COVID19

Garden girl Julia Eskridge shows off some of her gourds. During the COVID pandemic, visits to church members and neighbors often took place outside the front door. Photos courtesy of Kay Eskridge.

‘Garden girl’ brings joy, veggies to homebound

Visiting homebound church members may not be a popular pastime for most kids, but 7-year-old Julia Eskridge has been doing it since she was only 2. In the summer, she takes flowers and bags of produce grown in the family’s garden to those she visits.

Mission and Ministry

Children from the Philippi neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa, pose for pictures after receiving meals at Masakhane Soup Kitchen. Many families in the community were hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The food kitchen currently operates twice a week and serves about 200 kids and some parents. Photo by Alvin Makunike, UM News.

United Methodist women feed community

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nokwanda Keleku and Vuyelwa Thanda started a soup kitchen in their home to feed disadvantaged children.

Evangelism

Children dance in front of the stage at Booneville (Iowa) United Methodist Church’s annual music festival. What began as a small way for Booneville United Methodist Church to reach out to the community has blossomed into an annual event attracting hundreds. Photo by Courtney Levin, Iowa Conference.

Small church’s music festival draws big crowds

What began as a small way for Booneville United Methodist Church to reach out to the community has blossomed into an annual event attracting hundreds.

Local Church

Toendepi Samson Marikasi sobs with grief over the loss of his wife, Alice Marikasi, 87, and her sister, Ellah Muti, 90, during a special memorial service at St. James Hwedza United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. Pastor Daniel Luckson consoles him. United Methodist churches in Zimbabwe held services where people who lost loved ones during COVID-19 could gather to console one another and celebrate life — things they were unable to do during pandemic restrictions. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Church offers closure to grieving families

United Methodist churches held memorial services where people who lost loved ones during COVID-19 gathered to console one another and celebrate life — things they were unable to do during pandemic restrictions.

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