Profile: Barbara Gaskill
Barbara Gaskill shares her gift of dancing with her church and her community.
"I think we’re all here to reach out to one another and help better connect with our Creator."
"Life is mission and we choose to be sent. Whatever spiritual gifts we've been given it's our mission, our duty, our joy to use them," says Barbara Gaskill.
 Gaskill, who started dancing when she was 3, has found a way to use her gifts to open the world of dance to children who wouldn't have the chance to learn ballet any other way.
She started the Ballet Studio, an arts outreach project of Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church in Washington. Located in a DC public school, the program teaches ballet to children in grades 1-12 who are primarily from lower income families or immigrant families. She also teaches dance history and appreciation at the University of Maryland College Park.
But being a member of Metropolitan is where she draws her strength. "The values and beliefs that I hold most dear are the ones that are part of my family life and my church life because those are the things that sustain me.
"I think some of the most joyful moments in my life have been experiences quite literally in this exact space, in this sanctuary here at Metropolitan Memorial — through great preaching and tremendous music and fellowship."
"Whatever spiritual gifts we’ve been given...it’s our mission, it’s our duty and our joy to use them, and to reach out with them."
– Barbara GaskillGaskill is involved in the service team at church that does hands-on work in the community, nationally and internationally. She served last year and this year as president of United Methodist Women at Metropolitan.
"I’m also director of the liturgical dance group here at Metropolitan, and we do one piece per month in the worship service in which we try to incorporate the movement directly into the liturgy rather than doing it so much as performance pieces."
Through all her work and service, Gaskill says what keeps her on track is a close relationship with God.
 "There are times when I’m just so excited and feel filled with the Spirit, and there are times when I am angry with God. Sometimes you have to give yourself permission, I think, to feel the whole range of emotions that you feel in any relationship. But understand that if that relationship is important to you, and that relationship is important to me, that you just keep on struggling, and see where it goes."
Gaskill said faith plays a role in every aspect of her life as she works with and reaches out to children from Ethiopia, El Salvador, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and all their parents at the elementary school.
"I think the phrase that comes most to mind is pray without ceasing. And I find myself very often spending the whole day praying in one way or another that I’ll be able to have the right words for this situation or that situation or the other situation.
"The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from my various life experiences is that you often have more strength than you think you have. And if you leave yourself open to listening to God and to what God has to say ... that strength can carry you to a lot of very interesting places."
The following people contributed to this Profile:
Audio story by Mike Hickcox; print story by Kathy Gilbert; videography by Bruce Liffiton, Visual Edge Productions.
UMC.org Profiles are produced by Pam Price, 615-742-5405.
Barbara's Spiritual Gifts
- Compassion
- Healing
- Interpretation of Tongues
- Administration
- Servanthood
- Apostleship
Learn more about your spiritual gifts
Barbara's Recommended Resources
Disciple Bible Study
Gerard Manley Hopkins: The Major Works
The Spirit Moves: A Handbook of Dance and Prayer by Carla De Sola
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Romans 8
High Resolution Video for use in worship services
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