Central UMC Expands BEDS Ministry to Help Children Affected by Hurricane Helene

Central UMC Expands BEDS Ministry to Help Children Affected by Hurricane Helene

Florence, SC –April 3, 2025 – Central United Methodist Church has extended its outreach beyond Florence County as part of its BEDS (Better Education Demands Sleep) Ministry. On March 29, 2025, the church hosted a special BEDS Build Day to provide 35 beds for children in McDowell County, NC, who were displaced by Hurricane Helene. This initiative was in addition to the 35 beds built for children in Florence County, bringing the ministry’s total impact to over 800 beds provided since its inception.

Hurricane Helene devastated McDowell County, leaving families without homes, belongings, or essential necessities. Recognizing the urgent need, Central UMC members felt called to action. “We were already set up to build 35 beds, so we doubled up and built enough to share with families who were affected by the hurricane,” said Art Justice, leader of Central’s BEDS Ministry.

During the March 29th event, volunteers from Central UMC and students from West Florence High School constructed over 50 wooden bed frames which, along with 20 beds built by St. Luke Lutheran Church, will be delivered to children in need both in Florence County and McDowell County. Rev. Dr. Ann Kovan, Associate Pastor at Central UMC, emphasized the importance of this initiative: “This is how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus—to show grace, love, and compassion to children we may never even meet. But that is how God’s love works; it is for all people, whether they know God or not.” The distribution in McDowell County was coordinated with Rev. Kathryn Hunter of Old Fort, NC, who understood the deep impact of this donation. “For families who have been left with very little, this is an enormous gift,” said Hunter.

About the BEDS Ministry

Founded in 2015, Central UMC’s BEDS Ministry began as a response to the alarming number of children sleeping without beds in the Florence community. The ministry provides children in need with a complete bedding set, including a handmade wooden bed frame, mattress, comforter, sheets, pajamas, a pillow, a stuffed animal, a book, and a dental hygiene kit. Thanks to dedicated volunteers and generous community donations, the ministry has grown to include partnerships with St. Luke Lutheran Church (Florence) and Johnsonville UMC.

Central UMC hosts bi-annual Build Days where volunteers of all ages come together to sand, assemble, and bundle bed frames for families in need. With the help of local businesses like Charles Ingram Lumber and Pee Dee Dental Group, the ministry continues to thrive without requiring direct funding from the church. “The beauty of the BEDS project is that Central UMC has never had to put a dime into the project,” said Johnny Crouch, a Central UMC member and former lay supply pastor at Johnsonville UMC. “Once the people found out about it, they started giving to the project, and we’ve never had to ask for money.”

How to Get Involved

Community members are invited to support the BEDS Ministry in multiple ways.

• Volunteer – Join future Build Days to help assemble beds.

• Donate – Contributions towards mattresses and bedding supplies are always welcome.

• Spread the Word – Share this initiative with others who may be able to lend a helping hand.

For more information about the BEDS Ministry or to support this initiative, please contact Central UMC at 843-662-3218.

Central UMC Attends Florence Flamingo's Faith and Family Night!

Our amazing Rev. Thomas Smith took the mound and delivered the opening pitch for the Florence Flamingos tonight.

Central UMC members and numerous other church families came together to enjoy the game as part of Faith and Family Night.

J.T. Brown Ordained as Full Elder in the United Methodist Church

Congratulations to J.T. Brown who was ordained as a Full Elder in the United Methodist Church on Sunday, June 4. He is pictured with his wife, Kate, Rev. Will Malambri, Senior Pastor of Belin UMC, and Rev. Thomas Smith, Senior Pastor of Central UMC.

A Thank You Note from Rev. J.T. Brown

Dear Central UMC Ministers, Members, and Friends,

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the 

wonderful reception that you all hosted and attended to celebrate my Ordination during this year’s Annual Conference. I felt deep emotion as I walked into Spears Fellowship Hall and saw so many smiling faces of those who have made some of the largest impacts on me over the course of my life. You witnessed my baptism and confirmation, prayed for my health and well-being, and affirmed my call to ministry.  Throughout the years, you all at Central have gone out of your way to be the most loving, consistent, supportive, and grounded Church Family that I could have asked for. And you showed up for me in that way again on Sunday. 

It was especially kind of you all to include my current congregation at Belin Memorial to help plan and 

participate in the reception and to also welcome my wife Kate’s parents. I was proud to have the opportunity to show off my home church, and I loved seeing members from these two churches spend time together in Christian fellowship. 

The stole you gave me which matches the altar dressings from Central’s sanctuary is absolutely beautiful. I will wear it with pride. Each time I put it on during the holiest of Christian worship services, I will be reminded of this special time and of those whose prayers, love, and grace introduced me to the body of Christ.

With the sincerest gratitude, 

J.T. Brown 

New BEDS Building on Central's Campus

New BEDS Building in Central Parking Lot! We are excited to announce the start of construction of the BEDS Building on our campus. We have been in need of a permanent home for our BEDS Ministry and through the generous, anonymous donation of a church member and approval of the Board of Trustees, we are now starting construction of a building on the side of the bus parking lot, across Cheves Street from the main campus. We hope to complete construction this summer. We are excited that all of our activities with this ministry, including our build-day and distribution activities, will now be at our campus.

Confirmation Class of 2023

Congratulations to the 13 youth who were confirmed last Sunday. The Confirmands participated in a six-month preparation process of classes, time with mentors, and 2 retreats. What a meaningful day at Central watching our Confirmands make a commitment to God and to our church!

New Worship Director of The Well

 We are excited to announce Lance Hatchell as our new Worship Director of The Well.  As a musician in The Well band for the past several years, Lance is already part of the Central family, but we celebrate his new position of leadership effective April 10th. 

 

As Worship Director of The Well, Lance will plan and produce high-quality, blended styles of music, engage the congregation in singing and learning new songs, and contribute to the audio and visual elements and aesthetics for both the in-room and online worship experience. Lance will assemble and lead a well-prepared band featuring a variety of instruments and offer new and creative ideas for the worship experience while working collaboratively with pastors, lay leadership, and staff. Lance is a skilled musician, with proficiency in a variety of instruments. He is a musical arts lover in the truest sense, with nearly every aspect of his life devoted to practicing, teaching, and performing music. Most important, Lance devotes his musical gifts to the glory of God though worship. His leadership and vision will be crucial to our ongoing quest to elevate The Well worship excellence. We welcome Lance and his daughter Kaydance and joyfully step into this new chapter with them!

 

The mission of The Well is to offer a fresh expression of Methodist worship through music, Word, and prayer that inspires, transforms, and connects the congregation more deeply to Christ in a family-friendly, come-as-you-are setting. It is casual, but as worship, it remains holy and sacred.

You can send Lance an email at lhatchell@centralmethodist.net

Easter Egg Hunt

Special thanks to The Slice Family for hosting Central’s Easter Egg Hunt! Our children enjoyed a morning filled with finding lots of Easter eggs, making crafts, enjoying Kona Ice, and loving on sweet baby chicks. Thank you to Allison, Adam, Annabelle, and Stella for opening your home for us to come hear the Easter story and enjoy fellowship with our church family. Hearing the giggles and seeing the smiles made a cloudy day bright!

Children's Palm Sunday

This past Sunday, our children waved palms for Palm Sunday!

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel” John 12:13

Children's BibleBlast Makes Bags for Chemo Patients

Ellen Smith, an oncology nurse and member of Central UMC, came and spoke to the children during BibleBlast about how certain items they brought can help patients who are receiving chemotherapy. The children brought items, made cards, and filled bags with peppermints, tea, socks, lotions and other items.

The Confirmation Retreat to Epworth by the Sea

"The Confirmation Retreat to Epworth by the Sea was absolutely wonderful! We had a weekend packed full of fun, fellowship, laughter, team building, beach time, and most importantly, learning about God’s grace for us and that, wherever we are, God is with us!" - Julie Knight, Director of Youth Discipleship

Be the Match Drive

Our beloved member, Russ Barnes, has a blood disease requiring a bone marrow transplant. 70% of transplant patients do not have a compatible donor in their family, so they depend on unrelated blood stem cell donations for this life saving procedure. To honor Russ and hopefully find a match, we held a Be the Match bone marrow donor registration drive

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