A birthday is a big event for preschoolers! Make the celebration of Mission Friends’ 130th birthday a big event throughout 2026. Celebrate with your preschoolers, and involve the entire church in celebrating 130 years of preschool missions discipleship.

 

Origins of Mission Friends

It all began with a leader who had a heart for missions and a dream to instill that love for missions within the hearts of young children.

Mrs. Anna Elsom taught Sunbeams in a little corner of her church, Fairmont Baptist Church of Nelson County, Virginia. Her pastor, George Braxton Taylor, was the son of missionaries to Italy. He too had a heart for missions.

As Mrs. Elsom taught the children, Reverend Taylor wrote the curriculum for the Sunbeam Band. Membership required a penny from each child, along with a gift of one penny each month, which all went to missions.

Reverend Taylor became known as “Cousin George,” and Sunbeam Bands began in churches throughout the country.

 

Sunbeams Comes to WMU

One hundred thirty years ago in 1896, Sunbeams became the special task of WMU. The focus expanded to include learning about missions, giving to missions, praying for missions, and doing missions.

Big changes came in 1970, when Sunbeams became Mission Friends. The age range for Mission Friends was set at birth through kindergarten.

Throughout the rich history of Sunbeams and Mission Friends, the task has remained on instilling a heart for missions within our preschoolers. That is something to celebrate!

 

How You Can Celebrate

• Have a big birthday party! Plan a birthday party event for your preschoolers and the entire church to celebrate Mission Friends 130th birthday. Include birthday cake or cupcakes, birthday hats, and streamers to decorate the church fellowship hall. Make a photo op area using photo props and signs from the Mission Friends Digital Package.
• Celebrate Mission Friends in your church with a photo slide presentation of Mission Friends in the past as well as current Mission Friends.
• Have a Mission Friends parade. Let preschoolers dress up in international clothes and sing the Mission Friends Song as they walk in the parade through your church.
• Encourage threes through kindergartners to give 130 pennies this year to each of the missions offerings: Annie Armstrong Easter Offering®, Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®, and your state missions offering.
• Plan with your pastor to recognize Mission Friends leaders and preschoolers in a special way during a church service.
• Join WMU in celebrating Mission Friends 130th birthday at the WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting on June 7–8, 2026, in Orlando, Florida.

 

Looking Forward

As we celebrate this big Mission Friends birthday, we look forward as our preschoolers grow in learning, praying, giving, and doing missions.

Just as it all started with one leader who had a heart for missions, it continues with you as a dedicated leader.

Thank you for sharing with preschoolers the heart of God for all the world to come to know Him.

Happy Birthday, Mission Friends!

---

Joye Smith served as the former WMU preschool ministry consultant.