Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors!
Missions
Dolly Cocking
Missions & Hunger Chairperson
734-671-5211
January:
Soup-er Sunday on Super Bowl Sunday:
request members and friends to bring in cans of soup to help Soup Kitchen
and food pantry.
February, March, April:
Lent–
a. “New Life Project” –
Congregation chooses to give up snacks (chips, etc.)
caffeine, pop, frozen treats, gum, fast foods – one each week during Lent.
Money saved is donated to buy different items each week to complete
educational kits, hygiene kits, layettes, hot lunch programs, etc.
b. “Living Gift Project”for Heifer International.
Sunday School classes earn money at home for doing chores or through
projects such as selling cupcakes, cookies, pretzels and pasties to buy
flocks of chicks and cows for needy families in the United States
to have plenty of milk and eggs
c. Lenten Soup Supper.
Each person attending is asked to bring something the
Flat Rock Soup Kitchen needs (green beans, macaroni and cheese,
napkins, Kool-Aid, etc.) Four delicious homemade soups, corn bread,
and fresh bread are served.
d. A Mission guest speaker is the program.
The Third Sunday in Lent is the “One Great Hour of Sharing.”
e. ChristNet – host, house, and feed homeless for a week in church.
May:
a. “Giving Tree Project” for Children’s Week which takes place the week
before Mother’s Day. A large tree of construction paper is displayed and
each participant puts a brightly colored leaf on the tree to designate his
or her gift which may be filling a brightly colored box with all the items
listed children enjoy eating, buying a few items listed, donating money
to fill a box or donating money to partially fill a box (red, yellow,
orange, green leaves). One gallon of milk, bread and a carnation for
Mom is included. Names of children and their families are secured
through the local elementary schools.
All names are confidential.
We help these families throughout the year with our other projects.
A new list is acquired each year.
b. Liberia Collection from our Congregation.
July - October:
“Sharing Project”, Produce Table -
our gardeners bring in surplus produce to share with the congregation.
The produce is free for the taking, but if you wish you can make a donation
by putting it in a canister on the table.
These donations buy fresh produce for needy families when needed.
If there is a lot of produce left over each week,
we call the Soup Kitchen and they are very willing to use it.
August :
Congregation is asked to donate school back-packs
or items to go in these packs, such as crayons, scissors, etc.
which go to our local needy children.
September :
Throughout the month of September we collected funds for United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) for Hurricane Relief.
October:
Crop Walk in Flat Rock. A very successful event.
November:
a. Hunger Sunday –
the Sunday before Thanksgiving during the church service the
congregation comes forward at a special time to present their
food or money donations to our Sunday School students at the
altar. Donations are given to Flat Rock Soup Kitchen,
West Mound United Methodist Food Pantry, Hunger Coalition
and East Side Ministries.
b. Thanksgiving Baskets –
each Sunday School class brings in a different food item that
makes up a Thanksgiving Dinner.
Senior High Students collect from the classrooms and put together the
food baskets for local families in need, including a turkey.
December:
Advent –
a. “Sock It To Hunger” –
socks (red, green and white) with a small Christmas
ornament attached are placed on a Christmas tree for the
congregation to take to use as a bank or reminder of this project.
Each member or friend is asked to choose to give up one meal a
week or buy one less Christmas gift and donate the cost to UMCOR,
to help flood, hurricane or fire victims in the United States.
b. “Give a Child a Merry Christmas” –
each Christmas we set out large colorful gift bags with a child’s
first name, age and a possible suggestion for a gift. The
congregation signs up for one of these children and takes a bag,
limiting cost from $20 - $25.
These gifts go to our local children (30-50 a year). Also Christmas
gifts to the United Methodist Children’s Home.
c. Christmas Food Baskets –
the Senior High Students shop for items for a Christmas meal
including a ham and pack boxes for our local families with younger
children. Funds are generously provided by our United Methodist Women(UMW).
d. Heifer -
Share Christmas gifts are purchased.
Our United Methodist Women have made it possible for us to
extend our program with the following: · Summer food supplies
in July to our local families. · Money is made available through gift
certificates to buy local needy children school clothes.
· A tennis shoe and sweat outfit bank is kept going each year at
one of our local elementary schools who has disadvantaged
children so if a child is in need of a pair of tennis shoes
to participate in gym or if they need clean clothing from getting
wet, etc., they have a place to go.
· As was mentioned before Christmas Food Baskets. ·
Whenever there is a need for turkeys, plus other help to the
Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry at other times of the year,
the U.M.W. provides extra funds.
They are great!!
Some other requests that our church has done through the
UMW and Church Women United: · Blanket Drive · Coat Drive ·
Mitten, hat and scarf drive · Hygiene Kit Drive ·
Plus all the missions our UMW contributes to which they will report.
All this gives our congregation a variety of projects to be involved in.
Our Aunt Betty Group and United Methodist Men also have some great things going on.
