Bible Stories

Bethel United Methodist Church, Chewsville, July 30-Aug. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., theme - Take the Plunge!, for more information, go to www.gbgm-umc.org/bethel-chewsville, or call 301-733-8387. Trinity United Church of Christ, on the square in State Line, Pa., July 30-Aug. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m., all ages welcome, theme - Galilee by the Sea - A Holy Land Adventure, for more information, call 717-597-0585. Boonsboro Family Worship Center, 7605 Old National Pike - July 30-Aug. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., ages 3-10, theme - Water Works Park!

Phyllis Washington drew from 40 years of children's ministry experience in her storytelling training at the Christian Storytelling Café's soiree. She engaged representatives of five faith groups in various ways of putting pizzazz in Bible stories for children, including making balloon characters, face painting and paper cutting.  Soirees as well as monthly sessions are open to adults and senior high school students. Faith Crumbly, Café executive director, facilitated the event which was held in the social hall at John Wesley United Methodist Church.

According to storyteller Faith Crumbly, her latest project is only a year old, and already it has a happy ending. Or at least a happy beginning. “We've been going for a year,” Crumbly said. “And people would get to meetings before I did. I was surprised at the interest.” Crumbly, a retired writer and editor with The Review & Herald Publishing Co. in Hagerstown, organized the Christian Storytelling Cafe a year ago. The group meets at a variety of venues, religious and secular, and welcomes the public.

The Grace Academy Missions Team is a local service organization working to strengthen the community. The team was founded three years ago and has grown to include more than 50 members determined to make a difference by serving those in need. For the month of April, the missions team led the school's students in collecting items needed by residents at Beverly Healthcare in Hagerstown. More than 300 items were collected, including personal-care items such as shampoo, toothpaste and body lotion, as well as items such as crossword books, magnifying glasses, games, puzzles and snack items.