The Barn is the brainchild of Dan and Jane Wellumson, who moved to
a farm near Glenwood City, Wisconsin in the spring of 1999. In March of 2000
they invited two other families to join them in organizing a youth ministry
for the area. The Wellumson's barn was chosen as a venue, since the upper level
was not in use. (By now you can probably guess how we came up with the name.)
It took a lot of work to remove the old hay and other stuff that
had accumulated in the fifty-plus years since the barn had last been cleaned
out. After that, and over the course of the summer, many people put in hours
of work building a stage, putting up lights, wiring, and installing windows.
In addition, we acquired a sound system and gathered together a plethora* of musicians to
lead us in cutting-edge worship music. Last season two Christian bands performed at The Barn;
this season we're planning more of the same.
One of our most popular activities is drama. We have enjoyed a wide
range of presentations, including comedy, improvisation, and short plays.
This summer we are planning drama workshops, "commercials", and maybe even some weird
puppet shows.
At The Barn we play a lot of games and sports. Some of the
favorites are soccer, water balloon volleyball, and "I See The It". Indoors
we play "The Rope Game", foosball, and cutthroat musical chairs. (Believe me,
it is surprisingly fun!)
After the games, let the snacks begin! We invite everyone to bring a snack to share
(balanced nutrition is important)... the staples include licorice, popcorn, chips,cookies,etc.
The sky (and the calories) is the limit! We provide all the beverages.
Of course, the main purpose of The Barn is to share the message of
Christ's love and salvation. Every week one of the adults gives a fifteen-
to twenty- minute talk that presents the Gospel in some form. Occasionally
we watch a video that serves the same purpose.
We invite you to come and visit The Barn in person (feel free to bring a friend
or two). If you want more information, search the rest of this website, or call
one of the phone numbers on the "Where Are We?" page. Thanks!
*Plethora means "an oversupply" of something, like a surplus.
The Barn is managed by a loosely organized committee fondly referred to as "the Core Group." This is a collection of adults and teens who are committed to the planning and implementation of the weekly Barn activities. (Wow! They must be really important and special!) Actually, almost anyone may be asked to join the core group; the only requirements are a willingness to serve and agreement with the statement of faith.
The group currently consists of eleven adult leaders and a whole heap of teenagers. Their responsibilities include cleaning the barn every week, planning games and special events, music team, drama team, etc. They also meet before each session to pray for the evening's activities and for the kids who will be there.
The adult leaders are listed below.
DAN & JANE WELLUMSON- Dan has been in law enforcement for most of his adult life, and is currently police chief of Glenwood City, Wisconsin. Jane is a full-time, homeschooling mom. They have four children, and attend the Hope E.V. Free church in Oakdale, Minnesota.
PAUL & BARB BARTZ- Paul and Barb own and operate a dairy farm near Connorsville, Wisconsin. Barb homeschools their three children. They attend the Faith E.V. Free church in Boyceville, Wisconsin.
STEVE & RONDA OLSON- Steve is a blocklayer and is studying to be a chemical-dependency counselor. He serves on the worship team at Living Word Chapel in Forest, WI, where Ronda is a deaconess. They have two children, who Ronda homeschools.
JIM & KAREN KERSTING- Jim works for the Wal-Mart distribution center in Menomonie, WI. Karen works at the Boyceville and Glenwood City Public libraries, and they have three daughters. They are members of the Valleybrook Church in Eau Claire, WI.
JEFF & ANNE KUSILEK- Jeff is a framing and roofing contractor, while Anne is a full- time homeschooling mother of seven. They live near Reeve, WI; and are members of a home fellowship.
MELISSA KADINGER- Melissa and her husband, Jason live in Connorsville, WI with their two sons. They have a Christian band, Red Clay, and are active in their church, Calvary Chapel Christian Fellowship in Menomonie, WI. Melissa also serves as a phone volunteer for Caring, which reaches out to unwed mothers in Dunn County.