Our church, Zebulon United Methodist Church, became a Lighthouse Congregation back in February 2023, not long after we learned that being a Lighthouse Congregation was possible. Since then, we have grown in our understanding of sharing the light and love of Christ and being a beacon of hope. We intentionally try to welcome everyone in our community to let them know we care and are there to walk alongside them.

Several ministries help us to shine the light of Christ to others. One is our monthly Open Table community dinners, and by offering a warm meal where all can come to the table, we have made new friends in our town and in surrounding areas.

Another vital light-shining ministry is our ZUMC Preschool, which reopened several years ago after being closed due to the pandemic. Our preschool has expanded to include 200 children. To connect with these families, we have Cup of Joy Coffee and Chats once a month. We are getting to know these families from our community and welcoming them into our Fellowship Hall for coffee, tea, snacks, and conversation.

Other important ministries that shine Christ’s light and love include the recent Community Easter Egg Hunt and a new Book Club. For the egg hunt, we had 88 children excitedly looking for eggs on our church grounds. Some of these children were from our Preschool. Our new Book Club is a part of Fresh Expressions—our effort to reach out to our neighbors in a new way. These sessions are held each month at the local coffee shop. People who have no affiliation with ZUMC have joined, and all are enjoying the lively discussions and social time.

Finally, our long-standing Food Pantry and more recently formed Baby Pantry continue to try to meet the needs of people in our community. We share God’s love and provision with individuals and families each week. We are grateful for the volunteers from our community who partner with us to keep these life-giving ministries going.

We continue to grow and strengthen our community for God as we shine more brightly for Jesus every day. It is a team effort and very worthwhile. With everyone’s help and support, we are indeed a Lighthouse Congregation in Zebulon and beyond!

Article by Pastor Liz Hounshell, Zebulon UMC