Rome UMCs Get into the Fall Spirit

By Ansley Brackin
Communications Specialist

Several United Methodist Churches in Rome have celebrated the fall season by providing fun and helpful events for their community on Saturday, October 17.

Second Avenue UMC hosted a unique spin on the usual Blessing of the Animals. The church invited their neighbors and pets to Paws Fur Prayers for an afternoon of free hot dogs, kibble, and clothing, blessings, and a yard sale. They also invited local animal rescue organizations to set up displays and inform guests of the rewards of pet adoption.

The Sunday before, the church also held a “digital blessing” for the animals that couldn’t join the fun on Saturday. The prayer included a slideshow of pets and farm animals and a prayer led by Rev. Beth Sanders.

They set up the festivities in their parking lot where a 24 hour prayer box is perched. Sanders and fellow event visionary, Beth Gibbons, held a successful event in its honor earlier this year called A Wing and a Prayer that involved free wings, chicken hats, and a clothing drive. Who knows what creative events (and names) they’ll come up with next!

Chapel Hill UMC hosted their biannual yard sale. The event catches a lot of community attention with their wide variety of clothing, toys, and houseware, all for a great deal. This year, the church partnered with a large estate sale to give their guests even more options.

The volunteers are dedicated members of the church who admit to sometimes buying as much as their customers.

Church attendees were also invited to shop around on Sunday after church before closing up shop until the next season.

The Trinity UMC Pumpkin Patch has not only become a Rome favorite, but has gained popularity from communities all over Georgia.

The patch is open all season long and is constantly hosting Pre-Ks from across the state. Children come with their groups to pick out a pumpkin and participate in story time, put on by the children’s ministry. The story time team also travels to pre-schools for those who are unable to schedule a field trip.

The money raised through the pumpkin patch goes to several ministries. Half of the proceeds go back to the Native American ministries in New Mexico where the church buys the pumpkins from every year. Other portions go toward the youth ministry, one of many groups who volunteer to run the pumpkin patch each year.

Click here for more photos of Rome in the fall

How has your church reached out to the community this fall? We want to share your creativity with the rest of the conference! E-mail us at communications@ngumc.org

Related News