Church continues tradition of giving at Christmas

First United Methodist Church of Grapevine has shown dedication to the children and families of Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) for many years. Starting in the late 1980s, the church has donated bicycles to every child that wants one at Christmas time.

This year, FUMC - Grapevine donated 122 bicycles and helmets along with repair kits for the children of MCH. The bikes will go to residents on the Waco campus and Boys Ranch, young adults served through the Transition Services program, and children served through MCH Family Outreach in Dallas.

The giving process begins each October when the church corresponds with MCH to find out how many children are hoping for bicycles this year. FUMC - Grapevine then negotiates prices with local sports stores and makes the purchase. Then on a Friday in December a few weeks before MCH Christmas celebrations, church members put the bicycles together and load them onto a truck. Several members drive the truck down to Waco to deliver the bicycles in person. Church member Ted Vaughan coordinated the efforts for the church this year.

“We are so thankful for FUMC – Grapevine and their commitment to giving the children in our care the experience of receiving a brand new bicycle for Christmas,” said Allison Crawford, director of benefactor relations at MCH. “This tradition has been blessing our kids for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come.”

Youth play special roles in worship service

Youth at Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) have the opportunity to participate in worship services expressing their talents through song and dance.

The Spiritual Development staff work each week with youth who want to learn more about their God-given talents and how to channel these gifts in a positive way. These youth express their faith through praise dance, music, worship art and some also attend weekly Bible studies.

On Dec. 11, the Praise Team led the service by reading Scripture, interpreting Scripture through praise dance, and celebrating the birth of Christ through song.

“This was a wonderful community experience,” said Ahmad Washington, spiritual development minister. “The youth performing did a great job of communicating the message of the season as well as being supportive of their peers and enjoying the service.”

Youth who are part of the Praise Team run their own practices with staff assistance. The youth also choreograph the dances.

“This allows youth to have leadership roles,” added Washington. “It also helps teach youth how to be part of the process of a worship service and it being all that God wanted it to be.”

Core Value Award for Hope - Matt Rodgers

Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) annually recognizes staff who exemplify our Core Values. Staff are nominated by their peers and recognized at an all-staff meeting.

The MCH Core values are:

Christian Principles
Relationships
Responsibility
Growth
Service
Hope

Matt Rodgers, athletic director, received the 2016 Core Award for Hope at the all-staff meeting in September. The recipient of the Core Award for Hope is someone who believes in the possibilities of the future.

According to Rodgers’s nomination, “Matt began his career at MCH in 2012 as an assistant coach. Matt experienced some trying times early on in his career at MCH and managed to push through in spite of personal strife and tragedy. Matt was promoted to Director of Athletics in 2015 and has done a great job. Matt has a heart for the population of youth we serve and believes there is hope for all youth. Matt role models Christian principles in his daily interactions with our youth and always strives to see the best in every situation. Matt exemplifies hope in his ability to push through the difficult times even when faced with adversity. Each year as head coach, Matt is challenged with meeting a new group of athletes and is challenged with forming new football and basketball teams. This is not the norm for any other high school and would be frustrating for most high school coaches. However, Matt takes it all in stride and has done an excellent job of motivating our athletes to work together as a team to win the game.  He successfully coached the varsity football team to the State Championship game during the 2015-2016 season. Matt truly cares about the athletes beyond the playing field. You will often find him at the MCH charter school eating lunch with them and communicating with teachers and staff on their progress in the classroom. He also takes time out of his busy schedule to visit with youth in their homes, encouraging them to stay focused on their goals. Matt personifies the Bible verse in Philippians 4:13 which states, ‘I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.’ Congratulations Matt for receiving the Core Award for Hope.”

“It is an extreme honor to receive the Core Award for Hope,” said Rodgers. “I love how much you can learn about life and how to be successful from sports. So many of our youth have never played a sport, let alone been part of a team and it is a huge blessing to empower them with confidence and hope, and watch them come together and work together towards common goal. I am very blessed and thankful for the tremendous amount of support that MCH gives their athletic programs. I believe that the impact we make goes far beyond winning and losing on the field.”

Taneequa Newton, associate administrator and Rodgers’ supervisor, had this to share: “Matt is very deserving of the MCH Core Award for Hope. He challenges our youth to be the best that they can be and he is a great role model. Matt is not only a great coach, but a great mentor for our youth.”