Missions & Outreach
As a church that cares for others both at home and around the world, we have an extensive program of Missions
and Outreach. Our missions teams have in recent years traveled to New Mexico, South Dakota, Arkansas, and Tennessee
as well as to countries such as Russia, Costa Rica, Haiti and the
Dominican Republic. We also provide goods and/or services annually to local
ministries such as Wesley Community Center, Huber Heights Fish, and the annual Festival
of Sharing. We provide and serve meals to the homeless in Dayton through St. Paul's Lutheran Church and
The Other Place homeless-shelter. Each month we also hit the streets of
Huber Heights providing random acts of kindness to demonstrate that God's
love is both free and VERY practical. Through our Kindness In Action
ministry, we have reached over 10,000 local residents using this very
hands-on approach to "sharing God's love." Another ministry we provide for
newcomers to our country is the Huber Heights English Language Program
(HELP). People from all over the world have been welcomed in learning not
only English as a second language but practical skills for independence in
our community.
Our current Outreach activities include:
- Faith at Works
Money is given to the congregation. They multiply the money and give it back to the church to be used on mission projects.
- Talent Auction
People donate craft type items and services for an auction. The proceeds go for Mission Projects.
- Jackson Area Ministries (JAM)
Seeds are collected annually and given to JAM for distribution to the needy in Southeastern Ohio.
- Festival of Sharing
Items and funds are collected for this West Ohio Conference project. These items and funds are distributed locally,
nationally and worldwide.
- Monthly Food Collection
Food is collected the first Sunday of each month for FISH or Wesley Community Center to help feed the needy.
- Saturday Breakfast at "The Other Place"
Breakfast is served once each month to the needy at a local homeless center.
- Produce Table
Church members bring in extra produce from their gardens to the church on
Sundays in the summer and it is sold for a donation to members who do not have
fresh produce. The Produce that is left over is taken to a homeless center. The
proceeds are given to the American Red Cross for disaster relief.
- Public Service Appreciation
Cookies and other baked goods are given the area policemen and firemen.
- Thanksgiving Food Collection
Grocery bags are handed out with lists of groceries suggested for a family's Thanksgiving. The congregation fills
the bags and returns them and the bags are delivered to three food pantries.
- Adopt a Family
Families are adopted for Christmas from a local center. The congregation donates gifts for each member of the family
and groceries for a week for the family. The gifts and food are taken to the center and an opportunity is
made for us to meet the families.
- Collection of Items
Campbell soup labels, eye glasses, hearing aids, cell phones, used printer cartridges and stamps are collected
throughout the year. These are used for mission work.
- Recent Mission Trips include:
- Youth:
- 2003 Indian Reservation in Martin, South Dakota
- 2004 Service over Self Mission (Local area repair of facilities)
- 2005 Hurricane Repair Work in South Florida
- 2006 Russia (Education)
- 2006, 2007 Costa Rica (Education)
- 2006,
2007
Memphis, TN (Repair)
- Adults:
- 1998, 1999, and 2002 Haiti
- 2003-2007 McCurdy School in New Mexico
- 2004-2008 Dominican Republic to work with Haitian immigrants
- 2007 Russia (Education)
- Future Mission Trips include:
- Return to McCurdy School, New Mexico, 12-19 April 2008
(Education & Repairs)
- Return to Dominican Republic
- Return to Costa Rica (Education)
- Return to Memphis, TN (Repairs)
- New York City (Repairs)
-
Reynoldsburg, OH (Repairs)
- The United Methodist Women, the Chancel Choir, the Youth, the Children's Sunday School, the Church and Society
Committee, and other groups of the church also give money and/or other items for mission projects.
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