Missions Information

Last Updated: 05-02-08

“Serve the Lord with gladness.” (Psalms 100:2a)

We, as members of Christ’s community, are to go to the community and the world to serve in Christ’s name through mission.

Children's | Youth | UM Men & Women | Opportunities
Great Day of Service | Interested?

CHILDREN'S MISSIONS
The children of First United Methodist Church learn about missions in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Confirmation and a monthly mission project.

V January- Stock Food Closet

V February- Collect pet care items for the Humane Society

V March- Collect magazines for nursing homes and hospitals

V April- Great Day of Service. Visit nursing homes.

V May- Collect pop tabs off of soda cans (all summer long)

V June- Vacation Bible School project (linked to VBS theme)

V August- Collect back-to-school supplies for UMCOR

V September- Stock the Food Closet

V October- Trick or Treat for UNICEF

V November- Operation Christmas Child

V December- Collect books for Family Circle Program “I am Thankful I can

Read” and collect items for United Methodist Children’s Homes.

YOUTH MISSIONS

V Each summer, the youth of First United Methodist Church go on mission trips to other communities or countries. In the past, youth mission trips have gone to Chicago, San Francisco, Costa Rica, San Antonia, Tampa, Charleston, and numerous other places. Youth have worked in homeless shelters, Habitat for Humanity projects, construction, painting, clean-up -- anywhere that their skills helped people in need.

V In 2007, the Junior High will go to Chattanooga and the Senior High will go to Puerto Rico through Youth Works.

V Youth also participate in local mission projects and the Great Day of Service.

UNITED METHODIST MEN & WOMEN

The United Methodist Men and Women support local, conference and international missions. They also participate in the Great Day of Service.

MISSION OPPORTUNITIES

Sunday School Class Mission Projects: Many adult Sunday School Classes support a child through World Vision, adopt a family at Christmas, support the United Methodist Children’s Homes, and support many local and foreign missions through volunteering and financial assistance.

Local missions: The people of First United Methodist Church serve God through serving their community in many ways. We provide volunteers and financial support to the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, the Crisis Relief Center, YMCA, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Boys and Girls Club, Challenge House, and numerous other agencies. During the Christmas season, we ring the Salvation Army bell, provide gifts for the children of prison inmates, and adopt needy families. In February, we provide love baskets of food for the needy. We keep a Food Closet for those in need of immediate help. Many of our members regularly visit nursing homes and tutor at the public schools. We actively support literacy programs with volunteers and funds.

Foreign missions: We support missionaries to Costa Rico, Thailand, and the Congo through the Kentucky Annual Conference. In recent years, we have sent mission teams to Mexico. Adult mission teams from First Methodist have also worked in Costa Rico.

Upcoming possibility: We hope to send a team to the Gulf Coast to help with Katrina reconstruction through Volunteers in Mission. The need is still great!

GREAT DAY OF SERVICE
Begun in 2004, the Great Day of Service is an annual workday, held in late April. Volunteers meet at church a 8 a.m. for breakfast, followed by a brief worship and Holy Communion, thin proceed to worksites for the morning. Projects in-house include activities for young children, collecting items for Soldier Care packages, and collecting cans to donate to Habitat for Humanity.

Community projects include:

V Cooking at Sanctuary House

V Landscaping at several public schools

V Clean-up of the banks of Little River

V Clean-up of downtown sidewalks, alleys and railroad track

V Work at Challenge House

V Landscaping at Jeffers Bend

V Building items for United Methodist Children’s Homes

V Visiting nursing home residents

V Playing bingo with nursing home residents

V Working on a Habitat for Humanity House

V Landscaping at Aaron McNeil and Alpha Alternative

V Building a walking trail at YMCA

V Planting at Hospice and Trace Industries

V Cleaning carpets at Pennyroyal Advocacy Center and Alpha Alternative

Volunteers work in teams composed of families, youth small groups, and individuals. There’s a job for everyone! Watch for sign-ups in the Gathering Area during March and April.

INTERESTED?

If you are interested in becoming more active in missions, please call Sandy Cavanah, Primary Task Leader for Missions, at 270-475-4604.