Liberty United Methodist Church

Adult Sunday School

Worship

Long established senior adult Sunday School meets before worship each Sunday. 

God's Gang

Worship

God’s Gang

A Cooperative Ministry of Liberty, Philadelphia and Hiddenite United Methodist Churches

History

The God’s Gang ministry began almost 20 years ago as a children’s ministry at Liberty UMC.  There were 5 children and 2 volunteers (the mothers of the children).  In 2014 with the creation of a new church charge, Philadelphia UMC, Liberty’s new sister church, joined the ministry.  Over the next few years God’s Gang increased in the number of participants.  In 2016, Hiddenite United Methodist Church joined the ministry, sending volunteers and hosting the entire God’s Gang congregation at the end of the 2016-2017 school year.  The God’s Gang congregation is excited about this new partnership.

The Ministry

The God’s Gang ministry is geared toward school aged children (K-12) although the entire community spans ages infant to 80+ years.  The God’s Gang congregation meets Wednesday nights, 6-7:30 PM and follows the Alexander county school schedule.  The ministry breaks for the summer.  During the summer months, June-August, the volunteers continue to meet monthly, including a Saturday planning and community building retreat.

On Wednesday nights, the Liberty church van, Big Red transports many of the kids. At 6:00 everyone “circles up” for prayer and a meal is served to the 35 to 40 children and 10 to 15 adults. 

At 6:30 “Not so Normal Worship” begins.  Worship is often in the sanctuary, but on occasion in the fellowship hall, under the picnic shelter or in the church yard.  Worship always has at least three elements: music, scripture and prayer.  Everyone is encouraged to participate in worship.  The children read scripture, lead in prayer and are encouraged to ask questions and share.  Although the Liberty pastor has typically offered the “message,” the 2017-18 God’s Gang congregation will have several different worship leaders offer the “message.” 

Worship with the God’s Gang congregation is wonderfully varied.  On any night “Jesus Loves Me” may be sung to the tune of “Twist and Shout.”  Other elements like puppets, skits, videos, and Bible characters may be part of the experience.  The God’s Gang congregation celebrated Thanksgiving with a traditional Thanksgiving meal including fresh flowers and candles.  The meal ended with Holy Communion as the congregants served one another.  Watching six-year-old hands breaking bread, laying it in 75-year-old hands and saying, “the body of Christ broken for you,” is a transformative experience.  The kids continue to ask, “When are we going to ‘worship with food’ again?”  At Christmas, the God’s Gang congregation presents the Christmas story through puppets and drama.  On Ash Wednesday, the God’s Gang congregation participates in a traditional Ash Wednesday service and on the Wednesday before Easter, they present the Holy Week.

Following worship, the congregation breaks into small groups, offering time to ask questions, do crafts, pray, play, etc.  The small group leaders focus on the theme of the evening, but allow the children to take the conversations in the direction that may be needed.

The Congregation

            The God’s Gang congregation is diverse in age, ethnicity and socio-economics.  The ages span from infant to 80+ years.  The ethnicities include African American, Hispanic, bi-racial and white.  In the past two years the diversity has increased and the God’s Gang congregation now looks very much like the community it serves.  Some of our young people come from impoverished homes.  Some are in and out of foster care.  Some have one or both parents incarcerated.  Some live with grandparents or other extended family.  Some are part of a typical nuclear family.  Some of the kids have behavioral issues at school. Others are on the honor roll.  We have a couple of teenage moms.  Some of the kids who have “aged out” of the small groups, continue to come for the meal and worship and stay as “helpers” during small group time.  This is a growing edge of the ministry.

The Fruit

            For many of the kids, God’s Gang is their church.  These young folks are learning about Jesus and what it means to follow him.  The most important thing is that these precious ones know that they are loved and precious to God and then share this love with others.  Their prayer requests are amazing, ranging from asking prayer for their dog to their neighbor. And it has been amazing how they retain the stories they learn.

They also ask wonderful questions: “I don’t understand how God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, can you explain it to me?”  “So God created light before he created the sun and moon… how does that work?”  “When you die do you become an angel?”  “Did Mary really get pregnant without having sex?”

Often the leaders wonder if any of the seed we sow is falling on good earth and then a child will say, “thank you for bringing me home,” as she gets off the van, or offer a hug so tight that it’s hard to breathe, or help without being asked, or make sure a friend is included, or help a younger child find the book, chapter and verse, or invite friends to come to God’s Gang, or say, “You know what, I’ve got Jesus in my heart.”  And it is in these times that we know that God is moving in the lives of the God’s Gang congregation.

The Future

As stated before, many of the children and youth come from troubled environments.  Many need mentors, tutors, and positive role models.  Is God leading the God’s Gang leadership to expand the ministry to include after-school homework help, mentoring (big brother/sister), life skills, sex education, etc.?  Is God creating a community that not only worships and learns together, but learns how to support and care for one another?  Do we have older folks who make sandwiches on Wednesday nights willing to be a homework helper?  Do we have folks willing to mentor a child, visiting at school, coming to games or band concerts?  Do we have folks who are willing to connect with the families of the kids?  What is God calling God’s Gang to next?  We wait with awesome anticipation about what the future holds.

Small Group Bible Study

Spiritual Life

Small Group Bible Studies on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings.  This is a pastor led study with varied topics. In the past we have studied the book of Revelation, Acts of the Apostles, etc.  We recently used a study that brought our attention to the needs of veterans.  We've used works by Adam Hamilton, Phil Maynard and others.  We spent several weeks studying Methodist history and we've also attended to current "hot button" topics like the LGBTQ community and the church.  These are ongoing studies that remain at the same date/times but change in form and topic.

Men's Breakfast

Fun for All

The men of the church gather on the first Sunday of every month for breakfast and fellowship

Liberty Choir

Music, Arts and Worship

Our choir gathers for rehearsal on Tuesday evenings.  The choir leads worship music on Sunday mornings.  They participate in the Quarterly Singing which invites choirs from the area to come and share.  The choir also presents an Easter and Christmas cantata.  

Sunday Worship

Worship

Small Group Bible Study

Spiritual Life

Small Group Bible Studies on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings.  This is a pastor led study with varied topics. In the past we have studied the book of Revelation, Acts of the Apostles, etc.  We recently used a study that brought our attention to the needs of veterans.  We've used works by Adam Hamilton, Phil Maynard and others.  We spent several weeks studying Methodist history and we've also attended to current "hot button" topics like the LGBTQ community and the church.  These are ongoing studies that remain at the same date/times but change in form and topic.

Ezekiels Room

Reaching Out in Mission

Ezekiel's Room is a ministry of Forgiven Ministries.  The ministry offers an area inside the prison for children who are visiting an inmate.  The room is adjacent to the visiting area with large windows which allow the children and parents/guardians to see one another.  While there, the volunteers offer arts, crafts, story time, puzzles and other quiet activities.  Children are checked in by their parent or guardian.  This offers the children a respite from the sometimes stressful atmosphere of the prison visitation area and it allows the volunteers to share their faith with the children.