Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Church News

Isle of Hope Organ Safari



All children are invited to explore our new organ in this fun and interactive way! Explorers will visit seven “safari stops” and discover how the organ can sound like jungle weather, elephant footsteps, birds in the trees, a lion’s roar, and more. Along the way, they’ll collect stamps in their safari passport while learning about this remarkable new instrument -- and they'll get a chance to play it!

The safari is open to all children ages 4 through Grade 5 and will take place Sunday, April 12th, at 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. Register HERE today!

We are Looking for VBS Volunteers!

Our Snowball Mountain Challenge VBS is from June 15-18 this year, and we are looking for volunteers! We need both adult and youth volunteers (must have completed 5th grade). Volunteers can be a Station Leader or an Assistant in one of the following areas: Storyteller (acting out Bible stories), Science, Recreation, Crafts, Music, Kitchen, Assembly, Warming Hut for the Staff, and Challenger Guide (classroom).

We need everyone's help! If you can volunteer, please sign up here by April 12. Nursery will be provided for volunteers, and two-year-old children can attend if a parent is volunteering.

Please note that registration for children opens on March 22.



Contact Beth Parr with any questions at bparr@iohumc.com or 912-663-7466.

Help Make Pretzel Saturday A Success

Pretzel Saturday is rapidly approaching and we need your help to make the event great!

We are looking for volunteers before and during the event. Beforehand, we need volunteers to help make pretzel dough and bring it to the church by noon on Friday, March 27 (Beth will provide the recipe). During the event, we need volunteers to hide Easter eggs, make pretzels, and help set up and take down games.

If you cannot volunteer, we also need plenty of clean plastic eggs & monetary donations to help cover the costs of candy for the hunt. A large bucket is outside the Children's Ministries office for plastic egg donations.

If you can help with any of these tasks or have questions, please contact Beth Parr at bparr@iohumc.com or 912-663-7466.

Wesley Community Center Celebration

Wesley Community Center recently celebrated a wonderful milestone at their annual Love Walk, raising $22,000 to support their ongoing work in our community!

We want to extend a special thank you to Mark Swanson and Cliff Devan who generously gave their time and skills to complete a variety of handyman projects throughout the facility to help prepare the new STEAM School for its upcoming opening. Their hard work is helping create a space where students will soon learn, grow, and thrive.

Day on the Island Missions Giving Update

A heartfelt thank you to the team who organized Day on the Island and generously directed $30,500 from the event toward our missions ministry. Their efforts will help support impactful partners including HUGS, Wesley Community Center, the Leigh Carver Fund, Friends Empowering Haiti, and Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.

We are deeply grateful for their initiative and generosity, which will help extend care, hope, and practical support to neighbors both near and far.

Supporting the Work at Wesley Community Center

Wesley Community Center continues to serve many families in our community, and there are a couple of simple ways we can help support their work right now.

Food Pantry Needs

The food pantry is currently in need of peanut butter, rice, cereal, and canned fruit. Donations can be dropped off in the collection cabinet located in the main hallway near the Sanctuary. These staple items help ensure families who visit the pantry receive nourishing, practical support.

STEAM Preschool Wish List

Wesley is also working to reopen their STEAM Preschool, but before the state can complete the final inspection, all required classroom items must be purchased and staged in the building. Several important supplies are still needed, which is currently delaying the preschool’s opening.

We’ve created an Amazon Wish List with the remaining items needed. If you’d like to help, purchased items can be sent to your home and then brought to the church office. Your support will help get the preschool ready so it can open its doors and begin serving children and families again.

Great Day of Service Recap

Our Great Day of Service was a powerful reminder of what can happen when the church comes together with willing hands and open hearts. The Sassy Sowers assembled 175 hygiene kits. Volunteers prepared over 600 emergency food bags and bags for P.A.C.K. We packaged 15,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger—meals that will soon be delivered to Honduras. We built 44 beds for children who don't have one and provided more than 50 “Beds in a Bag” with Sleep in Heavenly Peace; cooked casseroles for our unhoused neighbors; delivered meals and treats to 16 homebound friends through Cooking Angels; created heartfelt cards for Kairos Prison Ministry and P.A.C.K.; and 150 daffodils were planted for the Daffodil Project.

Your donations filled the Goodwill Truck and provided the church with $1,000 in Goodwill vouchers to give to those in need. Your Goodwill donations also provided 14 single mothers with 2 weeks of childcare support, helped 5 individuals earn their GED, provided 12 individuals with transportation support for a month, and provided 12 Opportunity Center clients with vouchers to get new clothing or required PPE for jobs.

We are especially grateful for Boo Padgett’s faithful leadership. This day wouldn’t have been possible without the help of generous donors, including Wesley Monumental UMC and an anonymous donor to RISE. We’d also like to thank past and present donors to the Ashlee Kraft Memorial Fund, which helped make Sleep in Heavenly Peace possible. Together, we poured out love in tangible ways across our community and beyond. Watch our recap video above.

Church Doors Update

We are excited to share that all door and access control hardware has been installed. We are working to complete the technical installation of the system portal before everything can become operational.

We recognize some of the doors now need cosmetic attention, and we will be addressing those touch-ups as well. Thank you very much for your continued patience!

Upcoming Events

Sew Much Fun Saturday Sewing Club

Saturday, March 14 at 10:00 am | IOHUMC Room 18

Sew Much Fun Saturdays are open to all ages (1st grade & older and adults welcome too!) No cost. No experience is necessary - we will teach you basic skills and work on community service mission projects and sometimes make a personal item to take home. Registration is suggested so that we can make sure we have enough supplies and assistance available. Please register by emailing Teri Akin at teri.akin23@gmail.com.

The Sound of Hosanna Palm Sunday Service

Sunday, March 29 at 9:15 am | IOHUMC Sanctuary

IOHUMC will celebrate Palm Sunday with a beautiful Sound of Hosanna Cantata this year, featuring the Isle of Hope Choir and seasonal singers.

This Sunday also marks the debut of our new Church organ. You won't want to miss this service!

Save the Date: Planting Joy

Thursday, April 16 from 4:30-6:30 pm

IOHUMC Ministry Center

We hope you will join us for Planting Joy, a United Women in Faith event featuring special guest Katherine Slagel.

All are invited to gather in the Ministry Center on Thursday, April 16 from 4:30-6:30 pm.

Tickets are $20 each. Please register here.