In 2011, Grace children donated their offerings from Children’s Worship and a special collection they took in sanctuary worship to Bakau Methodist Church, The Gambia (a country in West Africa). Grace children and Bakau children are mission partners to learn and tell the stories of Jesus in our mutual communities.

The photographs below show what Bakau Sunday School Superintendent, Pastor Benjamin Michael, was able to purchase for their new Sunday School building with the donated funds: a water dispenser, a generator (the big blue box), and a stabilizer unit to regulate electric voltage (the little red box).

Here is a video report about the mission partnership between the children of Bakau Methodist Church and Grace United Methodist Church. It is narrated by Rev. Amelia Boomershine, Director of Children's Ministries and Deacon-in-Residence at Grace. The partnership began in April 2011, following Rev. Boomershine's second biblical storytelling teaching mission trip to The Gambia.

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Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” -- Matthew 19:13-14

[Jesus] took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:36-37

In a traditional United Methodist children’s baptism, the pastor addresses the congregation, “Our Lord has expressly given to little children a place among the people of God, which holy privilege must not be denied them.”  ...

Left, Rev. Sherry Gale, Ph.D. baptized three children from the family of Alice and Mason Jones on September 12, 2010.

...  After the children are baptized, the pastor addresses the congregation by saying, “I commend to your love and care these children, whom we this day recognize as members of the family of God. Will you endeavor so to live that they may grow in the knowledge and love of God, through our Savior Jesus Christ?”

The people then reply, “With God’s help, we will so order our lives after the example of Christ, that these children, surrounded by steadfast love, may be established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal.”

Right, Rev. Sherry Gale, Ph.D. baptized Noah.

The people of Grace Church follow through on this sacred pledge in many ways.

There is a free breakfast for children every Sunday morning.

We offer child care starting early Sunday morning and children’s Sunday school.

Left, Fran Paschall huddled with children in their Sunday school class on July 25, 2010.

The 10:30 worship service features children’s moments. Below, our Children’s Director and Deacon-in-Residence, Rev. Amelia Boomershine (lower right), joined the children as they listened to the morning lesson offered by Youth and Outreach Director Jared Roper.

There is an active children’s music program led by Mrs. Carol Jones.
Below: click to play video

At the 10:30 worship on Easter morning (April 4, 2010), Grace’s Youth and Outreach Director Jared Roper and the youth joined the children’s chorus in Ray Repp’s “I am the Resurrection.”