Support UM News at General Conference: Your gift ensures that you and other visitors receive the latest updates, in-depth analysis, and diverse perspectives from General Conference.

Praise the Lord and pass the pumpkins

Texas goes big with most things, including pumpkin patches. First United Methodist Church of Georgetown, Texas, is in its 26th year of welcoming the community for pumpkin sales, photo-ops and other events. Professional photographer Andy Sharp captured the unloading of about 2,500 pumpkins on Oct. 11. Grace Avenue United Methodist Church in Frisco, Texas, has been recognized by D Magazine of Dallas as having one of the area’s outstanding fall pumpkin patches. Grace Avenue’s Pumpkins on the Prairie debuted in 2002. The church shared images from Oct. 16, when about 150 local students helped unload pumpkins.

First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, Texas, is the backdrop for a man wheeling pumpkins. The church is in its 26th year of having a fall pumpkin patch. Photo by Andy Sharp.
First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, Texas, is the backdrop for a man wheeling pumpkins. The church is in its 26th year of having a fall pumpkin patch. Photo by Andy Sharp.
Wagons are among the vehicles employed for moving some 2,500 pumpkins at First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, Texas. Photo by Andy Sharp.
Wagons are among the vehicles employed for moving some 2,500 pumpkins at First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, Texas. Photo by Andy Sharp.
A small boy gets in the spirit at the pumpkin patch of First United Methodist Church of Georgetown, Texas. Photo by Andy Sharp.
A small boy gets in the spirit at the pumpkin patch of First United Methodist Church of Georgetown, Texas. Photo by Andy Sharp.
Grace Avenue United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie has become a major fall event in Frisco, Texas, with local students helping get the pumpkins in place. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Grace Avenue United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie has become a major fall event in Frisco, Texas, with local students helping get the pumpkins in place. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Debuting in 2002, Grace Avenue United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie has been ranked as one of the best pumpkin patches in the Dallas area. This year, about 150 local students helped with unloading pumpkins for the church’s event. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Debuting in 2002, Grace Avenue United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie has been ranked as one of the best pumpkin patches in the Dallas area. This year, about 150 local students helped with unloading pumpkins for the church’s event. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Passing pumpkins can be a good workout, as local students found out in helping with Grace Avenue United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Passing pumpkins can be a good workout, as local students found out in helping with Grace Avenue United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Pumpkins of various sizes and colors abound at Grace United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Pumpkins of various sizes and colors abound at Grace United Methodist Church’s Pumpkins on the Prairie. Photo courtesy of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church.
Happiness is having straw to fling at the First United Methodist Church of Georgetown, Texas, pumpkin patch. Photo by Andy Sharp.
Happiness is having straw to fling at the First United Methodist Church of Georgetown, Texas, pumpkin patch. Photo by Andy Sharp.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now
Global Health
Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa holds newborn Clarence Rinomhota as his mother, Sarah Mushamba, looks on at Chindenga rural health clinic in Mutoko, Zimbabwe. The center, which was dedicated Feb. 22, is the final clinic under the United Methodist Nyadire Mission Hospital to be renovated. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Nyadire Connection dedicates sixth rural health center

New mothers express appreciation for the care they receive at revitalized church clinic, while staff tout state-of-the-art equipment and upgrades.
Global Health
Children from The United Methodist Church’s Chikwizo Primary School in the Mutoko Mudzi District of Zimbabwe line up to get polio vaccinations at Chikwizo rural health clinic, as part of the government’s campaign to eradicate the killer disease in children under 10 years old. The church’s health facilities vaccinated thousands of children against the disease in February. Chikwizo is one of five clinics under the church’s Nyadire Mission Hospital to be upgraded with support from The Nyadire Connection over the past decade. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Partnerships strengthen Zimbabwe health facilities

United Methodist hospitals and clinics thrive with support from partners enabling reconstruction of old structures to new state-of-the-art facilities.
Global Health
Doug Yetter (left), director of music at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, Del., accompanies the Parkinson’s Education and Support Group of Sussex County Choir during its performance April 10 at the church. Keeping active though singing and other physical activity can hold off progression of the disease. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Joy of singing aids people with Parkinson’s

At Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, there’s a new choir in town. It offers people with Parkinson’s disease tools to cope, including music and community.

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2025 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved