Being the hands and feet of Jesus is vital to North Highland United Methodist Church members in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The congregation of 140 members is known for two mission projects, Coats for Kids & Other Folks and Christmas Express. 

"It is amazing what this small congregation can accomplish through our signature mission projects," said Rev. Lou Whitmer, North Highland UMC. "These two projects happen back-to-back for our small church."

Coats are put on display before the annual Coats for Kids event in the fellowship hall of North Highland UMC in Aberdeen, SD. Photos courtesy of North Highland UMC.

Coats for Kids & Other Folk

In its 18th year, this North Highland UMC project is becoming well-known in the Aberdeen community. The church receives calls from parents and school personnel starting at the beginning of the school year.

"This year, we gave away 300 coats," said Pastor Lou. "We begin planning in August."

The entire church is involved in the project, from youth to adults, who spend time collecting, hauling, sorting, and fitting on the giveaway day. In addition, the community of Aberdeen continues to be very supportive and provides new and gently used coats for the event.

Each year the number of winter coats, hats, mittens, and gloves gathered has grown to meet the community's needs. Three years ago, snow pants were added for elementary children, increasing the congregation's financial commitment.

Whitmer describes the signature mission projects as living out the parable of the loaves and fishes. "We feel this mission is blessed, and therefore the needs will be met as we continue to hand out the coats, just as when the bread and fish were first given. There always is enough, and because coats come in over the next weeks, there are leftovers."

Coats for Kids is typically a one-day event held in the fellowship hall. Coats are collected from the community, and several are purchased to meet the demands. Many volunteer hours are spent sorting by size, inspecting each coat, and organizing. On the typical giveaway day, families come into the fellowship hall and, with the assistance of volunteers from the congregation, select the size that works best for each person.

Rummage Sale Promo

"The giveaway is important for the community, and just as importantly, it is a way for our congregation to live out our mission to love our neighbor," says Rev. Lou Whitmer, who serves North Highland UMC. "Every child that needed a coat got a coat. So, if we didn't have one that day because, you know, people walked in and the hall was empty, we got their name and size, and then we delivered it to the school."

Funds for the coats come from a rummage sale the congregation holds each spring. Additional monetary donations are received from faithful givers in the congregation. In addition, the Aberdeen community has a charity lunch every fall. Coats for Kids & Others received $1,000 to support the purchase of coats.
 

The Christmas Express

Coats for Kids, with the main distribution at the end of October, is one example of the passionate way the congregation lives out the mission to love God and their neighbor. The Christmas Express, which happens in November with the distribution in December, is another way the congregation shares the love of Christ. 

Each year North Highland UMC purchases Christmas gifts and places the purchased items in a shoe box wrapped with love and the story of the Nativity. The gifts are delivered to Enemy Swim Day School, near Waubay, South Dakota, during the school day before Christmas. 

Christmas Express gifts were wrapped and stacked.

Christmas Express is a spinoff of Shoebox Christmas. Shoebox Christmas is a program that provides Christmas gifts to children in need across reservation communities and beyond. In South Dakota, the Crow Creek and Pine Ridge reservations receive gifts. In North Dakota, the Spirit Lake Nation, the Turtle Mountain, and the Standing Rock reservations receive gifts and three homeless shelters. In Minnesota, the Red Lake Reservation received gifts. Several churches in all three states also receive gifts.

Lots of fleece blankets will help kids stay warm and comforted this winter, thanks to the Christmas Express.

Each fall, churches across the Dakotas Conference collect the wrapped shoeboxes and bring them to designated collection sites. Mike and Libby Flowers, Co-Directors at Spirit Lake Ministry Center, travel throughout the Dakotas Conference and pick up Shoebox Christmas gifts.

In 2022, North Highland UMC will deliver 144 gifts on December 21 to Enemy Swim School. The congregation receives support from the United Methodist Church in Conde, South Dakota, and Faith United Methodist Church in Aberdeen.  

"We also have one community member who is passionate about this project. She gives us a significant donation," said Rev. Whitmer. "It is a lot of work and can be taxing on the congregation, especially considering that the coat giveaway was just a month ago. It is tremendously rewarding. We are blessed to do this work!"