Missions Outreach Committee
United Methodists have believed, from the beginning, that each of us is called to participate in the outreaching ministry of Jesus Christ. John Wesley described this work in simple, practical terms: “Do all the good you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can.”
Putting our faith into action is at the very heart of our Christian calling. By serving through the outreach missions, every person in the church has the opportunity to serve and to live their calling more faithfully.
Our vision statement:
- Educate, inform, and motivate the congregation about mission outreach and their part in it.
- Connect to work being done by other groups within the congregation.
- Involve members of the congregation in mission and service projects in the nearby community, communities near and far, encouraging them to “go, see, serve, and learn.”
- Evaluate mission projects and develop programs.
- Report to the congregation on the benefits of its outreach.
The Missions Outreach Committee is open to anyone who wants to serve as a member. If you have questions about how to get involved, contact the Missions Chair. Meetings are usually held the first Tuesday of the month at 5:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall of the church.
Below are our “Missions on the Move.”
Global Outreach
Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now)
This is a non-profit, international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable, mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030.
Our church partners with several other churches in the valley to participate in the Rise Against Hunger. A goal is set and each church provides a designated number of volunteers and donations to cover the cost of the meals we package. Rise Against Hunger has packaged over 320 million meals to date. Each pouch feeds six people at a cost of 29 cents a meal. Our group of approximate 90 people can package over 30, 000 meals in less than three hours. In addition to the hot meals they receive, participants are encouraged to send their children to school and to attend trainings to learn trades. Meals are also used for disaster relief efforts.
Regional Outreach
Homeless Mission in Pittsburgh
Members of the committee and congregation have partnered with the Family Christian Church of Apollo. This church coordinates the distribution of meals to the homeless in the Allegheny Commons Park in downtown Pittsburgh. We are responsible for sixty lunches 1-2 times a month. Members of the congregation help make the lunches, and volunteers are sent into Pittsburgh to hand out the bagged lunches and clothing. We get to know the people who receive the meals. and their specific needs. Anyone wishing to share in this wonderful ministry is welcome.
Mats for the Homeless
For this mission we use shipping bags to make plastic mats for the homeless. They use them to sit on and as blankets at night. This year instead of crocheting them, we will be using a loom to weave the bags. We need lots of hands to cut the bags, loop bags, and weave bags. We meet on Wednesdays at 6 p.m in the Fellowship Hall. Anyone is welcome!
Angel Tree Ministry
Angel Tree is a program of Prison Fellowship that connects parents in prison with their children through the delivery of Christmas gifts. We have registered our church with this ministry. How it works: Sometime in the fall, Angel Tree coordinators will receive the name, caregiver, and contact information of children who were signed-up by their mom or dad in prison. Church members are notified of the program through the newsletter, bulletin, pulpit announcement, bulletin board and Ministry screens-and invited to select names from the Angel Tree display.Church members purchase, wrap, and deliver a gift on the Sunday that they are due. We place them under our Christmas tree as we pray for this ministry. The coordinators take the gifts for each child on behalf of his or her incarcerated parent-and in the process, share the Gospel. It is a wonderful way to share your faith in this ministry.
Local Outreach
Bible Discovery
We hold this mission twice a year. It is a six weeks program that meets each Wednesday in the early spring and late fall of the year. This mission is an after-school program for children in first grade – sixth grade from the Leechburg Elementary School. Each of the members of the church working with the children have his or her up-to-date and necessary clearances on file and permission from the parents to escort their children to the church upon their dismissal from school. We meet in the Fellowship Hall upon our arrival to the church. The children learn songs, lessons, do crafts and play games. We finish our day with the children by serving them a family style meal provided by members of the congregation. On the final day, we have a dinner for all the children and their families and our church members are also invited. It is a wonderful way to feed the minds and bodies of the children within our Leechburg community.
Bagged Lunch Series
We have expanded our bagged lunches to include a distribution in our local neighborhood. We began this mission this summer and found this to be the best time of year to share this mission. We make 50 sandwiches and add other food to the brown bag. We place a pamphlet sharing information about our church and Sunday church service times. We begin at 10:00 am and hand out the bags until all 50 sandwiches are gone. This mission has given us time to talk to those that come for the bagged lunch. We invite them to join us at church services or any of our upcoming events. We will resume this mission next summer. Watch for ways to get involved.
Easter Egg Hunt
The congregation bands together to donate plastic eggs, candy and what is needed for this ministry. This is a springtime mission. It is a fun time for all as we extend the hunt to the children in our congregation and the community. It is a great way to get to meet new people and get to know the children and their families.
Coat Drive
This mission takes place in early fall when we begin collecting coats for all genders and ages. We give coats to those in need. Members of the congregation donate new or gently used coats, and we hand them out during the fall food bank distribution. The event this year will be November 1, 2017. Come and help with this important mission.
Veterans Mission
At our service on Sunday, November 12, we will honor our veterans. As part of our outreach, we are planning a meal following this service. We are still in the planning stages but will be asking the congregation to help with this mission. Our veterans have served to protect our freedom. It is our turn to serve them with a meal in their honor. Please watch for more details on how you can help.
Fundraising Outreach
We hold several fundraising efforts to help us continue our missions throughout the year.
Trash to Treasure Sale
This mission is held in September. It reaches out to communities near and far. We donate any of the household items left after the sale to the Habitat for Humanity. We donate the clothing left over to a shelter or a non-profit organization.
This year this sale will be held on September 8 and 9 from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. We ask the congregation to bring anything that is gently used and clean to the church prior to the sale. We price and display the items for sale. We also hold a bake sale during this event. We can use help during this event. It is a great way to fellowship with members of the church and to gain new friendships. Please reach out to the Mission Chair if you are able to help this year in some capacity.
Pumpkin Roll Sale
This mission fundraiser is held in November. The pumpkin rolls are pre-ordered so that we can fill all orders and have a few to sell on Sunday. It is a great way to get involved in a fun activity.
Join Us
We are always looking for new members to join us. All you need to do is come to our meetings held the first Tuesday of the month at 5:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall.
Stay tuned for more information as we continue to develop and grow our “Missions on the Move.”
