Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, 
hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. – Colossians 3:16

Madison United Methodist Church in Madison, South Dakota aspires to love God and neighbor, both inside and outside the church walls. One of their core values is Christian education for all. They desire and strive to equip disciples of all ages to connect and serve together as they have their hearts and lives transformed by following Jesus.

In May 2022, a derecho swept across portions of South Dakota. The community of Madison was hit hard, with wind gusts of up to 97mph causing extensive damage. Unfortunately, the Madison UMC was impacted significantly by this storm.

The church building sustained substantial damage to its roof and the bell tower louvers were blown off, allowing water to seep into the building. Damage to the roof over the sanctuary led to extensive damage to the ceiling and walls in portions of the sanctuary, rendering those areas unusable. The flat portion of the roof lies over the Sunday school rooms, where the storm caused damage to the ceiling, flooring, and the buildup of asbestos.

After issues with the insurance company, repairs finally began on the roof this past summer, however, the inside of the church building also requires attention to make it safe and usable again. Repairs and renovations to the Sunday school rooms include asbestos abatement, updating/installing electrical, repairing the ceiling, installing new flooring, painting, and renovating the bathroom. In the sanctuary, the list of repairs includes removing the damaged plaster, fixing and painting the ceiling, replacing the carpet, and updating the electrical and lighting systems. Plans for the bell tower include leveling and capping off the tower and monumentalizing the bell on ground level.

Due to safety reasons, Sunday school classes had to be temporarily relocated. When the repairs are complete, the students will once again have a safe space designated to helping them learn, explore, and dive deeper into their faith. The congregation will also have access to the sanctuary in its full capacity, no longer limiting how many people attend services, weddings, funerals, and other events. These repairs will allow Madison UMC to provide a safe space for everyone to feel a sense of welcoming and belonging as they continue to share the love of Christ in their church, the Madison community, and beyond.

We are so grateful for your continued support of the Builders Club and ask that you prayerfully consider a gift to support Madison UMC. The gifts for this call will be received until June 30, 2024. Send your gift to Builders Club, PO Box 460, Mitchell, SD 57301 or donate online.

Prairie View UMC thanks you . . . $8,500 granted!

Thank you to all the Builders Club Partners for sharing in the call for Prairie View United Methodist Church in Smithwick, SD. 

This grant money will reimburse our church operating funds for work already accomplished and allow us to complete our on-going project to renovate our parsonage. We were able to upgrade our parsonage by removing carpets and installing new vinyl and laminate flooring, complete interior painting, and various maintenance items. These funds will be used to continue our repairs which include sanding, staining, and sealing two exterior decks, garage repairs and landscaping this spring. 

We thank you for the help with our project so we can continue to teach and reach many who need to know the love of Christ.

Sincerely,
Prairie View United Methodist Church