One Matters Award
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 2024 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 2024:
- Freedom Trail District: Claysburg UMC Charge
- Mountain Valley District: Greater Buffalo Run Valley UMC
- North Central Rivers District: Mehoopany UMC
- Northern Wilds District: Holy Trinity UMC
- River Valley District: Fishing Creek Salem UMC
Fishing Creek Salem UMC, River Valley District
The One Matters Award places a strong focus on making disciples because, by integrating a person into the church body, an individual may experience personal transformation to potentially engage in the church’s mission for the transformation of the world.
With the One Matters Award, we lift up the importance of discipleship and help interpret across the United Methodist connection that each and every soul matters. Every life matters to God, and every life should matter to us.
Of the many worthy recipients, the 2024 [River Valley District] One Matters Award was presented to Fishing Creek Salem United Methodist Church in Etters:
- Whose staff and laity are dedicated to ministry and community connections.
- Whose Profession of Faith numbers increased by 5.
- Whose baptized 11 people since July of 2023 – a far cry from where things were.
- And who celebrated a Confirmation Class of 11 people.
We also celebrate that this York County congregation was one of the first congregations to be designated as a Lighthouse Congregation in the Susquehanna Conference, a faith community geared specifically to welcome and support loyal United Methodists whose churches closed or disaffiliated. They live out a deep commitment to hospitality to help displaced United Methodists heal from the pain of losing their church.
