The answer, it turns out, was right under their feet. A sneaker ball drew 150 guests in formal attire (and fashionable kicks) for a night of music and dancing that raised more than $3,000.
It was evidence of the new energy lifting this congregation in the Lincoln County town of Stanley. The arrival of Rev. Dana Pate in 2023 gave the church its first full-time appointment. Previously, Rock Hill shared a pastor with Burge Memorial in Mount Holly.
Church member Lewis McClain marvels at the momentum he is witnessing in the congregation. Fifteen new members joined in 2025.
“I’ve seen us struggle in the past to where we couldn’t pay the preacher,” he said.
Dana brings a business background and an uplifting, inclusive leadership style. She answered the call to ministry after 32 years in health care management, including roles at home health agencies, a rural health clinic and a corporate office specializing in hospice care.
Early in her appointment, Dana made it a priority to strengthen the church’s financial outlook. Church leaders presented a vision to the congregation at a quarterly town hall meeting.
“We wanted to make sure we’re financially secure and able to take care of ourselves,” Dana said. “What the bank was giving us was never going to grow our money.”
Rock Hill chose to invest in five of the Foundation’s managed fund options, an approach that will produce resources for ministry now and in the long term.
Responding to needs of the community
The church launched a mobile food pantry for seniors and families in underserved parts of the county. By meeting physical needs (hunger) first, folks in the church can establish a level of trust that opens the door to deeper Christ-centered relationships.
“We have made connections with people we would have never seen,” Dana said. “Some people say, ‘Why are y’all doing this?’ We want to let you know you’re not in this alone. We love you. And God does, too.”
To accommodate growth, Rock Hill would like to expand its building to add classrooms and a place for community groups. But first, plans are taking shape for the next fundraiser, this one with a denim, diamonds, and pearls theme.
Church member Thomas Huntley notes it will be held off campus – for good reason. “We just don’t have the space,” he said, “to accommodate what God is doing here.”
United Methodists work to preserve legal aid for immigrants
The roots of this effort go back to February when members of the WNCC’s Blue Ridge District traveled to Washington, D.C. for a march against immigration injustice. Four months later, the group turned its message into action.
Foundation will host workshop for clergy, lay persons
The Foundation will host a workshop on Stewardship in the Black Church led by Rev. Melvin Amerson, a nationally recognized speaker and author of numerous books on faith and generosity.
From passion to purpose: How a team hears and values the wisdom of every voice
One person's professional development may not seem like a game changer. But Maggie Armstrong now has a set of practices she can infuse into the work of Disaster Ministries. Healthy communication means greater capacity to do God's work.
