Operation Overboard:  Dare to Go Deep with God!

Vacation Bible School will be held June 4 through June 8, 2012.  Classes will be available from age 2 t(children must have reached their 2nd birthday by 9/1/11) hrough 6th grade.  Our Vacation Bible School is available to members and guests.  St. Luke will be using the Cokesbury Methodist Curriculum "Operation Overboard:  Dare to Go Deep with God!"  Daily activities include opening and closing assembly (including Ocho the Octopus), games, puzzles and lots of fun to reinforce our Scripture-based study. 

In 2011, we had 131 children participate in VBS, and were supported by more than 50 volunteers.  If you would like more information on VBS, or would like to volunteer for this important ministry, please contact Sandra Simmons.

The nursery is a very important ministry at St. Luke. We are fortunate to be able to welcome the youngest children of God into our congregation and into the family of Christ.

We provide a safe, healthy, quality program for the care and education of our young children.  We have our church prepared and ready to welcome your child and to meet his or her needs.

For more information, or to volunteer for this important ministry, please contact Sandra Simmons, Director of Children's Ministry.

Mission 56 is a fellowship group for all students in the 5th and 6th grades.  The purpose of the group is to get students together outside of school and Sunday School for various activities, including movie nights, pool parties, special mission projects, etc.

Mission projects include collecting and delivering Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes, delivering food to the Hartsville Interfaith Ministries soup kitchen, and working with the Darlington County Humane Society animal shelter. 

The Children's Ministry includes the following special projects and missions:

• Teddy Bear Sunday:  Twice a year, the Children's Ministry collects teddy bears to be given to comfort injured or sick children at the emergency room at Carolina Pines Medical Center.  The bears and other stuffed animals are brought to the altar during Sunday service and are given a special blessing at Sunday service before being delivered.  We typically collect 90 to 125 bears and stuffed animals each time.
• Pig Ministry:  There is a pink pig found in the Children's department and young children and adults stop by to feed the pig with money.  When the pig is full, the Children's Ministry donates the money to the Hartsville Free Medical Clinic.  The Free Medical Clinic of Darlington County is an interdenominational Christian ministry which provides free medical care, medications and pastoral support to Darlington County residents who are ineligible for Medicaid, who are without financial resources to afford such care, and/or who have no medical insurance.  For more information, visit the Free Medical Clinic site.
• Harvest Sunday:  The Children's Ministry collects can goods to be donated to the Hartsville Food Bank operated by Hartsville Interfaith Ministries.
• Can Tabs for the Ronald McDonald House:  Soda can tabs are collected year round and donated to the Ronald McDonald local chapter in Columbia.  The Ronald McDonald house provides housing that allows families to stay near and support a hospitalized child.  The tabs are recycled, providing funds to the Ronald McDonald house to offset the costs.  This is a great way to teach kids about philanthropy and charity, and is consistent with St. Luke's efforts to be "green" by encouraging recycling.  The tabs are taken to the Ronald McDonald house in Columbia, where they are recycled to offset the costs of this service. 
• Adopt-a-Family:  The 5th and 6th graders adopt a family at Christmas.  We ask our church members to help collect items for the children in the family, wrap the gifts and deliver them to the family.

Confirmation is spiritual formation study program for students who are currently in the 6^th grade or above and it is designed to focus on the foundations of our faith. The study and activities included in the Confirmation curriculum seek to help students claim a personal faith in Jesus Christ and guide them as they continue to be a disciple of Christ. The Confirmation program at St. Luke UMC includes 13 weeks of class, home, and mentor activities, as well as a Confirmation Retreat. For more information, please contact Rev. Shelly A. Holder.

For the 2012 Confirmation Registration Form click here.

For the 2012 Confirmation Schedule click here.