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 @ 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 @ 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!
Posted by: Amy @ 2:53 pm
Positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development from birth. On Thursday, May 6th, National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day will mark its fifth anniversary, as well as a first-time focus on the topic of early childhood. This is a day for everyone to promote the positive development, resilience, recovery, and health needs of youth and their families.
Communities across the country will observe the day with events, youth demonstrations, and social networking campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and increase understanding of the mental health needs of children and their families. The United Methodist Children’s Home activities for Awareness Day will include our children drawing pictures featuring the theme “My Feelings Are a Work of Art.” Some of this artwork will be shown in the 2011 UMCH calendar.
Awareness Day efforts nationwide will encourage the following: integrating mental health into every environment that impacts child development from birth; nurturing the social and emotional well-being of children from birth; and looking for and discussing milestones of a child’s social and emotional development from birth. This special day demonstrates how children’s mental health initiatives promote positive youth development, recovery and resilience. Awareness Day also shows how children with mental health needs thrive in their communities and raises awareness of effective programs for children’s mental health needs.
Posted by: Amy @ 1:47 pm
The Local Church Representative or LCR program is getting a new name. In order to better identify the volunteer as the connectional liaison with our ministry, this position will now be known as the Children’s Home Advocate.
The Children’s Home Advocate is one of our most important volunteer positions. There are 1,500 churches in the two conferences we serve. A proactive and responsive volunteer at the local level is vital to our efforts to get the word out. Your church can appoint someone to be the Children’s Home Advocate who will coordinate events and help tell our stories.
Children’s Home Advocates help us promote mission and giving opportunities, upcoming events and anything related to the work of taking care of children and families in all of our facilities.
The Children’s Home Advocate…
…announces events or mission opportunities
…arranges for visiting speakers
…distributes informational materials
…tells the stories of the children and families we serve
…coordinates special offerings and local fundraising events
…collaborates with other Children’s Home Advocates at nearby churches
Ted Sullivan was a terrific example of the type of energy and dedication this position needs to be successful. Ted was passionate about his work as Children’s Home Advocate for Holly Pond UMC. He had also served in the same position for over 20 years at First UMC of Deltona, Florida, before moving to Holly Pond with his wife Nancy about three years ago.
Being a methodical engineer, Ted created a plan and schedule for White Christmas events at Holly Pond UMC. He showed the UMCH video, put information in the Sunday bulletins, and visited Sunday school classes and UMW groups. On more than one Sunday morning, he stood before the congregation, made a heartfelt appeal and challenged them to pass the previous year’s giving.
When Ted was admitted to the hospital in the middle of the White Christmas schedule this past winter, he inquired daily of visiting family and Pastor Rich Patsios how the White Christmas giving was going. It was a priority to him, so when they passed the previous year’s total, his daughter Karen Iseman said, “He was relieved to know it was done, because it was at the top of his list.”
Before Ted passed away in early January at the age of 82, Holly Pond UMC had given more to White Christmas this year than they had ever given before. Karen said, “It was a wonderful legacy he left.”
To become a Children’s Home Advocate, call our Public Relations and Development Office or check with your minister or missions director to see if your church has appointed a Children’s Home Advocate. If not, volunteer! We’ll get you all the information you need to get started.
If you are appointing a new Children’s Home Advocate for your church, contact the Public Relations and Development Office to let us know who you have assigned to this position. In most cases, the best person for the job is a lay person who can focus his or her outreach efforts on keeping the mission of this ministry on the minds and in the hearts of the congregation.
Ted Sullivan
Posted by: Amy @ 10:02 am
Carrying on the UMCH tradition started by their friend C. A. “Buzz” Carter during the 1920’s or 1930’s, Clyde and Brenda Cork organized their thirty-sixth Annual Buzz Carter Easter Egg Hunt held on Easter weekend. Every UMCH group home from all over Alabama and West Florida came to participate in the festivities at Camp Sumatanga in Gallant, Alabama, making it the biggest hunt yet. Alabaster First UMC (Alabaster, AL), Christ Harbor UMC (Northport, AL), The Beacon UMC (Kimberly, AL), Henryville UMC (Guntersville, AL), and Gardendale-Mt. Vernon UMC (Gardendale, AL) all contributed funds and prizes for the weekend’s events, and dozens of volunteers from these churches also came to help out with the event. A very special guest in attendance was Clyde Carter, son of the Easter Egg Hunt’s founder Buzz Carter, who came in from Florida for the event and spoke to the group. Buzz Carter was a UMCH-Selma alumnus who, as an adult, organized the Easter Egg Hunt at the UMCH Selma Campus for over sixty years and volunteered at
The festivities kicked off Friday night with a lively performance by the Christ Harbor Praise Band.
Just Cooking, a tireless group of volunteers from Christ Harbor UMC, grilled up burgers and hotdogs for everyone, serving about 175 people in all. The sun came out as more games continued on Saturday afternoon with the youth from the attending churches and our group homes competing in events like the egg toss and three-leg relay. Winning UMCH players received pizza dinner gift certificates for their group homes, and all of our UMCH children took home new backpacks filled with toiletries too. Even the Babies First babies received backpacks filled with baby-appropriate toiletries and a stuffed bear toy. It was a fun-filled weekend, and many attendees felt this year’s event was the best one ever. Thanks to all of those who donated their time, money, and energy! Because of you this event was a huge success, and UMCH really appreciates everyone who made it happen!
Residents of the Tuscaloosa Group Home and the Transitional Living Program took a trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket
Posted by: Amy @ 4:37 pm
Our 2009 Satisfaction Surveys came back with excellent results!
The 2009 Resident Satisfaction Survey showed 93% of children placed with UMCH said that UMCH has helped them, and 85% said they would recommend UMCH to another child who could not live at home.
The 2009 Foster Parent Satisfaction Survey showed 100% of foster parents said they are satisfied with the level of support they received from the UMCH staff. 100% also said a UMCH staff member responds quickly when a foster parent has a problem or need, and 100% said they are satisfied with the training they received prior to the placement of a child in their home.
The 2009 Referring Worker Satisfaction Survey showed 98% of workers who referred a child or family to UMCH said they are satisfied with the services provided to that child or family, and 100% of referring workers are satisfied with the competence shown by UMCH staff.
On Thursday, December 10th, two boys from the Tuscaloosa group home performed in the Alabama Blues Project’s Christmas open house event. Josh and Keierrik attended the ABP’s Fall After-School Blues Camp where kids between the ages of eight and 17 were given instruction on their choice of guitar, harmonica, vocals and drums, and learned about blues history. Josh, a keyboard player, and Keierrik, a harmonica player, participated in the camp’s end-of-semester show that included blues veteran Eddie Kirkland and over 70 ABP students in beginner, intermediate, and advanced bands. The December performance was held at the First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa which also provides the space for the camp’s sessions each semester. The Alabama Blues Project After-School Blues Camp begins again in February. Keierrik and Josh, we are so proud of you!
Posted by: Jill @ 3:51 pm
During the week of July 13th, Josh, one of the residents of the Tuscaloosa group home, invested his time learning to play the blues from local
The Alabama Blues Project is a non-profit organization which was formed in 1995. Its mission is to aid in, “the preservation of blues music as a traditional and contemporary art form through interactive programs that educate and entertain.” Johnny Shines, a deceased native
During his week at
“We’re planning on enrolling him in music lessons in the fall.” said Sasha. “We’ve got lots of local resources with the university’s
UMCH is proud that this young man is taking advantage of resources in his local community to aid him in his musical development. The ability to learn and grow from new experiences is an important character trait we strive to encourage in all of the children in our care.
Posted by: Ashley @ 4:12 pm
With the heat upon us and vacations being planned, the United Methodist Children’s Home would like to extend an offer to help your church this summer!
We can provide a speaker to share about the UMCH while you are on vacation!
Just call the PR & Development office at (205) 951-1978 and provide the date and time and we will handle the rest! It is easy and it benefits a wonderful ministry!
Please call today to help us spread the word about all of God’s children who need our help.
Posted by: Ashley @ 2:56 pm
Odenville, AL - Low Gap UMC enjoyed a beautiful day at their annual yard sale to benefit the United Methodist Children’s Home.
It is the time of year for spring flowers, blooming trees and yard sales!
Members of Low Gap UMC began setting up early Saturday morning for their annual yard sale to benefit the United Methodist Children’s Home.
Peggy Vann, a member of Low Gap UMC, said although they are a small church, “in the past, we have made approximately $2,500 at this yard sale.”
It is a blessing to know how our local churches are helping to support the children year-round. Thank you to the members of Low Gap UMC!
Posted by: Jill @ 10:10 am
On June 14, residents from all of our group homes traveled to Selma, AL, for our annual Awards Day celebration. Below are comments from three of the programs that attended.
The Settlement, Headland, AL
On June 14th the staff and residents from The Settlement in Headland, AL, traveled to Selma to attend the annual awards day banquet honoring residents of the Alabama and West Florida UMCH facilities. The Settlement residents had an opportunity to fellowship with peers from other group homes as well as staff members from the main campus.
Residents learned how developing connections with members of the community can prove to be very helpful in the future, especially when seeking employment, community services and assistance when working toward independent living. The young men from The Settlement won several cash awards for answering Bible drill questions before the awards presentations.
Each one of the boys residing at The Settlement were honored and earned at least one award during the presentations. One of our Transitional Living program residents received several honors. Residents also very much enjoyed the luncheon afterwards. The Settlement has long enjoyed a reputation as being highly competitive and this day was no exception.
The Settlement brought home the plaque for earning the most awards the previous year after winning eleven. This year The Settlement earned a total of twelve awards, but surrendered the plaque to the Scottsboro Girls Home who received thirteen.
Gulf Coast Group Home, Milton, FL
The girls from the Gulf Coast Group Home enjoyed awards day program. Chasity was surprised to receive her 2 awards, as was Jade. The 4 girls who received awards were very pleased to be recognized, and enjoyed seeing and meeting others in foster care too. Besides the long drive (6 hours total) it was a nice day for them to see and hear how hard many of the recipients worked to
receive recogniton for their dedication.
Tuscaloosa Group Home
All residents of the Tuscaloosa Group Home attended the Awards Day festivities in Selma. Two residents won awards ranging from Christian leadership to music. All residents enjoyed the day as some residents were given the opportunity to spend time with family or past friends that they have made from other programs.
Posted by: Jill @ 3:47 pm
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| Man with a Mission - Rev. Rock Stone, Southwest District (North Alabama Conference) Missions Coordinator and one of the United Methodist Children’s Home volunteers of the year for 2006, speaks at the dedication service for the Milton C. Booth Home in Cottondale, Alabama. Rev. Stone organized hundreds of volunteers from the district to raise money and build this transitional living home for young men. |
As a means of honoring all of its volunteers, the United Methodist Children’s Home has announced the special people and organizations being recognized through its 2006 Heart of the Volunteer program.
“We’re grateful for all of our many volunteers who love the children in our programs,” said Jill West, the agency’s Director of Development. “They all deserve to be recognized, and this is just our small way of saying thank you.”
Those being honored for volunteer work in 2006 are listed below.
Building Hope - Rev. Rock Stone and the Southwest District of the United Methodist Church, North Alabama Conference
Rev. Stone was one of the key organizers of this district’s huge effort to build a new transitional living home in Cottondale near Tuscaloosa. The Milton C. Booth Home will house young men entering college or starting their careers.
In addition to his duties leading two churches and being the Missions Coordinator for the district, he corralled hundreds of volunteers from dozens of churches, talked with local businesses and swung a hammer with the best of them. In addition to sweat equity, churches in the district donated over $72,000 for the home.
Read more about our Tuscaloosa programs by clicking here.
The Gift of Giving - Kasey Fleming and the members of First United Methodist Church, Jackson, Alabama
This group does a huge back-to-school drive for book bags and supplies for those living at the Children’s Village, the ministry’s main campus in Selma. The church members also make Easter baskets with goodies and personal care items.
Judy Manning oversees the Village. “The Easter baskets are always gorgeous,” she said. “There’s enough in the bookbags to last each kid for at least the first semester.”
She said that there are even leftovers to help supply any kids who may come to the Children’s Home during the school year.
Selfless Supporter - Maurine Johnston, Dothan, Alabama
Mrs. Johnston supports the boys at The Settlement, the agency’s group home near Dothan. She decorated the home for Christmas and provided most of the new decorations.
“Mrs. Johnston is a generous and compassionate, selfless supporter of our program,” said Craig Boesch, who supervises the program at The Settlement.
She has donated clothing, Christmas gifts and musical instruments. She helped with decorating ideas and materials and made a substantial donation to refurbish the group home’s basketball facilities. Mrs. Johnston serves on the advisory board for The Settlement.
A Faithful Community - First UMC, Jasper, Alabama
These church members continuously support the the children of the Northwest Therapeutic Foster Care program.
“They provided a case of Bibles so each child entering our program could have the most important thing–God’s word,” said Janice Hawkins, the program’s supervisor. “We are very appreciative of FUMC.”
Each year at Christmastime, members provide gifts and a party for the staff, the foster families, the children and the children’s birth families, as well. The church loans their facility for Children’s Home trainings for staff and foster families, and donated proceeds from a churchwide yard sale.
Helping around the House - David Mulkey and the Tennessee Valley Authority at Widows Creek
Mr. Mulkey organized a group of skilled volunteers to help out at the Scottsboro Group Home. They installed a video camera security system in the home, wired and replaced an outside lamppost and light, and even cleaned the gutters.
Melissa Bynum supervises the group home. “They did a great job which contributed to the safety of our children and staff,” said Bynum. “This work would have been very expensive if we had to hire contractors.”
Feeding the Family - Mr. and Mrs. Jim Grigg, operators of the Blue Willow Restaurant
On Sundays, the Griggs bring food from their restaurant to the Scottsboro Group Home. Melissa Bynum, the program’s supervisor, said that it is usually enough to feed the residents and staff for at least two meals. Known as one of the best in town, the Blue Willow is a busy restaurant. Children’s Home staff say that they appreciate how the Griggs think of their children and take the time to do this every week.
Expanding Borders - Park Memorial United Methodist Church, Troy, Alabama
As part of their 40 Days of Community, members of Park Memorial United
Methodist Church built additions to a foster family’s home. The family cares for a sibling group of five children for the Southeast Therapeutic Foster Care program of the Children’s
Home. Click here to read more.
Posted by: Jill @ 1:40 pm
Building the Milton C. Booth Home has been a rich experience for us all. The boys from the Tuscaloosa Group Home have been a tremendous help, as have so many volunteers from so many churches who have been a part of realizing the vision of Rev. Booth.
Below are some of the updates from the building process starting with the Groundbreaking Ceremony in August 2006. We would love to hear from you. Post a comment to this article by clicking here.
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Posted by: Jill @ 7:58 am
 My Hope Is Built - A crowd of about 250 volunteers, donors and other church members and leaders gathered to help dedicate the new Milton C. Booth Home in Cottondale, Alabama. The home will serve young men who have aged out of foster care and need a place to live while going to college. |
“My Hope Is Built,” reads a plaque attached to the front of a new home in Cottondale, Alabama. A reference to the 19th century hymn, the words are offered not only in thanks for the home’s completion, but also in prayer for what the young men will experience who will live there.
On March 11, 2007, Bishop Will Willimon and over 200 United Methodists and other community supporters gathered to dedicate the new Milton C. Booth Home. The facility is a transitional living home for young men who have aged out of the foster care system. The home is named for the late Rev. Milton C. Booth, a United Methodist pastor with a reputation for building homes and building hope.
On a beautiful afternoon, standing in front of the new, pristine, duplex with light blue siding, hanging ferns and a long front porch with white rocking chairs, Bishop Willimon of the United Methodist Church’s North Alabama Conference lauded the members of that conference’s Southwest District.
“I am so pleased that you have given and worked so that we can receive the children,” said Willimon in his address to the gathering. “I am so proud that our church is receiving them in Jesus’ name.”
Willimon noted that historically, the church has founded institutions for children outside of the church family. He remembered that Rev. Booth “kept our eyes focused outward on missions…to take responsibility for other people’s children.”
The plaque hanging on the front of the Home bears the title of Rev. Booth’s favorite hymn, “My Hope is Built.”
Before the United Methodist Church’s North Alabama Conference redrew the boundaries of its districts in June, 2006, Booth was the Tuscaloosa District’s Missions Coordinator. His successor, Rev. Rock Stone, now holds the same position with the conference’s Southwest District.
The Southwest District spans from south Marion and southwest Winston counties in Alabama to Tuscaloosa and Pickens counties in the south. Dozens of churches in the district supplied over $45,000 and hundreds of volunteers to complete the home, whose groundbreaking ceremony was in August, 2006.
In comments to the group, Rev. Stone remembered Booth. “Two years ago, Milton started talking about this home.” Stone said that now, not only has it been completed, but the project is completely debt free.
Rev. Stone addressed the members of churches of his district when he said, “This is your achievement. This is what United Methodists do. We come together and do the Lord’s work.”
Using a football metaphor, Stone mentioned that the project had a “most valuable player,” recognizing Bill and Ginger Abernathy, members of St. Luke United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa. He credits the Abernathys with an intense volunteer effort in oversight and hands-on labor.
The district’s Superintendent, Rev. Charles Lee, also addressed the gathering. He recognized the hard work done by Rev. Stone and the group that coordinated the effort. About the work, he said, “We offer what we can to the United Methodist Children’s Home.”
The new home is built alongside the Tuscaloosa Group Home. Both facilities are part of the ministry of the Children’s Home, which has group homes, foster care and other programs throughout North and South Alabama and Northwest Florida.
Rev. Lee recognized Kristy Goodman, Supervisor of the Tuscaloosa Group Home, for her dedication to the children in that program. The group home serves school-age boys who are not able to live with their birth families due to abuse, neglect or other traumatic events.
Most of the group home’s residents are in the custody of the state. Some are becoming old enough to move out of the foster care system. Of those that do, some will qualify for the state’s transitional living program. The Milton C. Booth Home will house young men in this program.
The idea is to give these young men more independence while living in a stable place. With guidance from Children’s Home staff, they can pursue college and learn about living on their own.
Rev. Lee introduced Booth’s widow, Linda Booth, who read from the book of Jeremiah in the Bible. Goodman and Rev. LuAnne Wages-Smith, Chaplain of the Children’s Home, presented Mrs. Booth with a framed resolution announcing the naming of the Home in her husband’s honor.
Rev. Wages-Smith prayed for children all over, reading from a poem by Ina Hughs, “A Prayer for Children.” Among others, she named those children “who give us sticky kisses…who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire…who slurp their cereal on purpose…whose monsters are real.”
 Mothers Galore - David (left), a resident of the Tuscaloosa Group Home, stands in what should soon be his new bedroom inside the Milton C. Booth Home. With him are ladies from the Women’s Night Circle of Forest Lake United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Women in the Circle decorated David’s room. |
Posted by: Jill @ 2:09 pm
Click here to view pictures of the event.
 Click to view full- resolution image. |
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We Break This Ground Today - Rev. LuAnne Wages-Smith (at right), Chaplain for the United Methodist Children’s Home, leads a crowd of supporters in a call and response dedication as church and community leaders break ground for a transitional living home in Cottondale, AL. |
BIRMINGHAM, AL - About 80 church leaders, volunteers, Board members, staff, children and community friends attended the August 26 groundbreaking ceremony for a new Transitional Living Home in Cottondale, AL. The home will be located on the grounds of the United Methodist Children’s Home’s Tuscaloosa Group home and will house four young men who have aged out of the foster care system.
Rev. Vickie Cater, pastor of Jennings Chapel United Methodist Church (UMC), coordinates a core group of church leaders who have been planning since August 26 of last year. The group’s hard work has brought in commitments from building professionals and other volunteers to donate much of the labor and some of materials for building the home.
“It’s a responsibility for us,” said Cater. “One we take very seriously. And once you meet the boys, it becomes personal.” She is referring to the boys living in the Tuscaloosa Group Home, some of whom will be moving in to the Transitional Home when it is completed.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place exactly one year from the date of the group’s first planning meeting for the home.
Rev. Charles Lee blessed the service and made comments about the late Rev. Milton Booth who began the planning effort to build the home. Lee is District Superintendent for the Southwest District of the UMC’s North Alabama Conference where the Cottondale facility is located.
Dr. Judy Manning, Children’s Home Regional Director, also remembered Rev. Booth. Speaking to the group, she said, “He put a deadline to the dream,” referring to his ability to get things done and not just talk about a good idea. Linda Booth, the late reverend’s wife, read a scripture verse during the ceremony.
Once the home is built, young men who have been in foster or group home care will have a place to be more independent. Apartment-style living that is close to counselors and other caregivers will help them as they begin college or work.
Shayla Smith, who was present at the groundbreaking, is the Resource Developer for the Tuscaloosa County Department of Human Resources. She is the coordinator of the county’s independent living program. She says that a child’s successful discharge from foster care is dependent on them having a good knowledge of basic living skills like paying rent and getting to appointments on time.
“We don’t have a program [like this] here in Tuscaloosa,” said Smith. “To have that available here will be just awesome.” She said that the Tuscaloosa area’s need for the program is tremendous and is grateful to the Children’s Home for its initiative.
The ceremony very closely resembled a United Methodist service. The Children’s Home’s Chaplain, Rev. LuAnne Wages-Smith opened with a prayer and later led the attendants in a call and response.
“We are an outreach ministry of the United Methodist Church, and throughout our history, we ask God to bless what we are doing,” said Wages-Smith. She said the call and response affirms the involvement of those present. “It isn’t just something the United Methodist Children’s Home is doing,” she added.
During the service, Wages-Smith read, “We break this ground today that our young people may have the opportunity to continue to grow in God’s grace in a place not independent of worldly pressure, but dependent upon God’s strength and wisdom.”
And those attending read back to her, “We break this ground today.”
Rev. Joe Lisenby closed the service with prayer. Lisenby is the Interim President & CEO of the Children’s Home, an agency that administers programs helping children and families in fifteen locations throughout Alabama and Northwest Florida.
Jarvis, a current resident of the group home who will be one of the first to move into the transitional home, was among those working the shovels. Alongside him was Pat Brasher, Children’s Home Board member from McCalla, AL, herself a former resident of the agency’s Children’s Village in Selma.
Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner joined the diggers, as did Assistant Chief Mike Simpson of the Northport Fire Department and Tuscaloosa County Extension Agent Michelle Mobley. Simpson and his coworkers volunteer and provide help to the boys at the group home. Mobley works closely with the boys on a volunteer project that provides fresh vegetables to helping groups in the community.
Also breaking ground were Rev. Paul Peeples of Union Chapel UMC; Kristy Goodman, Tuscaloosa Group Home’s Program Supervisor; Jim Byrum, Children’s Home Assistant Executive Director; Rev. Lee; Rev. Lisenby; Mrs. Booth; Rev. Cater; Ms. Smith and Dr. Manning.
More information and pictures can be found online at www.umch.net/tuscaloosa.