From church to church, amen

AMEN to St. John UMC, Rio Grande City, for supporting the Universidad Latina de Mexico exchange students at South Texas College Starr County Campus by providing space and food during their stay in our country.
AMEN to St. John UMC, Rio Grande City, for continuing to sponsor Cub Scouts by providing church space, den leaders and outings to church member’s farms. Scouts recently visited the Shuford Farms and Camp Cameron overlooking the Rio Grande River on the La Grange farm.
AMEN to Freer UMC for participating in the community’s ecumenical live nativity by providing coordination, animals and narrators.
AMEN to Bruni UMC for participating in the community’s lighted parade by decorating a float and guiding it through the parade.
AMEN to First UMC, Lyford, and First UMC, Edcouch, which took up a special offering for the Methodist Children’s Home and contributed blankets for the “Blanket Ministry” for the poor of Mexico.
AMEN to First UMC, Mission, for its outreach ministry with community children and youths. Children recently provided a Christmas program and participated in a Parent’s Day Out craft and activity program. The church added Sunday afternoon fellowship and worship to the schedule for the youth.
AMEN to the UM Women at First UMC, La Fera, for donations toward uniforms to be made for the students of the Rio Bravo Deaf School, which the church supports by visiting the children, by prayers and by gifts.
AMEN to First UMC, Harlingen, for offering a variety of short-term and long-term small group classes on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. These classes give options for the growth of the believer and for the maturing of disciples.
AMEN to the UM Women at Zapata UMC for contributing money to buy tamales for the church’s jail ministry. Tamales, popcorn and other treats were shared during a special worship service provided for those incarcerated during the holidays.
AMEN to First UMC, Harlingen, for growing disciples through its off-site ministry, Valley Praise, which counted 250 in worship recently.
AMEN to the mission team at First UMC, Weslaco, for supporting La Mesa UMC members by providing holiday food and staples, and to church’s youths and children, who provided Christmas blessings in song to the retirement home, the nursing home and shut-ins.
AMEN to the Pharr Literacy Project, which opened a Cultural Arts Center in February as a part of the adult literacy and support services program and through collaboration with the Pharr Housing Authority. Free classes in guitar, keyboard, costume and design, drama, mariachi, computer, lap harps, recorder, creative writing and voice will be offered in two of the 10 literacy centers, which are sponsored by this mission project. Students will learn new skills in the cultural arts, but their participation will also strengthen English conversational and listening skills, develop self confidence, leadership skills, personal development and self esteem through practice and performance.
AMEN to the children of First UMC, San Benito, and preschool students at Wesley UMC, Harlingen, for their donations to the Heifer International program.
AMEN to First UMC, McAllen, for members’ hard work in making sure their facilities are used well all week. Following the last worship service each Sunday, congregants are asked to help move all chairs in preparation for week-day use of the gym/sanctuary. Everyone helps by returning hymn books to carts in the foyer following each service.
AMEN to First UMC, Edinburg, for meeting several of its capital campaign goals. The church’s new electronic sign should be in place soon.
AMEN to First UMC, Alice, for sponsoring the Souper Bowl of Caring to raise money to fight hunger and poverty, the SERV sale to help those in Third-World countries sell handicrafts to support themselves, and the teddy bear and lap blanket programs to provide comfort to folks in hospitals and nursing homes.
AMEN to First UMC, Premont, for ministering to the Premont Nursing Home with an hour of singing one Sunday each month and for the gift of new United Methodist Hymnals to the home.
AMEN to First UMC, Raymond-ville, for playing host to the Prison Volunteers’ Banquet. The second annual banquet was in Harding Fellowship Hall and honored those who volunteer to offer Bible studies, counseling and other services to those incarcerated in the prison system in Raymondville.
AMEN to First UMC, Raymond-ville, for organizing a praise band consisting of youths, adults and winter Texans. It has played for two morning worship services and for the bilingual worship service. Group members use guitars, percussion instrumentsm and piano to accom-pany praise songs and hymns.
Do you have an AMEN to share for next month’s edition? If so, contact Mary Howard at (956) 421-3630 or yard23@aol.com.