One Matters Award: Faith UMC, Hallam - River Valley District

In partnership with Discipleship Ministries, the Susquehanna Conference presents the One Matters Award to one church in each of our districts at Annual Conference.

This award has a strong focus on making disciples because, by integrating into the church body, an 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 2025:  

Freedom Trail District
Salem Guldens UMC

Mountain Valley District
Covenant UMC, Lockhaven

North Central Rivers District
Eatonville UMC & Evans Falls UMC

Northern Wilds District
Millerton UMC

River Valley District
Faith UMC, Hallam

Faith UMC, Hallam

River Valley District

Each summer, Faith UMC partners with three neighboring churches in Wrightsville to host a vibrant Community Vacation Bible School. Their preschool, serving 85 children, helps young learners build a strong foundation for elementary education. The church's G2 Youth Group shares Christ's love through simple acts of kindness - offering cookies during their annual Cookie Walk and serving hot chocolate and candy at the community Christmas Tree Lighting.

But their care for the community doesn't stop there. This congregation is passionate about feeding the hungry, hosting monthly food distributions that draw long lines of cars, and delivering food boxes to local seniors. In the past year, they have welcomed 9 new members and celebrated one baptism - clear signs of lives being touched and transformed.

https://susfumchallam.org/

New Places - New People: Mosaic Community Church, Halifax

At the 2024 Susquehanna Annual Conference, the New Places - New People Award was given to a church in each district that has experimented with new ways to build relationships and make new disciples. God is calling each of us to be in relationship with others and our churches are commissioned to go to our immediate neighbors as well as the ends of the earth to make new disciples. We celebrate with these churches and the ministries that they are engaging as they offer new places for new people. If you would like to learn more about New Places - New People, there are courses in Portico, our online learning platform that is located on the Conference website. You can access Portico directly here: https://susumc.org/portico/.

Mosaic Community Church, Halifax

River Valley District

Rev. Gary Weaver, Superintendent

The New Places New People award is given to those people who are self-starters, who are visionaries, and who are team builders. Coming out of both COVID and a season of disaffiliation was a confusing time for many of us in the life of the church. Many faith-filled people wandered aimlessly and yet others found their way. 

A handful of people in the Halifax area wandered and then found their way, seeking creative connections to their community, to God, and to the individuals around them. Wanting to be connected in a significant way, with inspiration and energy in their heart, they came together. 

We have always been, since the beginning, a nomadic people. These people were indeed nomadic and coming together, they found and created a home. Under the connection and support of Calvary United Methodist Church in Harrisburg these nomads made the journey each week to nearby Camp Hebron, that was both home but ultimately temporary. Then, these risk-takers sensed that a time had come to put down roots, so now they meet in an elementary school, where all people are invited to be part of the journey. 

As they responded to their changing context, they have been faithful to the opportunities for sharing their faith and those moments of growth with people around them. One of their greatest desires is to continue to be a faith community where people can become who they were created to be, can continue to be followers of Jesus Christ, and know that they are truly welcome no matter who they are. 

The simple definition of a mosaic is a decoration made by inlaying small pieces of varied colored material to form a picture or a pattern and indeed that’s what this new place is; an inlaying of individuals who collectively paint a picture of God’s Kingdom here in the Susquehanna Conference. 

mcc-halifax.com/

One Matters Award: Fishing Creek Salem UMC, Etters

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

Rev. Gary Weaver, Superintendent

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.

www.fcsalem.org/