UM Children's Home Holy Week Recap

Holy week began on Palm Sunday with everyone gathering first at the regular chapel and then walking together to the outdoor chapel waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna all the way out back remembering and reliving Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem!

An escape room was created for both staff, our youth and children which included different, historic moments of Holy Week: Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the events of Maundy Thursday, the crucifixion on Good Friday and an escape from the Tomb. The escape rooms featured matching puzzles, hula hoops, and a “laser” maze (made out of string) giving palpable reminders of this last week in Jesus’ life.

Holy Week culminated with a glorious worship service on Easter morning with an inspiring message calling for living in and living out of the freedom Jesus bought and paid for on the cross. As I watched this worship service online after the fact I was deeply moved, inspired and convicted myself to live in to and out of the freedom bought for me long ago. Every aspect of Easter worship proclaimed the Risen Christ! It was so moving to hear the energetic participation of our youth and children. Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed!

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to acknowledge families and professionals who help children and youth in care find permanent homes and connections. There are over 391,000 children and youth in foster care in the United States.

Please consider how you may thank those families and professionals in your local area who work to provide foster care for our children and youth. May is the perfect time to promote the Foster Care program of the Children’s Home through special collections. We served more than 240 children and youth in Foster Care in 2022 throughout Volusia, Flagler, Broward and Palm Beach counties, including two Foster Care Cottages on our Enterprise Campus with plans for future expansion.

The first two Methodist orphans were immigrant children from Denmark whose parents had died within a few days of each other in Lakeland, Florida. The two orphans were taken by Dr. J.R. Cason, to Sanford, Florida, by train. There Dr. Cason rented a boat and rowed the children across Lake Monroe to the orphanage. They crossed the lake to encounter the unconditional love of the Cross! If you would like to take a tour of one of our campuses and see living history in ever-forward action, contact Crystal St. Julien, Development Data Manager at Crystal.St.Julien@fumch.org.

As school winds down this month, we are making plans for the start of school in August. We always need school supplies and invite you to promote this need with your church. In fact, this could even be a wonderful emphasis for your children during Vacation Bible School or a Summer Mission Emphasis for the entire church.

Highest priority items:

• Copy/printer paper
• Poster board
• Disinfecting wipes
• Computer headsets
• Paper towels
• Tissue boxes
• Flash drives

Additional needs include:

• File folders
• Sheet protectors
• Art supplies (acrylic and water color paint, air dry clay, plasticine clay, gesso, washi tape & paint brushes)
• Highlighters
• Composition notebook (8.5" x 11")
• Binder clips
• Pencil bag with zipper
• Watercolor paper (9"x12" or 11"x14")
• Scotch tape and masking tape
• Crayola markers
• Binders (Hard) 1.5", 2", 2.5"
• Correction fluid
• Folder with/without prongs
• Post-It Notes
• Rubber bands
• Mechanical pencils & lead refills
• Colored pencils
• Sharpie permanent markers (fine & ultrafine tip)
• Black & blue pens
• Dry erase markers, erasers, and cleaning liquid
• Pencil cap erasers
• Paper clips

Florida United Methodist Children's Home| 386.668.4774| www.fumch.org
...empowering children and families to experience the transformative love of Christ
through (w)holistic care.