Strawberry Plains Untd Mthdst

I would like to say how sad I am that two visitors were made to feel so unwelcome in the church that I love and have attended my whole life. First of all, we have wonderful outreach ministries at our church such as a successful food pantry which has provided many families with groceries with food to get them through hard times. If you ask anyone who attends this church for anything, they will be more than happy to help you out in any way. We have provided meals for families who have lost loved ones and prayed for people on thier sick beds. We are a church dedicated to loving children and even opened up a playground for children who not only attend Strawberry Plains UMC but who are members of our community. We may not have the best music or the best sounding choir, but everyone in the choir loves to sing and loves to give their glory to God through music. Our music style is traditional because that's the kind of church we are. We are open to new praise and worship music, but we feel we don't have to conform to huge parachurches who pride their worship experience on numbers. We have a fellowship time in the middle of our service, because that gives us a chance to say hi to the people who may come in late, then scurry out the door right after the service. Everyone in the church is loving,kind and caring.I am the blonde youth minister who acts more like a child than an adult, but I'm pretty sure that's why I went in to youth ministry.I love God and I love being around young people because I relate to them.Although I am no longer the youth minister or attend SPUMC, I love the church with my whole heart and they still are my family.They supportted me and nurtured me as I decided to answer the call in to full time ministry. I now work full-time for Emerald Youth Foundation and I have the wonderful privilliage to work with inner-city high school youth.If it were not for the love and encouragement of my home church, I would not be where I am today. more

In every church you have a group of people who forget this is God's church and want to run the show. Then, you have the ""bad"" people who are sinners searching for salvation. Lastly, you have the people who are indifferent and let the others have their way. That's what you have here. I don't think it's any better or worse than anywhere else. You have good preaching, teaching and evangelizing from the pastor. The youth group and music struggles but does but so does the food pantry. Basically, this church isn't perfect but if you can break into the core group of people it'll do. more

Lots of people spoke to me and my family but it seemed pretty superficial. No one asked for our address or where we worked except the reverend. No one showed us where to go or what to do. A woman told us to fill out a pew pad . She didn't say what it was for so we didn't. They have this fellowship thing thrown in the middle of the service. That was awkward. more