WAYS TO SERVE - WAYS TO GIVE
MISSIONS: REACHING OUR COMMUNITY AND WORLD WITH THE LOVE AND COMPASSION OF JESUS
Missions Update Do you ever wonder how much our church really gives to missions throughout the year? Each year for the past three years, we have given more to local, regional and international missions. In 2008, our giving to missions was $13626.76 In 2009, our giving to Missions was $16246.51 In 2010, our giving to missions is at least $18,809.00! This is the total reported to the West Ohio Conference, and it shows how small amounts of giving add up throughout the year. This total does not include many things like the hours given to hosting the Interfaith Hospitality Network or serving on mission trips, or UMM and WIF donations given to support the local congregation, church or its programs. It also does not even include in-kind donations like the hats and mittens clothesline or the cookies or socks and underwear collection for the VA hospital. So, we know that the actual giving from First UMC is much higher! Thank you for your generosity toward missions. Even in a tough economy, we come together and do so much good in the world. God is good.
Information on Our Missions
Information on our mission and service opportunities is listed alphabetically. For more information on giving to any mission, please contact Alicia Buterbaugh.
The AdvanceWhen you give to the Advance, you become part of the missional strength of the global United Methodist Church. You can select any of 1,000 missions in 100 countries, and 100% of your gift goes to the ministry you choose. You are invited to take a book about The Advance from the mission table in Fellowship Hall, or visit www.advancinghope.org.
Box CityIn October, our youth group members and friends sleep outside in cardboard boxes to increase awareness of the hopelessness of homelessness. Their activity draws the positive attention of area news channels and helps bring the reality of homelessness closer to our lives and community.
CROP WalkThe CROP Hunger Walk unites neighbors to help stop hunger and poverty here in our community and around the world. The money is divided between Church World Service for international hunger relief and the Franklin Food Pantry.
Easter Meals Our church has a tradition of donating Easter meal bags to the area food pantries. Our United Methodist Men and Women in Faith groups each donate money to purchase hams to go with the meals. Volunteers assemble and deliver the meals.
Franklin Area Community Services Food Pantry Families may visit the Franklin Area Community Services (FACS) food pantry once each month to receive baskets containing five days of groceries. More than a food pantry, FACS also offers financial assistance, elderly services, emergency food and shelter assistance, and special Programs such as Back-to-school, Thanksgiving Baskets, and Christmas Gifts. First UMC sends many bags of groceries to help fill the Franklin Food Pantry’s shelves through our Take a Sack and Bring it Back mission.
Interfaith Hospitality Network The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Warren County (IHN) provides shelter, meals, hospitality and support for homeless families. First UMC Springboro serves as IHN host four times each year. It is our single largest hands-on mission. We make our church home to up to five families for one week at a time at least four times each year. As many as 100 volunteers give their time during our IHN weeks at our church! There is information on how to volunteer on the mission table in Fellowship Hall.
Jackson Area Ministries Green Thumb Garden ProjectJackson Area Ministries cares for the basic spiritual and physical needs of families in rural Ohio. The Green Thumb (SEEDS) Garden Mission provides seeds and garden plants to help others gain self-sufficiency. Our church has supported this mission for many years.
FUMC Month of Service More than 150 people from our church took part in our month service mission opportunities in October. Some sewed or baked cookies. Others packed mission kits. Some made meals for Interfaith while others stocked food pantry shelves. And many of us walked together in the CROP Walk. As we continue to serve in 2011, we hope more will join us!
Health Kits In the face of natural disasters, violence or poverty, Church World Service hygiene kits can mean the difference between sickness and health. Baby kits help young mothers provide care for newborns in areas of extreme poverty or following a natural disaster. First UMC assembles many of these hygiene and baby kits every year. To respond to the call for health kits for Haitian earthquake response, our church sent 132 complete health kits with money for toothpaste and shipping. Our kits joined thousands of others from this area to be sent immediately to Haiti in early 2010.
Nothing But Nets Nothing But Nets is a global grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. Every $10 donation goes directly toward the purchase, distribution and education about the proper use of a long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net.
Operation Christmas ChildOperation Christmas Child from Samaritan’s Purse shares the Good News of God’s love with children all over the globe. We pack the simplest of gifts—shoeboxes! Filled with school supplies, toys and personal items, these boxes help introduce children to Jesus Christ. Local believers follow up with evangelistic programs, and many precious boys and girls alter receive Jesus as their Savior. In the last two years, we have sent nearly 100 shoeboxes.
Rebuilding Together DaytonRebuilding Together Dayton is dedicated to rehabbing owner-occupied homes for low-income homeowners at no cost. Red Bird Mission The Mission, Clinic, Mission School, Conference Church and Outreach Ministries in Red Bird, Kentucky provide essential services to people living in a remote area of Appalachia. In 2009, First UMC sent our senior high youth group to serve for one week at the Red Bird Mission. To continue to support the Red Bird Mission, please bring your Box Tops to the Mission table in Fellowship Hall.
Souper Bowl of Caring The Souper Bowl of Caring is the single largest youth-led mission in the United States. Our Senior and Junior High Youth Groups have collected cans and donations on Super Bowl Sunday for several years. The donations are divided equally between the Franklin Food Pantry and the SCAC.
Springboro Community Assistance Center Food PantryThe Springboro Community Assistance Center (SCAC) has grown dramatically since it was created in 2007 to assist a limited number of families. Our church donates many bags of groceries and provides volunteers to stock the SCAC shelves.
Stephen MinistryOur congregation is celebrating two years as a Stephen Ministry church. Our first class of Stephen Ministers is actively serving our church and community in this rewarding, lay-caring ministry and a second class is in training. Serving as Stephen Ministers begins with 50 hours of training. When Stephen Ministers complete training, they meet weekly with people experiencing challenges including bereavement, single parenting, terminal illness, job loss, long-term hospitalization, care giving to other family members, and more.
Sudan Emergency FundSince 2007, one-third of our Christmas Eve offering has been given to the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s work in Darfur, Sudan. This fund started at Ginghamsburg UMC in Tipp City, Ohio. It has created farmland, employment, schools, and water in an arid area decimated by violence in Darfur.
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Missions