Mission Statement:
The chaplaincy in The Methodist Home for Children and Youth exists to serve the children, youth, and staff in the name of Jesus Christ to glorify Him, to proclaim His love for all, and to build hope and joy in a life everlasting to expand His kingdom in The Home and beyond.
Vision Statement:
To see the Lord’s light shining through our children, youth, and staff so brightly that everyone in The Home and many more in the community will be drawn to Him.
- Assurance – our eternal hope through Jesus Christ
- Prayer – knowing our Savior
- The Bible – knowing His will for our lives
- Devotion – living your life in His will
- Acts of Service – glorifying the Lord
Chapel - we meet for chapel each Sunday evening at 6:00 in the Burden Chapel or in our Spiritual Life Center. This is a time of devotion, prayer and music. The children participate fully in this worship service and staff members are always welcome to attend.
|
Prayer Time - The chaplain continually meets with the children and staff members to offer prayer support for individual and family concerns.
Retreats - We have the opportunity to go on spiritual life retreats every year. In the fall we attend the Youth & Children celebration weekends at Epworth by the Sea at St Simon's Island. During spring break week we go to the beach for a time of fun and relaxation and we also spend time in prayer and devotion to gain a stronger sense of God's presence in our lives.
Summer Activities - Each summer our elementary age children attend the day camp sponsored by Byron United Methodist Church and Vacation Bible School facilitated by Forsyth United Methodist Church. These are days filled with fun activities and a chance to grow closer to God.
A Birthday Party for Jesus - If a child only has one great Christmas we want to make sure it happens at The Methodist Home. With our collective focus on Christ and the generosity of the community our children experience the true joy of Christmas. A highlight of the Christmas season here at The Home is actually a gift the children give to us during the Birthday Party for Jesus celebration. All of the children in all of the cottages, including our college students, work diligently on a Christ themed skit that they perform for the whole campus, many of their family members, and our neighbors from Magnolia Manor among other visitors. The joy of the Christmas season is portrayed in all of the skits and everyone enjoys the whole evening. This gift of joy given by our children is always one that creates fond memories for us all!
Baptism Services – Toward the end of our summer break we gather at the pool to witness the profession of faith of many of our children as they celebrate their salvation through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Local Churches - All our children attend worship and Sunday school each week at local United Methodist Churches. We also participate in many other activities provided by these churches along with other churches in Christian denominations.
Service Projects - The residents participate in service projects all throughout the year as they develop their own spiritual gifts and graces. Some of these include Magnolia Manor, Macon Outreach, Trick or Treat for UNICEF, various mission projects, and many other service opportunities.
For Our Staff:
Order of Good Shepherds (OGS) - OGS is a ministry that enables staff to recognize how they fulfill God's purposes through their daily work here at The Home. We meet monthly for lunch, Bible study and prayer. This group supports and encourages one another in our spiritual development.
First Day Prayer Service - This is a monthly 15 minute worship service held in the Burden Chapel the first workday of each month. We meet to pray for The Methodist Home ministry and other prayer requests and praises as lifted up by those in attendance to give encouragement and an opportunity to see the ways in which God is blessing our lives. Our IT Department furnishes coffee and donuts downstairs in the Spiritual Life Center for a brief time of fellowship after our prayer service.
Cultivating Character – The chaplaincy department facilitates a ministry wide character development program that works to instill into the moral fiber of every child, youth, and employee a heart for living a life of Biblical integrity in order to inspire encouragement, hope and a Biblical standard leading to maximum effectiveness in the Lord as a model that the world will see and seek to understand. Cultivating Character has a vision for our residents and staff leading secure, productive adult lives with solid relationships, stable marriages, and strong families.
Grief Support - the chaplain continually circulates among the staff and is available for grief support and nurture for everyone. |
