A report on the Mission/Community Outreach Services provided and supported by the Congregation of First United Methodist Church, St. Charles, MO, in 2008.

“Risk taking Mission and Service includes the projects, the efforts, and work people do to make a positive difference in the lives of others for the purposes of Christ…”- Bishop Richard Schnase, Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church

Do you know how much the congregation of FUMC in St. Charles does in the way of community outreach and mission, in serving the Lord, by serving those who are less fortunate? You have touched the lives of hundreds of people through your donations and hands-on volunteer efforts.

The following are mission, outreach, and service activities in which FUMC members have participated through their gifts and their labor. Each of these programs or activities offers an opportunity for service to others.

At the beginning of each month, people who are desperately in need come to the church requesting help. This fund helps with those needs (utility bills, gasoline, etc.). There are rules and qualifiers so that the fund is used judiciously. The distribution is overseen by staff and volunteers. This year almost $18,000 was distributed, assisting 269 individuals/households. Money for the Fund comes from several sources: a church budget line item; 75% of grocery card sale profits; and individual donations. 2009 will see a growing number of people requesting help.

Every week on Wednesday, homeless men and women are picked up at the Salvation Army center and transported to the church via the church bus. At the church they are able to get a shower, a change of clothing, light snacks and fellowship. On average, 10-15 homeless men and women are helped with this ministry each week. This ministry was cited by Bishop Schnase in his recent book, The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. This program could easily be expanded to include a Saturday ministry.

SAM (Senior Adult Ministry) members prepare brown bag lunches, once a week, for day workers working through Labor Ready in St. Charles. Since its inception in June, approximately 1480 migrant workers have been provided with lunch.

This is a mail mission for American Soldiers overseas. Packages of small items such as candy, gum, magazines, toiletries, and condiments, are collected in March and November. Mission Possible packs and prepares the donated items for shipping. In total, 6,144 items, composing over 1,200 kits, were donated in 2008. Also, $130 in cash was donated.

Food pantry collections are taken on the second Sunday of each month. All food donations are given to FISH Food Pantry for distribution to residents of St. Charles County. In this past year, members of FUMC have donated over 10,000 food items to FISH.

Heifer International provides livestock and training to families in need around the world. FUMC youth headed up this project and raised over $7,700 in donations from the congregation.

Throughout the school year, volunteers spend an hour a week helping children at selected elementary schools with their reading. Currently, 15 volunteers are helping at Lincoln and Null schools.

A PET is an inexpensive, 3-wheeled, hand cranked wheelchair that provides mobility to people around the world who have been disabled by land mines, polio or other causes. Over $4,000 was donated by the congregation - enough for 16 PETs.

This past summer, construction was completed on the Methodist House at the Ashland Meadows subdivision in Wentzville. We were part of a coalition of eight Methodist churches in St. Charles County participating in this project. FUMC volunteers contributed an estimated 200 hours to this project.

The summer flooding devastated many homes and communities in the Mississippi River flood plain. Members of FUMC donated over two pick-up truck loads of cleaning supplies and other needed items to the flood relief effort. A work crew of 5 volunteers helped gut a home in Foley, Mo.

14 members of the Crusaders Class spent a Saturday at Metro, assisting with cleaning and building projects.

This event involved collaboration between the Missions, Education and Evangelism Committees. Church families and families from the surrounding communities were invited to spend a Saturday afternoon, in August, playing games, eating hot dogs and enjoying Christian fellowship. This year the event featured the Kidz Blitz ministry. A package of free school supplies were handed out to participating children. A total of 72 adults and children visited our church for the first time.

Volunteers In Mission provides mission trip experiences to members of FUMC. Several VIM trips were taken in 2008 (Caruthersville, MO, UMCOR, Hawaii work camp), involving 24 volunteers.

This is a family mission group for all ages. Missions projects have included a fall planting, packing care items for CHAMP, and Operation Christmas Child. The group meets the third Sunday from October through May, from 5 to 7 p.m.

This is a conference wide, multi-faith effort to collect items for distribution to people in need in the State of Missouri and worldwide. This year items were packed into health, prison, baby bundle, hygiene, and school kits. In total, 137 kits and $677 were donated by FUMC members.

Our Youth have been active in mission activities throughout the year: Middle School went on a mission trip to Springfield, MO. High School went on a mission trip to Texas Youth went to Festival of Sharing in Sedalia, MO Heifer Ark Donations for the Mozambique motorbike for Pastor Jonas Our youth also provided many services for Gina’s Kids. These kids attend Shepard Elementary. Many kids attending this school are homeless. Our youth have sent gifts at Valentine’s Day and on Easter. They sent Christmas Stockings, have written pen pal letters, and donated classroom necessities.

FUMC members participate by providing volunteers to cook, serve, and clean at the Salvation Army in St. Charles every Wednesday night.

This is a shoebox project sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, a non-denominational Christian organization led by Franklin Graham. Shoeboxes are filled with small toys, school supplies and other gifts for needy children around the world. Mission Possible led this project and packed 60 shoeboxes with items donated by church members.

The Christmas giving tree went up the week before Thanksgiving and was covered with paper ornaments that listed gifts for children. A total of 268 gift items were collected, plus $175 in gift cards, all delivered to Epworth Children’s and Family Services.

A clothing drive was held the 1st week of December. Over 1,200 items of winter clothing were collected. Warm coats and outer wear were given to Showers of Blessing. Children’s coats were taken to Null Elementary School, several boxes of clothing were sent to an Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and the remaining items were given to FISH.

Families brought new winter clothing items as a special offering to the Christ Child. In total, donations included 44 stocking hats, 76 pairs of gloves and 4 scarves which were given to local children in need.

Jogo United Methodist Church is our covenant partner in Mozambique. Besides an annual contribution from our church, our youth and children’s Sunday School classes, through their offerings and donations, raised an amazing $1548 to buy a motorbike for Pastor Jonas as a means of transportation to help him serve his community, and to provide Bibles, hymnals and other needs for the congregation.

The women of UMW are oriented toward support of Christian missions world-wide. In total, over $10,500 was donated by UMW in support of a wide variety of local and world missions. Mission activities included: sponsoring Bread for the World, Cookie Walk, and selling Christmas cards for Epworth Children and Family Services (104 sets of cards were sold at $10 each).

This is a global ministry aimed at alleviating hunger and poverty around the world. Bread for the World Sunday was celebrated on October 19. Church members donated $451 to this cause.

Sponsored by the Education Team, this is an effort to encourage members to carry a bag of grocery items in the car to be available to hand out to people they meet who are in need of a handout.

Once a month, a box was set out in the Atrium to collect toiletries and sundry items for the Salvation Army. Approximately 350 items were collected for this cause.

This is a prison ministry involving two weekends a year in which selected prison inmates in Missouri and other states attend a weekend retreat held at the prison. Two inmates were sponsored by the general congregation via the church budget, and one by the Crusaders class.

In addition to these projects, the Congregation, through its offerings, supports the following ministries: Kingdom House; Shalom House (formerly Metro Ministry); Epworth Family Family & Children’s Services; Salvation Army; FISH; and Volunteers in Medicine. A total of $11,000 was given to these agencies in 2008.

We estimate that the total amount of money funneled through Missions in 2008 was $80,000. Congratulations, everyone!

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