By Alisa Gershman
Community is everything to many of the people living in the Bloomingdale area. People always try and reach out a lending hand whenever it is needed and provide help for others around them. That is no different with longtime resident of the area Jill Andrew.
Known for her warm and loving presence, she has fostered this environment through methods she experienced at a young age.
Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Andrew lived in a small town with a significant Amish population. There is where she learned and grew up, influenced by the one-room schoolhouse method of teaching. She knew when she started her journey as the director of children’s ministry at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, about 20 years ago, that she would want to incorporate that method into teaching her own students.
She believes in the importance of families in each of our lives, so having siblings and even older family members together on Sundays to learn Bible stories and share the word of God is vital to her lessons and teachings.
She shared, “The children become one family. An only child now has younger and older siblings. A wide age difference between siblings seems to disappear. It matters not where they are on their faith journey, as all are welcome.”
Celebrating her 20th anniversary at the church, Andrew is reflecting on the wonderful memories she has made with the children, some of whom even come back to visit after years of being out of their schoolroom.
“It is not uncommon for them to insist on returning with the children to the classroom. It is then I know we created wonderful childhood memories, and oh I do love their hugs too,” she said.
While she spends much of her time with the lovely children, Andrew is also active in other ways within the church. She is a tenor in her local choir and helps plan many fun activities, along with Sunday services. For example, she and the church recently did ‘Church To Go,’ wherein children could paint their own flat Jesus to take along with them on their summer vacations.
Andrew has made a lasting impression on her community, not only at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale but also with anyone who has crossed her path. She continues to show the love of God to the children at her services and plans to hold more fun events for them in the future.
Bloomingdale Presbyterian is located at 710 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. For more information about the church or to connect with Andrew, call 813-654-3699.
