Friday, June 15, 2018
Do Good, Seek Peace, and Go After It!
*Note:
this article was written for the West Virginia Conference of the United
Methodist Church, Communications team.
They keep the decorations simple so they can take them
down every afternoon, but the love shared by the Reverend Ella Dorsey
(Fairfield Community Ministries, Huntington WV) and her crew is real and
lasting. Ms. Ella, as they call her – put together a three-day VBS at the A.D.
Lewis Community Center off 11th Avenue and Hal Greer
Boulevard, 9:00am to noon, June 13-15, and I could not have received a
better welcome when I popped in for a visit on Thursday.
I entered the building, and Ms. Ella let out a whoop of glory and grabbed my hand to introduce me to her volunteer staff and the kids. Before I had two words out she was asking if I’d take pictures of each of the volunteers, and if I would like anything to eat.
I had a chance to talk to the volunteers, including people from Ebenezer Outreach, Johnson Memorial UMC, retired educators, conference pastors and staff, and more. This is the first VBS put on at the A.D. Lewis Center, and these volunteers are thrilled with Ms. Ella’s leadership – “How can you say ‘no’ to Ms. Ella?” – and thrilled that the kids in the community are able to have this activity and instruction and interaction.
I entered the building, and Ms. Ella let out a whoop of glory and grabbed my hand to introduce me to her volunteer staff and the kids. Before I had two words out she was asking if I’d take pictures of each of the volunteers, and if I would like anything to eat.
I had a chance to talk to the volunteers, including people from Ebenezer Outreach, Johnson Memorial UMC, retired educators, conference pastors and staff, and more. This is the first VBS put on at the A.D. Lewis Center, and these volunteers are thrilled with Ms. Ella’s leadership – “How can you say ‘no’ to Ms. Ella?” – and thrilled that the kids in the community are able to have this activity and instruction and interaction.
I was even able to speak to some of the parents of the kids. Tasha lives in the community and found out about this VBS through a Zumba class at the community center. She brought her kids, wanting them to have good and godly influence because the world has plenty of other things to teach them. One boy was a little younger than Ms. Ella was anticipating, but she rolled with it because her heart is for those kids.
Before I left, Ms. Ella was addressing the kids once again, reviewing the day’s activities and previewing Friday’s, and truly sharing the love of God with them while building up all the volunteers.
My heart is full for having spent a few minutes at VBS with the Fairfield Community Ministries.
How can you help this ministry continue?
1) contact Rev. Ella Dorsey (via Johnson Memorial UMC, 304-525-8116) and she WILL find a way for you to volunteer.
2) contact Rev. Ella or the Western District office (304-736-9962) to make a financial contribution to Fairfield Community Ministries. And
3) make sure your apportionments are paid: Fairfield Community Ministries is a partnership between Congregational Development and the WV Annual Conference. Rev. Ella Dorsey is a Local Pastor appointed to this unique ministry, and her salary is one of many ministries and outreaches supported by all the churches of the conference.
Friends, Jesus Christ is being proclaimed in Huntington because of your support!
Kerry W. Bart is an elder in the West Virginia Annual Conference and has been serving at Barboursville First UMC since 2013. Kerrfunk1@gmail.com Kerry is the District Communications Coordinator for the Western District.
