Please help bring the message of our ministry to your local church by making plans for a White Christmas Offering now. In mid-September, new White Christmas bulletin inserts, church pew envelopes, posters, and our sentimental favorite Red Stocking envelopes will be available for order at no charge - even the shipping is free! You may place your church’s White Christmas order online at www.umch.net or call 800-239-3575. To learn how the White Christmas Offering helps support our ministry, read more on our website. Your efforts on UMCH’s behalf are much appreciated!
Rosinton UMC in Robertsdale,
Rosinton UMC
26011 Co. Road 83
Robertsdale, AL
On Monday, September 20th, the Red Elephant Pizza and Grill in
Red Elephant Pizza and Grill
3108 Ross Clark Circle
334-673-7492
Posted by: Amy @ 3:25 pm
We are so excited about White Christmas this fall! All of the Alabama-West Florida Conference’s districts are planning White Christmas dinners, and the North Alabama Conference’s Southeast District has scheduled a White Christmas brunch. UMCH really appreciates your commitment to the White Christmas Offering. Thank you for your support!
Alabama-West Florida Conference (All dinners begin at 6 PM)
September 16th Bay Pines District at Atmore First UMC
September 28th Montgomery-Opelika at
October 12th Demopolis North at Demopolis 1st UMC
October 19th Demopolis South at
October 21st Montgomery-Prattville at
October 26th
November 9th
November 16th Marianna-Panama City, location to be determined
November 17th Mobile
November 29th Dothan District at Holy Ground (Grimes UMC)
North Alabama Conference
December 4th at 10AM, Southeast District Brunch, location to be determined
Posted by: Amy @ 2:48 pm
After several months of detailed discussions and negotiations, the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH) has reached an agreement with Concordia College on the 35-acre property located on Broad Street in Selma, Alabama. The two entities closed on the deal August 12th, and will immediately begin transitioning the property for use by the college.
“We are so excited for the city of Selma, and for the future of our ministry,” said Steve Hubbard, UMCH President & CEO. “To have this deal consummated means that we have a greater ability to continue our expansion of services to children and families, and that Concordia College will be able to make excellent use of the property to serve its growing student body.”
This deal between UMCH and Concordia College has been described as a “win-win” by several Selma city leaders, as it will help UMCH and the college to grow and expand their services, while bringing greater economic growth opportunities to the city of Selma as the young adult population increases on the college campus.
Dr. Tilahun Mendedo, President of Concordia College Selma, outlined the college’s short and long term plans for expansion and use of the property: “Concordia will continue advancing its call of higher education in the 21st century of America. As ‘a pride of Selma,’ Concordia will promote the city’s history and economic advancement by opening more residential dormitories to accommodate 200 students, a public book shop, a public coffee shop, Selma’s scholastic cultural preservation center, and day care program for the community. This will open job opportunities and provide advancement for many Selmians.”
The UMCH Board of Directors began researching in 2006 the need to close its Selma campus in order to better serve the needs of children and families today. This resulted in the decision to sell the property and move its headquarters to the Montgomery area.
“The sale of the Selma property will help put the investments made into our ministry toward serving more children and expanding in more areas in the future,” explained Hubbard. “We will continue to operate eight group homes throughout Alabama and northwest Florida, to recruit and train more foster parents so that more children can be placed in their loving homes, and to work with children still living in their own homes with hopes that their families can stay together.”
“We are grateful to the city of Selma, where thousands of children’s lives were transformed over our 99 years serving here,” Hubbard said. “While it’s sad to move on, we celebrate with Concordia College this important transition for the future of all our young people.”
Selma citizens will begin to see a lot of activity at 1712 Broad Street, as Concordia College begins preparing for its incoming students for the fall semester. Renovations to the buildings are already underway in order to house students as soon as possible.
Mary Esther United Methodist Church in Mary Esther, Florida, chose to donate their offering from Vacation Bible School in June to the United Methodist Children’s Home. Mary Esther’s VBS theme that week featured Egyptian decorations and costumes to portray Joseph’s journey from prison to the pharoah’s palace. The theme included a king and queen in the palace who were portrayed by church volunteers Jason and Darlene Cheney. VBS attendees were divided up into eight groups of all ages, and everyone wore white Egyptian tunics and headpieces that were crocheted by church members.
After introducing the king and queen to the children on the first night of VBS, Mary Esther Children’s Director Sara LaBorde explained how the VBS offering they would collect each night would help UMCH. Knowing that incentives are great tools to work with children, she added that if they raised $150, they would have the king and queen covered with mud from the Nile River.
After the first night’s offering was collected, Sara realized that the initial $150 goal would be met and decided to create additional goals. The limit was raised $50 at a time, and with each increase, more people were to be covered with mud. Children brought handfuls of pennies, emptied their piggy banks, and some even put in a $20 bill!
On the Thursday night of VBS week, Sara called up one adult leader from each of the eight groups and announced that they would also be covered in mud if the next goal was reached, and all they needed was $12 to reach that goal. As this was announced, a member of the church, who had come to see all the excitement during VBS, ran up and gave enough to make sure they reached this new goal. The children were jumping and screaming with excitement to see the king and queen and group leaders’ white gold-lined Egyptian robes covered with mud.
After VBS was over on Friday night, everyone was invited to watch the event outside. Sara said, “It was messy and dirty, but it was worth every penny!”
The total amount collected in the offerings and given to UMCH was $350! Thank you, Mary Esther UMC!
Posted by: Amy @ 9:10 am
School is about to start! Our children come to UMCH from some extremely tough situations, and we ask that you keep them in your prayers as they meet the challenges a new school year brings. We encourage our children to find their individual interests and talents through education, and we make sure they are able to participate in the activities that help them pursue personal growth. Your gifts allow them to grow and blossom into the life that God intends for them.
Keierrik is 16 and has a history of aggression, fighting, and school suspensions. But since living in our Tuscaloosa Group Home, he has learned tools for anger management and that there are consequences for his actions. By the end of the school year, Keierrik improved his grades and made the football team. He will enter the eleventh grade this fall, and everyone is amazed at his progress.
Daeisha dropped out of school in eighth grade and became pregnant at 15. She and her son Tre’Shaun live at our Mobile Babies First program. Daeisha tested so well when obtaining her GED that she was not required to take college entrance exams and was automatically able to enroll in college! Though she is still only 17, Daeisha will be starting her second year at Bishop
Keierrik and Daeisha are living proof of God’s gracious and powerful love through their talents and accomplishments. With your help, we can provide for all our children the opportunities to achieve their goals and realize the better life God has planned for them! Friends like you are essential to their success, and we truly appreciate your prayers and faithful support.
Keierrik
Posted by: Amy @ 8:54 am
A wonderful former therapeutic foster parent Ms. Minnie Richards passed away on February 2, 2010. The United Methodist Children’s Home remembers her for the tireless effort she made on behalf of children in her care. Ms. Richards was licensed by UMCH Therapeutic Foster Care on November 29, 2000. Nominated by the UMCH Southeast Therapeutic Foster Care, Ms. Richards was awarded the Alabama Association of Child Care Agencies (AACCA) Foster Parent of the Year Award on January 8, 2007 in Clanton,
She never turned down a request to take a child, and excelled in providing care for teenagers, an age group for whom it is often difficult to find a foster home. Ms. Richards was instrumental in helping children either return home or move on into independent living. She worked extensively with biological families, welcoming them into her home and teaching them basic parenting and housekeeping skills so the family could be reunited.
Ms. Richards also worked tirelessly, for numerous years, with a sibling group of teenaged sisters. She taught these girls independent living skills, but allowed them each to remain in her home until they were prepared to move out independently. Ms. Richards continued to assist these women after they left her care, and was the guardian for one of the sisters who is developmentally disabled. When she retired from taking on any new therapeutic foster children on November 24, 2008, she still had a child who had been stepped down to traditional foster care in her home.
“God makes people for different things,” Richards said. “And, if you accept His plan for you, things just fall into place. This is my place. I would recommend being a foster parent to anybody who feels that is their calling. Being a foster parent is a blessing.”
Ms. Minnie will be missed by many, and we appreciate everything she did to support and care for the children of UMCH in her many years as a foster parent.
Edited from article by Jaine Treadwell, The Messenger (
Ms. Minnie Richards
Posted by: Amy @ 4:07 pm
Four of our Gulf Coast Group Home residents attended a week long summer camp at the Blue Lake Methodist Camp with the youth group from Woodbine United Methodist Church in June, and they had a wonderful time! When they returned, all of our Gulf Coast girls were accepted into a special “youth works” program for the month of July, and they were paid to learn some excellent job skills. The girls attended the three-week program from 8AM to 3PM, Monday through Friday, where they learned how to fill out job applications, be interviewed, use a checkbook, and other valuable realistic job skills. They earned $100 a week for participating and will be opening up their own bank accounts.
Gulf Coast Group Home Supervisor Abbi DuBose said this job skills program “worked out really well because it taught the girls realistic job and living skills” while earning money and keeping them busy during the summer. As a reward, the Gulf Coast Group Home staff hopes to take the girls to the water park for a fun-filled day before school starts back the end of August.
Posted by: Amy @ 3:51 pm
Board member Roy Day was presented with a plaque commemorating his service as chair of the UMCH Relocation Task Force since its inception in October, 2007. He led this committee to conduct very thorough research and studies to help select and secure the best possible location for our new headquarters building, as well as the difficult process of closing and selling our Selma campus. Roy’s term as a Board member has ended, but he has agreed to continue leading this task force until its goals have been met. When the move to the new headquarters location is finalized, the plaque will be placed in the new conference room which will be called the Roy E. Day Conference Room.
Mr. Day has also served as UMCH Treasurer of the Board, Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee, and as a member of the Executive Committee. He resides in Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, is a member of First UMC of Huntsville, and retired as Engineering Manager of the IBM Corporation. Thank you, Roy, for your commitment and dedication in serving UMCH.
UMCH President/CEO Steve Hubbard & Roy Day
The children attending evening Vacation
If your group is interested in getting involved and using the coin boxes to collect donations for UMCH, please contact the Development and Public Relations Office at (205) 951-1978 or info@umch.net. Donations collected will need to be turned in to the UMCH business office in the form of a check.
Posted by: Amy @ 11:28 am
Nine teams competed in the 10th Annual United Methodist Men’s Softball Tournament on Saturday, June 19th, benefiting the United Methodist Children’s Home. Tony Caminiti of Fairhope UMC did a fantastic job again this year organizing the three-game guarantee tournament held at the Al Trione Sports Complex in Daphne, Alabama.
It was a beautiful, hot, and sunny day with play beginning at 8:30 that morning and continuing until 5:30 in the evening. Teams played three to six games each. Bay Pines District Superintendent Fredrick Outlaw spoke, and Fairhope UMC Senior Pastor Mike McKnight gave the invocation. Ladies from Fairhope UMC provided a concessions stand, and UMCH will also receive the proceeds from concessions. UMCH President and CEO Steve Hubbard, Chief Development Officer Jill West, and Senior Development Specialist Robert Powell were also on hand to assist Tony and the other volunteers.
The team from Andalusia UMC won first place; Fairhope UMC finished second; and Ozark UMC came in third. Other teams that participated were First Montgomery UMC, Forest Hills UMC, Christ UMC, Niceville UMC, Gulf Shores UMC, and Kingswood UMC. We appreciate all the teams that participated. Thank you for your support of UMCH!
Andalusia UMC Team
Posted by: Amy @ 11:23 am
Each year the children living in our group homes are awarded for their progress or accomplishments in the past year at a special event. The 22nd Annual Awards Day Ceremony was held at Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery,
It began with an invocation by Rev. LuAnne Houser, as her last act as UMCH Chaplain. UMCH Chief Operating Officer Debbie Dobbins presented Rev. Houser with a plaque of appreciation for her seven years of service. Rev. Houser began her new appointment as pastor of St. Luke’s UMC in
Mr. Milton Burke was the guest speaker, and all of the children in attendance competed in a game of Bible trivia. After all of the awards were announced, everyone enjoyed a much-appreciated pizza lunch provided by St. James UMC of
All eight of the UMCH residential group homes had individual award-winning residents, who were presented with certificates as well as U.S. Savings Bonds. The Tuscaloosa Group Home received the UMCH Group Home Award because eight of their boys received a total of ten awards.
Posted by: Amy @ 11:19 am
On June 4th - 8th, the girls from the Scottsboro Group Home traveled to
Posted by: Jill @ 4:26 pm
The
The group performed praise and worship songs while performing a wonderful skit for the home. They also provided each young mother with her own gift bag.
To top off this entertaining evening, Christ UMC provided pizzas, drinks and dessert and ate dinner with the residents and staff. We are so blessed by the talents that God has placed on the adults and youth of Christ UMC. Thanks so much to this special church from
Posted by: Amy @ 3:33 pm
The United Methodist Children’s Home is asking for your assistance in possible job opportunities for our youth in northeast and northwest Alabama.
Florence Group Home is a residential home serving young men between the ages of 14 and 18. The staff of UMCH will transport the youth to the job, so we are asking for the position(s) to be around the Muscle Shoals,
Scottsboro Group Home is also a residential home serving young women between the ages of 14 and 18. We are looking for positions in the Scottsboro area for our residents as local work would be quite helpful due to transportation issues.
If you or someone you know has work available, please contact the specific group home in your area. Contact names and numbers are below for your convenience.
Florence Group Home, Laura Manning, 256-766-7002
Scottsboro Group Home, Melissa Bynum, 256-259-4776
Posted by: Jill @ 10:33 am
On Sunday, May 23rd the Crestview Group Home hosted an Open House for area churches and community leaders.
Residents and staff offered tours of the facility and everyone enjoyed light refreshments and fellowship.
The Crestview Group Home is the newest of our eight group homes, having opened its doors just one year ago, and houses both male and female residents, a first for UMCH.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Advisory Committee and the ladies at First UMC of Crestview. Because of your efforts, the Open House was a success.
If you would like more information about our Crestview Home or other programs, or wish to have someone come and share this ministry with your congregation or group, please contact Tammy Ward at the Development & PR office located in Crestview.
Posted by: Amy @ 3:55 pm
Rev. Lonna Lynn Higgs has been appointed by Bishop Will Willimon to be the new Chaplain of the United Methodist Children’s Home starting in June, 2010. She is a fifth-generation United Methodist pastor and is currently serving as Pastor of Hoover First United Methodist Church in Hoover,
United Methodist Children’s Home President and CEO Steven R. Hubbard says, “We welcome Rev. Higgs to this extension ministry. As our Chaplain, she will serve as a member of our Leadership Team and be responsible for all areas of spiritual growth as it relates to the children and families we serve as well as our staff.”
Rev. Higgs says, “What a privilege to join the Children’s Home Leadership Team as a new era of ministry begins! I look forward to ministry as Chaplain for a diverse and widespread community of children, youth, and staff.”
Rev. Higgs is a graduate of
Rev. Higgs says, “In addition to my first love - ministry with children, I enjoy shaping worship experiences that blend contemporary and traditional elements, interactive teaching, and helping persons of all ages become aware of the connections between mental, physical, and spiritual health.”
Rev. Higgs’ husband, Rev. Lawton Higgs, Jr., is the pastor at
Please join us in welcoming Rev. Higgs to our United Methodist Children’s Home family.
Posted by: Amy @ 3:42 pm
Marquez, one of our Tuscaloosa Group Home residents, received a Certificate of Accomplishment for Outstanding Achievement in U.S. History-11 as well as Geometry-A in an honor awards assembly held at Paul Bryant High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He is completing his junior year and was the only junior to receive two awards! Way to go Marquez!
Our Gulf Coast Group Home for girls in Milton, Florida, received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Families First Network at the 6th Annual Child Welfare In-Service Training Conference in May. This award recognizes the Gulf Coast Group Home’s commitment to families in Circuit 1, which is made up of four counties in northwest Florida. Congratulations to our Gulf Coast Group Home on their achievement!
Families First Network of Lakeview (FFN) “represents a partnership with Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) to provide an array of foster care and related services in coordination with network partners.” FFN is the lead agency that subcontracts foster care providers like UMCH in northwest Florida. Our Gulf Coast Group Home and UMCH West Florida Foster Care recently received funding through FFN to purchase approved items for these programs including computers, printers, desks, and carpeting for the girls’ bedrooms in Milton. We are so thankful to receive this additional support from FFN!