Town Transformation
Developing ministry to reach families for Christ.
Seed
I love my home town. After moving back to retire, I want to do something to leave a mark on my community. Our church is a special place, and I wish they were better equipped to reach out to new families. I believe they are absolutely worth investing in to do God’s work in our community.
Sowing
A short conversation with the staff at the Foundation helped me understand some of my options. To start, they sent me their free Legacy Planning Guide so I can begin taking inventory of all of my assets. It’s a great tool to have while working with my attorney on my will.
Community connects through children.
Story
Small towns can be underrated in their vitality and potential, but don’t let that reputation keep you from seeing the opportunities available. Mangum, Oklahoma is a town that has a passionate community active in reaching out to others with the Love of God. The First United Methodist Church in Mangum is doing great things in their little town of just around 3,000 people.
Beginning with a summer lunch program to minister to a number of children in the area, Mangum FUMC was reaching kids every day. As this program developed, the children would not just come for a meal, but they would stay to play, too. How can they do more? The church had considered a playground, but funds were limited and other needs took priority.
As the gathering of children grew, the need for a safe playground became more urgent. The Foundation was able to provide funds for the installation of brand new playground equipment. After installing the equipment and some landscaping to clear the lawn stickers, Mangum First had a safe place for the young families to gather and play.
The use of their kitchen increased because of the continued work to provide meals, and the wear on the cooking appliances was really starting to show. Thankfully, we were able to reach out to Mangum with a grant and aid with the purchase of new appliances to keep this ministry going!
Now, the facility is used for community fundraisers, 4-H activities, banquets, community plays, and so much more.
