Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:58

St. Thomas United Methodist Church in the small town of St. Thomas, North Dakota is the only church remaining in the community. They may be a small church, but St. Thomas UMC is a healthy church whose members are committed to loving and serving their rural community.

As the only church left in their town, St. Thomas UMC has found themselves with a unique opportunity to fulfill many needs in their community while also providing residents the opportunity to grow in their faith. The church regularly hosts Bible studies, Vacation Bible School, Sunday School and Confirmation for children and youth, Meals for Missions fundraisers, potlucks, and more. They also open their building for different community events and family celebrations. Each fall, St. Thomas UMC invites families to a God’s Pumpkin Patch at the church that includes games, supper, a Bible lesson, and pumpkins. St. Thomas UMC has a “Free Little Pantry” inside their community post office/café building that they stock with food throughout the week and provides meal tickets for the local café for those in need. 

Most of these community and congregational events and activities happen in the Fellowship Hall at the church. After seeing so much activity throughout the years, the Fellowship Hall is showing wear and tear. The aging floor needs to be leveled and replaced and the kitchen needs to be updated with new appliances. The current appliances have seen a lot of use over the years and no longer work properly. In addition, they also plan on installing a smart TV in the Fellowship Hall that can be used for leading Bible studies, VBS, sharing videos messages from Conference leaders, and will be available for community events. By enhancing the gathering space, St. Thomas UMC hopes to offer more opportunities to invite community members into fellowship and faith.

St. Thomas UMC wants to serve as an example for other small, rural churches to be a vibrant part of their communities. As the only church left in their town, congregation members want to show what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus in action.

We are so grateful for your continued support of the Builders Club and ask that you prayerfully consider of gift of $25 or more to support St. Thomas UMC. The gifts for this call will be received until June 30, 2022. Send your gift to Builders Club, PO Box 460, Mitchell, SD 57301 or donate online.

Tolstoy UMC thanks you . . . $9,500 granted!

On behalf of the Tolstoy United Methodist Church we would like to thank the Builder’s Club for the generous monetary donation to help improve the exterior of our church. Replacing the roof from shingles to tin is our primary project. This will be a permanent fix to help the interior ceilings from leaking and future damage so the ministry of our church can continue. We are forever grateful. God’s Blessings be with you all. 

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