Thank you Holston Conference for your generous donations to the yearly Change for Children offering at annual conference – your gifts make a difference in the lives of children and families across the conference and around the world. The Children’s Ministry Team has awarded $31,450 for Change for Children grants to:

• Bluff City UMC for their after-school care program in partnership with Children’s Inc. an entity through Girls Inc. of Bristol.
• Cokesbury UMC for Hope Initiative to purchase Chromebooks and a printer to enhance their afternoon tutoring ministry.
• East Ridge UMC’s food pantry which feeds 300 families per month.
• First UMC Johnson City’s Miracle at First Church which minsters with improvished children and families in the urban area of Johnson City. This dynamic program includes music instruction. Sunday worship, tutoring, a leadership program with pairs youth and mentors, counseling, transportation, and meals/snacks.
• Nickelsville Circuit to provide student school expenses through Seconds for 2^nd Helpings.
• O.S. Chapel UMC to provide school supplies through Project C.R.A.Y.O.N.S.
• Randolph Avenue UMC Children’s Enrichment Program which offers anger management classes, parent substance abuse prevention, recreational and Christian Education resources, and snacks.
• Russellville UMC to provide weekly food bags to two schools through their Loaves and Fishes ministry.
• Washington Hills UMC Church Center Connection mentoring project in partnership with Washington Hills Recreation Center.
• Training Scholarship for Kristi Alton at Wesley Memorial UMC to attend the INCM Children’s Pastor Conference
• Two international scholarships to Samaritan Hands VIM mission to Zimbabwe to provide VBS for 1800+ children and Fairview UMC’s mission trip to Latvia to provide children’s ministry outreach in two communities and a children’s VBS style ministry during the leadership conference for all of the twelve United Methodist churches in Latvia.

These grants not only provide the basic necessities of life but are providing the love of Jesus Christ through vital, faith-forming ministries to children. Also, these grants financially support and strengthen key partnerships with community schools and social organizations. The next deadline for churches to apply for a children’s ministry grant is February 15, 2020. For more information, please contact Susan Groseclose at susangroseclose@holston.org.