Last year at the 2024 Go! Awards, Riley Creek United Methodist Church in the Maumee River District was awarded the United Methodist Breakout Vision of the Year Award for “STEAM: Hands on Faith,” a ministry to inspire and grow the next generation of creative thinkers through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.  The award, sponsored by the United Methodist Foundation of West Ohio, included a grant of $2,500. The church was also awarded a West Ohio Conference Breakthrough Grant for an additional $2,500.

Below, Mary Burgi from Riley Creek UMC shares an update on this ministry.

What began two years ago with a dream and the honor of being Breakout Vision of the Year has blossomed into a thriving STEAM ministry!

Riley Creek United Methodist Church, in rural Ottawa, Ohio, has welcomed more than 300 participants through summer classes and STEAM Fun Day Sundays—introducing young minds to robotics, coding, art, engineering, and design. Thanks to our amazing volunteers, we’ve created a space where curiosity and creativity meet faith. And in true innovative spirit—we proudly became the first church in the area where kids learned how to fly a drone in the church sanctuary!

Submitted by Mary Burgei

Read more:

STEM Ministry Awarded Breakout Vision of the Year Award at GO! Awards Ceremony