News & Events

Why Should you join An Advent Study?

Participating in an Advent Study is a meaningful way to prepare for the Christmas season, helping individuals and groups to deepen their faith, strengthen community bonds, and embrace the spirit of anticipation and reflection. Here are a few reasons why people might consider joining an Advent Study:

  1. Spiritual Preparation: Advent is a season of waiting and preparing for the coming of Christ. Through this Advent Study, we invite you to  meditate on scripture, reflect on the significance of Jesus’ birth, and prepare our hearts for Christmas in a deeper way.
  2. Community Connection: Engaging in a study together allows participants to form closer connections within their faith community. It’s a time to share insights, prayers, and encouragement, building friendships and support.
  3. Deeper Understanding: Gain a richer understanding of the Christmas story and how it relates to our lives today.
  4. Slowing Down Amidst the Hustle: Schedule some time (1 hour a week) to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the true meaning of Christmas, counteracting the busyness that often comes with the season.
  5. Faith Growth: Advent is not just about remembering Christ’s birth but also looking forward to His return. A study gives space for both reflecting on past promises and anticipating future hope, encouraging spiritual growth and deepening personal faith.

A well-chosen Advent Study can transform the season, helping participants experience Advent as a period of joyful expectation and spiritual renewal.

This season Harrisburg is offering a  four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in the Nativity story. An Unlikely Advent by Rachel Billups will  guides us through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.

This study will be offered on Sunday at 10 am beginning Dec. 1st, led by Stephanie Bailey  and offered  Tuesday beginning Nov. 26th.  2p.m. Led by Shirley Luce

 

 

Trunk or Treat. Oct. 27, 4 p.m.

Harrisburg UMC has been sponsoring a Trunk or Treat for many years. To sum up what happens at Trunk or Treat, participants decorate the trunks of their cars with a theme and stock the trunk  with candy. The vehicles are lined up in the church parking lot and kids trick or treat from trunk to trunk.  Trunk or treat provides a safe environment for trick-or-treaters, and involves the whole family to have fun.  Along with trunk or treating, there’ll be hot dogs, games, and an outdoor movie.

We invite you to put on your costume and join the fun. Bring you friends and neighbors.

Sunday, October 27th, 4 – 6:30 pm.

 

If you’d like to decorate your trunk to be part of the fun sign up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D44A4A723AAFE3-51562646-trunk#/

Kid’s Quest

Kids’ Quest, Sunday’s at  10 am 

Building a Christian Foundation for our Kids

There a few categories for Kids Quest.  Basically all Sunday morning programs for children ages 0 – 5th grade are part of Kid’s Quest.  

  • Kids Quest Nursery – The nursery is open to children 0 – 2 years old. Room #6
  • Kids Quest Preschool – Ages 3 -4, 10 am in Room #5.  
    • Teachers: Carolee Barber & Nicole Clauser 
    • Class will be filled with Music, Bible Story, Activity, Snack &  Free play
  • Kids Quest Elementary – 10 am Room 11 Kindergarten – 5th Grade
  • Kids Quest Worship – Ages 3 – 1st Grade, Meets in room #13 on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th Sundays.  The first Sunday of the month is communion and the children will stay in Worship. (9 am – Learning about Worship and)11 am – Godly Play

Kid’s Quest Elementary  will meet in the fellowship hall this Sunday with their families.  Join us as we sing, learn,  meet new friends, and have fun.

Harrisburg UMC a Lighthouse Congregation

Worship
Worship opportunities, online and in person. Harrisburg UMC is welcoming community of faith. Join us Sunday at 9 am Modern Worship and 11 am Traditional Worship. Communion will be offered on the first  Sunday of the month at both services.

Discipleship
Harrisburg UMC invited you to learn and grow, through small group gatherings, Bible studies, and prayer opportunities.

Mission
Harrisburg United Methodists invited you to serve through hands-on ministries.  Harrisburg UMC is in partnership with Harrisburg Food Pantry, Wolf Meadow Elementary. Harrisburg UMC sponsors an annual  Rise Against Hunger event.  Supports Prison Ministry with Jackson Training, Opportunity house in Concord, and Room in the Inn to mention a few of ministries supported by HUMC.  All these ministries involves making a difference and sharing the love of God with others.

Discipleship
Creating space to learn and grow, through small group gatherings, Bible studies, and prayer opportunities.

 

Stepping Stones Preschool Story

Stepping Stones Preschool
a Ministry of Harrisburg United Methodist Church

The preschool ministry at HUMC began in 1987 as a Mother’s Morning Out program. Pam Prentice was the original teacher and she had a class of various ages that first year.  Over the years the program evolved from a Mother’s Morning Out into a preschool program for three, four, and five year olds.  Since then, the  preschool has served thousands of children in the Harrisburg and surrounding communities. Somewhere along the way (I can’t recall the specific date), we became Stepping Stones Preschool, a ministry of Harrisburg United Methodist Church. We currently have 80 students and 10 staff members. 

The mission of Stepping Stones Preschool can be found on our school logo!  

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” 

Psalm 119:105

As a Christian preschool, our most important goal is to instill the truth of God’s Word into the hearts of our students. Through our Bible time which is called, “Kingdom Kids” we use stories from the Bible and songs to teach our students about God’s marvelous creation, His love for His children, and His precious Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior to all who believe. Each week we end Kingdom Kids by  singing “I Have Hidden God’s Word in My Heart” as a reminder of these truths. 

Throughout the school year, we participate in a variety of service projects. These service projects help the  children learn the value of compassion, generosity, and stewardship. These experiences cultivate a heart for serving others and embodying Christ’s love in tangible ways.

Some of our service projects include:

Souls for Christ Shoe Drive – A mission team from our area travels to  El Salvador each December for an event called,  “Day of the Child”. At the event, which is sponsored by a church in El Salvador,  families are presented with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through songs and short skits. They are also provided with a meal and each child is given one pair of shoes (likely the only pair they will get all year), some clothes, and a toy. Our preschool sends about 100 pairs of shoes for this event each year. 

Gyero Care Center – The Gyero Care Center is an orphanage in Nigeria. The 100 children who live there typically only get one meal a day. Our preschool raised $1,200, which provided each child with 2 meals a day for a whole month!

Food Drive – Once or twice each year, we collect food for the Harrisburg Food Pantry. We typically collect “kid friendly” items such as canned soups and fruit. 

Sam Wallace Memorial Trike-a-Thon – This is a special opportunity for our Stepping Stones students to have a little fun, while raising money for the Sam Wallace Memorial Fund. Sam Wallace, the son of Jim and Lisa Wallace, died on February 22, 2011 when he was 13 years old. The Sam Wallace Memorial Fund was established in his memory to provide financial support to families of children with chronic medical conditions. The Trike-a-Thon is a fun-filled event where the kids bring their riding toys from home and pedal around a fun and safe course complete with a Trike Wash, Gas Station, Repair Shop, and a Snack Shack! Over the years we have been privileged to help 14 children and their families! This year’s recipient is a young man named Mason, who has recently been diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma. Mason has a long, hard battle ahead of him, but he has a strong faith and an extremely supportive family to help him through!

Of course, as a preschool, another one of our primary goals is to promote the cognitive development of our students to prepare them for Kindergarten and beyond. Through play-based activities and hands-on experiences, our students are exposed to fundamental concepts such as language, math, science, and art. By engaging in interactive learning, they develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a thirst for knowledge that serves as a strong foundation for future academic pursuits.

Another important component to our preschool program is fostering social and emotional development. In a warm classroom setting, children learn to interact with peers, share resources, and communicate their thoughts and feelings effectively. They also develop important social skills such as cooperation, empathy, and conflict resolution, which are essential for building positive relationships and navigating the complexities of the social world.

In addition to spiritual, cognitive and social-emotional development, we also strive to promote the physical development of our students.  Our FitKids program is a fun and engaging way to introduce children to the benefits of staying active. The curriculum includes a variety of gross motor activities designed to develop particular skills.  Students also learn essential social skills such as cooperation, teamwork, and communication while engaging in physical activities together. 

As you can see, Stepping Stones Preschool plays a vital role as we endeavor to educate the youngest members of our community! The learning that takes during the preschool years lays the groundwork for a lifetime of learning and success.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 9
/

PO Box 970
4560 Hwy 49 S., Harrisburg, NC 28075
Send Us an Email
(704) 455-2311

© Harrisburg United Methodist