LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 6, 2016) – Leaders representing 883 congregations in east Tennessee, southwest Virginia and north Georgia arrived today for the 2016 session of the Holston Annual Conference. This year’s theme is “Bless,” and the ongoing mission focus is local children in poverty.

Prior to the afternoon Clergy and Laity Sessions, The Call asked members to share, “How is your church reaching out to local children in poverty?”

REV. TOM REED
Elizabeth Chapel UMC, Johnson City District

“For the last three years, we’ve been purchasing food to send home to children and their families over the Christmas break. We serve more than 100 children in two schools. We also have a ‘backyard mission’ that helps families pay their utility bills.”

MILDRED MAUPIN and JANET GEITNER
Big Spring UMC, Cleveland District

“We save boxtops for education. Each August, we also have a big bash to give out school supplies to the students at Blythe-Bower Elementary School. We’re both retired schoolteachers so we understand about the needs. You have to lose yourself and do something for others.”

REV. RODNEY LAWSON
Rocky Gap UMC, Tazewell District

“We have a Helping Hands ministry, and the biggest thing for us this year has been trying to help people keep their electricity bills paid. We also do things like pay for gas when they run out on the Interstate. The number of families we’ve helped this year has doubled in size.”

DANNY COULTHARD, DIANA COULTHARD, and JEAN WALK
Main Street UMC, Tazewell District

“We do a backpack program that feeds kids in North Tazewell Elementary over the weekend, a school where majority of the kids are below the poverty level. We also provide winter coats and new shoes for kids. We give them a Bible with the new shoes.”

ANNA GAULTNEY
Rutledge UMC, Morristown District

“We send a lot of kids to Camp Wesley Woods, because that’s where I work. My dad goes to Grainger County Jail to find out if any inmates have kids who want to go to camp. Our church only has about 30 people, but they’ve been doing this for a long time.”

BEN RUSH
Russellville UMC , Morristown District

“Every Wednesday at 7 p.m., church members meet to pack up food that we get from Second Harvest. Our backpack program serves 75 kids in two schools: East Ridge and Russellville. We started out doing Thanksgiving boxes and it built up from there, with a lot of prayer and support.”

Download complete Monday edition (Holston Annual Conference 2016)