Suzanne Thorenson feels blessed to work with great kids, an amazing team of volunteers, and the dedicated staff at Legacy United Methodist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota.  She recieved the Denman Award for Evangelism during the twenty-first session of the Dakotas Annual Conference held in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Thorenson’s favorite part of ministry is leading kids in worship on Sunday morning and during Vacation Bible School each year. She also loves watching kids grow in their faith, meeting new families, and exercising child-like faith.

Suzanne is the KId’s Ministry Director at Legacy UMC.  She and her husband, Sean, have been attending Legacy for about 15 years. 

“Seven years ago God called me to this position,” said Thorenson. “ I recieved e-mails from people asking me to consider applying for the position.  My son, age  7 said, ‘Mom I think that you should take the job’  My son 4,  turned the Bible to  a page about trust. People at church would and me ask me to consider the position.  I felt God’s call.”

Suzanne and her husband Sean have two boys, Mason, 14, and Chase, 11.

Suzanne’s character is shaped by her commitment to Christ and her desire to have children of any age experience the love of Jesus in their own lives.  Energy and enthusiasm are very evident qualities of Suzanne, along with a bright and engaging smile.  She has the ability to make children feel welcome and comfortable, even on their first visit to Legacy.  To see Suzanne in action in the Kid’s Ministry area at Legacy is to see someone who truly cares about children and has a passion to see the love and light of Christ touch each of the kid’s lives. 

Suzanne leads a large volunteer staff that also reflects a passion for children and a growing faith in Christ.  Each year Legacy has a vacation Bible school (VBS) that becomes a big event for the community, drawing children from the community that dodo not regularly attend Legacy.  For the past five years the VBS attendance has grown from 125 to over 200 this year.  The number of children participating in Sunday School at Legacy also continues to climb. 

Of course Suzanne would be quick to say that she does only a small part of the work and that she relies heavily on the teachers, helpers, and other volunteers in the Kid’s Ministry.   Thoreson’s energy and passion set the tone for what happens in the ministry.

Suzanne, and her team are always looking for new ways to connect with children and young families in the Bismarck area in order reach out to more people with Jesus love and help each person begin the faith journey or keep growing in their faith. 

“I feel like I have ability to reach kids where other people might not.  I can think from their perspective, describes Thorenson. “God gave me the skills and passion to reach out to kids.  I am extrovert.  I like to get down on my knees and talk to kids.  I love kids.  I am winsome--God has brought me to kids.  It is all God.” 

Thoreson grew up caring for kids.  Her mother ran a day care.  Suzanne’s dad was  a teacher.  She is passionate about kid’s ministry. “We have to show them why Jesus is relative.”