village after-school program receives grant

Central Park UMC’s (South Central District) after-school tutoring program, The Learning Village, received a $7,500 grant from the General Board of Global Ministries’ Racial Ethnic Local Church Fund. At The Learning Village, a free program that serves the Central Park community, children ages 8-14 receive homework help and assistance in targeted academic areas. The Learning Village partners with Samford University, which provides college student tutors. Church members also volunteer...

Vestavia Hills UMC Missionary Kids Camp puts kids IN Ministry

This summer Vestavia Hills UMC held VHUMC’s Missionary Kids Camp 2010 with 58 elementary-school aged servants, seven adult chaperones and two youth chaperones. The first day began as the group visited the Explorations In Antiquity Center in LaGrange, GA, which is a living museum of life in ancient times. Through archeological replicas, Biblical meal presentations, lectures, and other personal experiences, ancient Middle Eastern life became real for those who participated. At the Center,...

New year of Academy for Ministries with Children begins Oct. 1

The Academy for Ministries with Children is designed for persons seeking training in children’s ministry, offered through a partnership between the North Alabama and Alabama-West Florida Annual Conferences. The Academy for Ministries with Children offers local church children’s workers paraprofessional certification through a two-year cycle of courses. The courses are developed to affirm and strengthen the passion and love for ministry through a holistic and theological...

Fort Payne First UMC's "Back to School Fair" serves 517 students

On July 31, 100 volunteers from Fort Payne First UMC held a “Back to School Fair” in the Christian Life Center of the church. Church members and friends gave out all needed school supplies, including backpacks, for 517 Dekalb County students. In addition to the supplies, there were health screenings, dental and vision exams, free haircuts and helpful information from community agencies. The church also served lunch to over 1000 people. This fair was the brainchild of the Agape...

Cullman First UMC reaches out to teachers as new school year begins

As the Cullman city schools were preparing for a new school year, Cullman First UMC placed gift baskets in the faculty break rooms of every city school as a way to say “thank you” to the teachers for role in the lives of children. Beyond the thank you, the congregation also delivered a promise with each basket: if a teacher sees a child in need (field trip expenses, supplies, clothes, etc.), just call the church and the need will be met. Period. The funds for these needs come...

North Alabama Conference Cooperative School of Christian Mission Children’s Mission Camp empowers new generation of Christians

On July 29-August 1, the 2010 North Alabama Conference Cooperative School of Christian Mission Children’s Mission Camp welcomed first through ninth graders to Camp Sumatanga to participate in the United Methodist Women’s nationally endorsed children’s curriculum. This year’s topic was Hugging the World: Mission in Action. The children participated in class time, music, crafts, activities, and worship associated with this theme. The children learned about the Cherokee...

Vestavia Hills UMC welcomes more than 600 children for Vacation Bible Camp

A great week of Bible fun was evident at Vestavia Hills United Methodist as the congregation welcomed more than 644 children June 13-18, 2010. More than 300 youth and adults were in ministry to share God’s Word through crafts, snacks, music, recreation, science and Bible reflection time. Each day began with an exciting assembly at the Starship Galactic Praise, and then on to the highlight of the day as the church’s clergy presented the Bible story through drama. In addition to...

VBS at Asbury UMC helps children learn about God and share God’s love and witness everyday

Asbury United Methodist Church in Fort Payne, Ala. had a wonderful Vacation Bible School this year, June 6-10. They had about 100 participants, including helpers and kids. They used Group’s material titled Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison to Palace, and experienced a different set up and schedule than they had ever done before. Helpers were encouraged to dress up like Egyptians, and kids made Egyptian headbands and collars, which helped create a fun and creative...

insideOut helps churches focus on ministry outside their church doors

InsideOUT is an exciting vision that has grasped the attention of churches in both the Mountain Lakes and Cheaha Districts this summer.  This vision is leading the congregations to step outside their church doors and be in ministry to children in their community. The ministry assigns a college intern to a congregation which has formed an InsideOUT team of laity. They work together to develop a six week stint of summer ministry to children in their local community. The rule is...

New ministry for children offered at Camp Sumatanga

A new educational experience for children is now available for children from 5K through sixth grade at Camp Sumatanga. Called Creation Classroom, the program is led by Luke Milam of Children’s Bible Ministries. Milam's role in the program is to lead children’s groups in activities that challenge them spiritually, physically, emotionally and academically by giving them an opportunity to experience nature at Sumatanga on a personal level. The goal is to use Camp Sumatanga—God&rs...

North Alabama leaders learn to help church and family work together at Orange Conference

On April 28-30, 2010, children's coordinators, senior pastors and other church leaders from North Alabama joined others from across the country at The Orange Conference in Atlanta. The focus of the Conference was on how the church and family can work together. The Conference featured a variety of speakers including author Donald Miller; Rev Run of the rap group Run-D.M.C; author of Think Orange: Imagine the Impact When Church and Family Collid Reggie Joiner; lead pastor of National Community...

Academy for Children’s Ministry empowers local church leaders

Laura Sisson, Director of Church Relations, and Jeanne Jackson, Director of Leadership Studies, from Birmingham-Southern College were the faculty for the April 2010 session of the Academy for Children’s Ministry. The Academy for Ministry with Children is a partnership between the North Alabama Conference and the Alabama-West Florida Conference and offers local church workers paraprofessional certification through a two-year cycle of courses. The courses are developed to affirm and...