Kalamazoo: Westwood UMC’s new ministry, Paddles and Prayers, went from concept to birth thanks to the Michigan Conference’s Seed to Harvest ministry incubation program. Read their story and join a free informational session in August to learn more about Seed to Harvest.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
Last month, Westwood UMC launched a new ministry on the Kalamazoo River, bringing people together around a shared interest in kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding, as well as a desire to connect with others and get closer to nature — God’s good creation.
The idea for Paddles and Prayers was a “seed” held dormant for many years by Rev. Sean Kidd, pastor of Westwood, until he heard about the Michigan Conference’s Seed to Harvest ministry incubation program, which helps individuals home in on an idea and assist in bringing it to life.
Westwood UMC welcomed about 50 people for the first paddle on June 8. Barring bad weather, this ministry is held on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 6 pm. And it’s drawing people from within the congregation and outside, from experienced kayakers to people who have never been on the water before. Currently, they’re renting boats from a local livery until they raise enough money to purchase their own.
“About 15 people who floated at the launch were community members,” said Kidd. “We had one family show up, and I asked them how they heard about this, and the woman said she found it on Facebook because we said everything is free.”
Paddles and Prayers aims to make this ministry accessible to all, as not everyone has the necessary equipment, so the church provides everything. “We’ll rent the kayaks for you,” continued Kidd. “We have boxed lunches from a local catering company, so we’ll feed you. You just show up, and we’ll take care of it from there. And they grabbed on to that. We had a family of six, and four of them are coming back this coming Sunday. So, I was really excited about that.”
The shared interest in exploring the waterways of Michigan in nature is one vehicle through which this ministry hopes to foster peace and unity among church and community members. As the ministry’s brochure states, “We believe that by connecting individuals on the water, we can transcend our differences, cultivate understanding, and build community rooted in compassion and collaboration.”
Participants get to know one another during the two-and-a-half-hour float and build new relationships. But they also take time in silence, paddling along and reflecting on ancient prayers and wisdom that church leaders give to the participants at the start of each time together.
Each person receives a laminated prayer card that they can take with them on the water. Right now, they’re working their way through the Prayer of St. Francis (“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”). At the end of the paddle, church leaders gather everyone on the shore, where they have a meal and discuss what they saw, heard, and thought about during their experience.
Kidd explained, “We talked about what we saw on the river, what we felt on the river. And then we talked about how we can be instruments of peace on social media by avoiding getting drawn into some of the divisive things we see. The reflection piece is short, for we didn’t want to bombard or overwhelm them, and I think it was just about the right time, and people seemed to really come away and have something to think about.”
Rev. Kidd is excited about this new ministry and hopes the idea will spread across the conference. “I have no idea where God is going to take this ministry,” said Kidd, “but I would love to see different ‘outposts’ spring up in other areas and have this ministry grow and touch as many as possible. As we know, church attendance has been on decline, but people’s interest in spirituality and connecting with God is growing. Where the church is going to have its greatest impact right now is outside the four walls of buildings, which is the missional model. And so, we just need to strike while the iron’s hot.”
Thanks to the Michigan Conference’s Seed to Harvest program, Paddles and Prayers went from a seed of an idea into a brand-new ministry that is reaching people with the good news of God’s peace and love. And it’s the kind of outside-the-box ministry that is making an impact.
Being part of a Seed to Harvest ministry incubation cohort of peers seeking to launch or reboot their own ministry idea was so helpful to Kidd. The Seed to Harvest leaders provided excellent facilitation for the monthly online meetings. Plus, they provided a $750 grant that helped with branding and creating promotional materials to get the ministry off the ground.
“The cohort really helped me land on a title for the ministry,” noted Kidd. “Originally, I called it Kayak Church. They also helped me determine the audience and identify the needs in my community. They also critique your ideas and give you feedback, so that you can develop and practice your ‘elevator speech’ to your group and get comfortable with your ministry idea. Because of this, I have had face-to-face sit-downs with the CEOs of some corporations and private donors. I’ve never been a fundraiser before, and so that has been something that I’ve gotten comfortable with because of their tutelage.”
Paddles and Prayers seeks to be sustainable, so they have used grant money to convert a trailer into a kayak trailer. They’re also on the lookout for used kayaks to purchase for ministry participants to use, rather than having to pay to rent them.
In addition to grant money from the Seed to Harvest program, which is funded thanks to Ministry Shares from Michigan United Methodist congregations, Paddles and Prayers has received financial support from a grant through the Western Waters District and a $3,800 grant from the Conference Leadership Council (CLC). The CLC is the steward of the Michigan Conference’s vision and strategy.
Rev. Kidd added, “We would love to develop disciples through this program and teach them about stewardship and other things. The ultimate goal is that as people grow in their discipleship and their commitment to what we’re doing, that this group of people that float every week would be willing to help support the program, and that we would be self-sustaining here in the next year.”
Paddles and Prayers is just one ministry launched through the Seed to Harvest program. Other stories will be shared in the coming weeks.
Are you interested in learning more about what it’s like to be a part of a Seed to Harvest cohort and be eligible for a $500 to $1,000 grant to help you revamp a ministry or take an idea and see it come to life? If so, sign up for one of the upcoming free, one-hour online information sessions and learn more.
There are four offerings, and the same content will be given at each. Choose a time that works best for you: Wednesday, August 13, and Tuesday, August 19, at noon and 6:00 pm Eastern. Register now. If this feels like a good fit, you can get ready for the next cohort, which begins in September. They will meet monthly on the second Tuesday, from September through March. Learn more.
Last Updated on July 24, 2025