MID-AMERICA UNION

MAUC Hosts Children’s Ministries Training E nergy levels were high and smiles abounded as over 120 participants gathered Feb. 27-28 in Omaha, Nebraska, for the Mid-America Union Conference’s Children’s Ministry convention themed Come To Me. This training event, which attracted attendees from five of the six conferences in the union, as well as other regions, aimed not only to spotlight new resources for children’s Sabbath school programs and Vacation Bible School, but also to offer a time of spiritual renewal for each participant.

“We have an incredible opportunity to develop as leaders through this powerful training,” said Roger Wade, MAUC Church Ministries director and event coordinator, during his welcome to attendees.

Weekend presenters included Pastor Guadalupe Montour from the College View Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, and four certified trainers from the North American Division Children’s Ministries department. Understanding Children and Child Evangelism were two of the classes being offered toward certification in Children’s Ministries. The tracks were also offered in Spanish. There are six total tracks for certification. Rachel Ashworth, a leader from the Sikeston Church in Missouri, was excited to attend and discover new resources for her small church. “We got a lot of ideas for developing a quiet room,” she said. “And I might have to learn how to make animal balloons too!” Sue Carlson, Children’s Ministries director for the Kansas-Nebraska Conference, described a seminar she attended where she learned about one church that has a notebook for each child who attends. “People can write prayers for the child and their family since the notebooks are laying out. Then they have a program every year where the kids receive their books to take home. What an amazing, tangible expression of how much the church family loves them!”

The next Children’s Ministry training offered by the Mid-America Union is planned for February 2022. Stories on this page were written by Brenda Dickerson, communication director for the Mid-America Union Conference. Fletcher Pride

Mid-America Pathfinders Learn Life Lessons from Pathfinder Bible Experience

Eighteen Pathfinder teams representing all six conferences in the MidAmerica Union gathered at the College View Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, to test their knowledge of Scripture during the annual Pathfinder Bible Experience.

“Over the past 12 months, Pathfinders from around our union have been studying the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Hosea, Amos, Jonah and Micah,” said MAUC Church Ministries director Roger Wade. Through a video message, MAUC president Gary Thurber congratulated the teams for reaching the union level of participation and encouraged the Pathfinders to treasure the words of Scripture they have memorized.

To reach the union level, teams have already advanced through the area and conference levels. Scoring is done on a curve, based on the highest scoring team, and teams advance depending on how they score.

Light of the World club director Jilian Maranga from the Ramsey Church in Minnesota said she has seen spiritual growth in her club as a result of PBE. “It’s a learning experience for everyone,” she added.

A Pathfinder from Shining Doves, one of two teams from the Ramsey Church, has participated in PBE for five years now. In reference to the testing process, she said, “It’s really nerve wracking because you’re so close to the end, but yet you can be so far.”

Based on the scores from Feb. 15, five teams are eligible to participate in the division level PBE: Ramsey Church Golden Lamps, Ramsey Church Shining Doves, Sedalia Church Pioneers, Cedar Rapids Church Timberwolves, and College View Church Machnadebai. Due to the COVID-19 virus, the division finals will be hosted online.

Brenda Dickerson