Online Archives

3,000 homeless and hungry fed

HYATTSVILLE – Sharon Milton, of First UMC in Hyattsville, had recently become a Christian. On her birthday, she decided to ask for gifts for the homeless instead of for herself.

It was this simple act that grew to feeding 1,250 homeless last year and 3,000 homeless and hungry this year on July 23. First UMC members and many from around the community also trusted in God to provide for this bold goal, and generously donated food, flip-flops, time and prayers. We do our best to "walk by faith and not by sight," said Milton.

Church honors late mayor

ELLICOTT CITY – The public remembered William Donald Schaefer – mayor, governor and comptroller –"the dominant political figure of the last half-century of Maryland history," according to the Baltimore Sun, with pomp and circumstance after his death at 89 in April. On June 26, Gary Memorial UMC, where he had worshipped for several years, held a modest dedication in remembrance.

They placed a small gold plaque on a pew four rows back on the far right side of the nave where Schaefer sat on the Sundays he attended.

Schaefer was invited to the church by his former secretary of human resources, the Rev. Luther Starnes, who pastored the church for 23 years. Schaeffer stopped attending the church regularly in 2002, but continued to contribute. He left the church $10,000 through his will.

"I find myself looking forward to that hour on Sunday mornings when I can be near so many fine people," he was quoted in the church bulletin.

Volunteer helps children cope with disaster

ELDERSBURG – A first-time volunteer with the Children's Disaster Services, Susan Kruger from Wesley Freedom UMC, was one of 26 volunteer children's caregivers in Joplin, Mo., following the devastating tornado that caused massive destruction May 22.

The trained volunteers cared for children in four different centers, run by the Red Cross, FEMA, and a Multi-Agency Resource Center. As of June 7, CDS, which is part of the Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries, had cared for 684 children, according to their website.

Krueger remembers a little 4-year-old boy who kept crashing the toy cars he played with on the floor of the shelter where he was temporarily placed. He looked straight at her and said, "You know my town has been destroyed." She answered, "Yes, I know, but it will be fixed."

After that he calmed down and played quietly. When his grandparents picked him up, she learned that their cars had been crushed by a tree.

Make a safe passage for youth offenders

CHEVERLY – Little did he realize when he retired in 2000 that a ministry started in his last church, Ager Road UMC, would consume his interests and inspire him for the next 10 years. But that's what happened to the Rev. Don Lowe.

He's the Volunteer Coordinator for Safe Passages, a mentoring program in Prince George's County for youth who have committed minor offenses and have been mandated by the courts to attend the program six days a week. It moved to the Cheverly UMC a few years ago.

"We seek to turn the lives of our youth in a more positive direction," Lowe said. Forty-five male and female youth, 13 to 17 years old, are picked up by vans at their schools and brought to the program each day. They must attend for an hour each week. Each has a trained volunteer mentor, matched for gender and interests.

Safe Passages also has a remedial tutoring program for those behind grade level (second to fifth grades) in reading and math. Volunteers come once a week to provide those services.

"We never have enough volunteers," Lowe said. "Our clients respond very positively to our mentors and tutors so you will find a welcome home with them."

For more information, contact Lowe at 703-623-4305 or .

Compiled and written by Linda Worthington. To submit your church’s news, send information to “Making a Difference,” 11711 East Market Place, Fulton, MD, 20759-2594 or to .