 | As the Director of Children's Ministries, I oversee the care, special activities and educational formation of all children from birth through 5th grade. I officially joined the staff in January, 2002. Since joining HBUMC in October, 1995, I've been a teacher (for 4-year-olds), run the preschool Sunday school department, played handbells in the Sanctuary bell choir, served on the Linens Committee of the Altar Guild for 11 years (chairperson for the past 8 years), helped make Chrismon ornaments for the church's tree, current co-leader of the church's Zambian mission team. | Ellen Safrit
Dir Children's Ministries
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Fun Facts:
- Grew up in Winston-Salem, NC, and was a member of Centenary UMC
- Bryan and I were married at Centenary 12-28-91
- Graduated from UNC-CH in 1989 with a BA in Industrial Relations
- Have two sons, Paul & Stephen, who were both baptized at HBUMC
- Professional background in Human Resources (worked at Sprint for 5 years and for a temporary placement agency for 3)
- LOVE to talk with young children because I never know where the conversation will take me
- Have played handbells since I was 12-years-old
- Love watching movies of almost any kind..watch a lot of them over and over..and can recite LOTS of lines from WAY too many of them (Favorite movies are Gone with the Wind, The Princess Bride)
Defining Moment:
In the church where I grew up, sixth graders were invited to take part in the confirmation class. My friends and I spent the whole school year studying God's word, reading our Bibles, understanding the beliefs and traditions of not just the Methodist church but other faiths as well. What I remember most isn't the trips to other temples and churches, the time spent at each other's homes doing homework or even the celebration dinner at the end of our journey but the teachers who led our class. A young couple with young children, this man and woman gave a year of their lives to lead a room of 30 6th grade children to a deeper relationship with God. Their dedication to their calling, their love for one another and their children and their patience with me and my friends made a lasting impression on me. On days when I'm tired, frustrated or bothered by the challenges of my calling, I remember myself as a 12-year-old. I never know what child may be looking to me to lead them and I pray for God to fill me with the qualities my Confirmation leaders had so I can pass them on to the next generation of future leaders in the church. Nickname:
Laurie's nickname for me is "Wordy Wordsmith"... |
