When local firefighters, EMTs and policemen receive a 911 call, they are usually responding to moments of crisis, fear, injury and heartache. Many times those calls involve small children. As these men and women try to comfort these children, they sometimes hand them a stuffed bear to hold onto and hug.

Covington FUMC has collected teddy bears to help in the comforting efforts of our civil servants. On Aug. 20, Dr. Doug Gilreath, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Covington, and the Rev. Gail Thompson, FUMC associate pastor, presented teddy bears to Newton Medical Center Director of Volunteer Services Martha Taylor, Covington Fire Department Chief Don Floyd and Covington Police Chief Stacey Cotton.

The United Methodist Women collected these bears last year and placed tags on the bears with a Bible verse. Kye Haymore, FUMC children’s director, will lead Covington FUMC children’s department in a Children’s Sabbath on Oct. 30.

The children’s department is asking the church family to bring more teddy bears on that Sunday to the altar of the church to be blessed before they are sent out to the community. FUMC will continue to supply bears to different agencies in the community.