A lot of people might pray earnestly while trying to survive another grueling workout, but few have the opportunity to connect mind, body and spirit like the members of White Pines United Methodist Church in Belmont.
Going to worship in a hooded sweatshirt is the norm and being an active participant at White Pines likely means being a member of Wolverine World Wide Family YMCA.
Bev Thiel, the branch’s executive director, is a member of White Pines and soon after the church made the building its home she contrived the idea of a Sunday morning fitness group.
To say it has been a hit would be to put it mildly.
“The church was meeting to talk about how they could make an impact and I had done something similar at my past church before I moved here so I just kind of brought up that concept to (Rev.) Jeff (Williams),” she said. “It was the concept of a small group working out together and adding a spiritual kind of dimension to it.”
Rockford resident Tam LeFurge-McLeod was a member at Rockford UMC for about 10 years before her family felt called to be part of this new church start-up.
Lefurge-McLeod said the 70-80 member church has not only provided her family new opportunities — her husband learned how to play the flute because the praise band had a void and her college-age son developed speaking skills through participation in church services — but the idea that the church can serve another major function is exciting to her.
“It has been great for building community. You know a lot of times you go to church, at least I did…and it was easy to just walk in when church started, worship and then walk out when it ended,” she said. “When we work out together it brings up so many opportunities to just talk about your week, talk about plans, talk about concerns…so we have a workout and we always pray at the end.”
