Every year, Discipleship Ministries partners with annual conferences by offering the One Matters Award (OMA) to one eligible congregation at each annual conference. At the 2023 Susquehanna Annual Conference, the One Matters Award was given to one church in each of our districts.
This award has a strong focus on making disciples because, by integrating into the church body, the individual may experience the personal transformation to potentially engage in the church’s mission for the transformation of the world. While most Discipleship Ministries programs focus on existing members, OMA focuses on new members. After all, ONE Matters.
The following congregations received the One Matters Award in 2023.
Cove Forge UMC, Williamsburg
Harrisburg District
Wesley UMC, Marysville
Lewisburg District
St. Pauls UMC, Berwick
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District
Forty Fort UMC
State College District
Trinity UMC, Bellefonte
Williamsport District
State Road UMC, Cogan Station
York District
Barts-Centenary UMC, Littlestown
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| Rev. Barry Robison (center) presented the 2023 One Matters Award for the Harrisburg District to Wesley UMC, Marysville. Receiving the award were Rev. Doug Eberly (left), and Lay Leader/Lay Member Christine Miller (right.) |
Wesley UMC, Marysville
There were half a dozen or so churches within the Harrisburg District that were considered for the 2023 One Matters Award and although not recognized publicly this year, their faithful and fruitful work and ministry are greatly valued and acknowledged.
The Harrisburg District recipient of the 2023 One Matters Award is Wesley UMC, Marysville. In 2022, this congregation welcomed thirteen new members, the first since 2019. Of those thirteen, four were professions of faith through a confirmation class and six transferred their memberships. What tipped the decision to award Wesley UMC were the three first-time professions of faith who were not part of a confirmation class. Those three individuals made their [commitment] for reasons including the birth of a child, the ministry of the Wesley Pre-school, a welcoming invitation to Wesley Church, and, for the first time in their life, being invited to [be in relationship with] Jesus. Each of them also expressed that through the ministry of the Wesley congregation they felt that the Holy Spirit had opened their hearts and [led] them to make this commitment to Christ and the Church.
Many of the thirteen new members cited the same ministries or initiatives of the church that contributed to their professions of faith. One ministry was Vacation Bible School, which in 2022 ministered to 72 children, most of them from the community. A second ministry was the church’s preschool, which the church has operated for many years. The church’s leadership has begun to be more intentional in connecting with and including those community families in other areas and aspects of the church family’s life. The final ministry cited was the Mom2Mom group. This fun-loving group of moms of all ages was conceived, organized, and is run by women from the church and provides support in every way possible for the mothers of the church and the community. At least one mother has come to faith in Jesus through the Mom2Mom ministry.
Lord, may all our other churches be so inspired by the efforts and fruits of these churches that each congregation in the Susquehanna Conference may realize at least one first-time profession of faith in 2023.
We pray for all the ‘ones’ who matter and for all of our churches as we seek to live further into the mission of being disciples who make new disciples.
