Month: July 2026

For any questions please contact

Pastor Rachel DeLaune at RachelD@fumcwp.org.

Our campus playground serves hundreds of children and families every week! Built in 2003, our beloved play structure is now 23 years old. While our facilities teams have taken excellent care of it over the decades, it is finally time for a complete makeover to bring the space up to modern code and safety standards.

Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, church staff, and our MSEE preschool team, we have been researching options, receiving bids, and working closely with our Trustees and Leadership Council. We are thrilled to announce that a contract has been signed with Kompan to install a brand-new playground during summer break next year!

This project is already off to an incredible start: MSEE and their amazing fundraising team of volunteers and church members raised $137,000 at their April 26th event!

How you can engage:

Take a look: Stop by the playground today to see the current space and envision the exciting transformation ahead.

In Ephesians 2:19-20 Paul says “So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.”

We are built together, on one foundation, in one place. 

That is the idea behind many of our ministry objectives this year. Our staff set many objectives for 2026, and one of them belongs to Pastor Leah Gaughan, Children’s Director.

I met with Leah last week to get an update, and here is what she shared:

One piece of the Rise Together Initiative cast a vision for community building across all ages in a centralized location on campus — and planning is currently underway! Part of this vision included relocating the Nursery to a space nearer the courtyard, where families and congregation members can connect with ease on Sunday mornings. 

Our first stage of conversation has begun with the children’s ministry team, the nursery coordinator, and seven families with nursery-aged children. Each of these groups and families provided input on potential locations. Rooms and spaces are being evaluated based on the ages of children served and current nursery needs.

This fall, the next step will be identifying the specific amenities a new space might require — including restrooms, sinks, a check-in area, a nursing space, and safety and security features that meet child protection compliance standards. From there, we will work with the Trustees and the newly formed committee, allocating funds for New Initiatives to determine what is possible as this objective moves forward.

I’m looking forward to seeing the courtyard as a hub for connection! Further updates will be shared as planning progresses — stay tuned. 

Let’s keep building together. 

For any questions please contact Pastor Rachel DeLaune at RachelD@fumcwp.org.