WUM Continues Mission Trips to the Bridge, Downtown St.Louis
Calling all missioners and helpers! We are still needed to help work the supper shift that feeds the downtown homeless people served by The Bridge, a United Methodost feeding ministry serving many of our city’s poorest people. They need teams of 3 to 4 people (Youth 14 and up can do most of the work, children ages 10 and above can do certain jobs.) the 2nd Sunday afternoon of each month. We are needed to arrive about 2:00 p.m., help in any way needed, and stay to serve the 4:30 p.m. supper, then some clean up, so finished by about 5:30. Please contact the church office at 961-4133 if interested.
If you are unable to work there, here’s another way you can help! Centenary’s kitchen has a whole list of staples that are always needed to go with the regular food donations they already receive. Please consider getting an extra of any of the following and leaving them under the lamp table in the narthex: dry navy beans, pasta (spaghetti, penne, elbow, lasagna), rice, sugar (loose or in packets), flour, creamer (dry), canned veggies (corn, carrots, mixed, green beans), canned tomatoes, canned marinara sauce, powdered punch or lemonade, chicken, beef and vegetable soup base, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce.
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” ( John 21:16) This is one very concrete way to share the love of Christ with our neighbors. Please consider taking part in this important mission. For more information, go to The Bridgewebsite.
Missions are a major focus at First United Methodist Church of Webster Groves. Our Mission Work Area leads our involvement in a number of projects throughout the year, including mission trips, the annual Festival of Sharing and our covenant partnership with a church in Mozambique. Other groups have started projects, such as serving meals at The Bridge, a homeless outreach project based at Centenary United Methodist Church.
Milwaukee Mission Trip, Inspired, Youth, Leaders
This video shows some of the activities youth enjoyed on the trip.
Joplin Mission Trip was Oct.20-24
Ten youth and seven adults returned recently from a mission trip to Mississippi to help families still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The following video illustrates some of the work they did, the worship they participated in and, of course, Beach Day! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdibRrOfip8&feature=youtu.be
Youth Mission Trip to Mississipi Life-Changing, Youth Report
We sent a mission team to Joplin, Mo., to help in the recovery of the recent tornado destruction. Dates were Oct. 20-24, 2011,
See some pictures of our team before it departed. Pictures of the trip should be posted soon.
Room at the Inn
First UMC serves as an overnight site for homeless families several times a year, providing transportation, dinner, overnight accommodations, breakfast and transportation back to the day site.
Room at the Inn (RATI) is a short-term shelter for women and families struggling with issues of homelessness. The goal is to provide a safe environment while individuals and families regain their self-sufficiency through counseling, life-skills training and job and housing placement assistance. A single site in Bridgeton, sponsored by the Sisters of Divine Providence, provides the structured program and shelter during the days. More than 50 interfaith congregations and organizations provide night sites. Our church is a night site on the fifth Friday of each month which occurs about 5 times a year.
As a host site, we provide transportation to and from the Bridgeton center, dinner, hospitality and fellowship on Friday evening, sleeping accommodations in Fellowship Hall, and breakfast on Saturday morning. There are up to 10 guests at each host night with about equal numbers of adults and children. The personality of each host event may differ considerably but the goal of providing a safe shelter, caring interaction and nourishment for the guests is always achieved. A pool of at least 25 volunteers and a total time commitment of about 100 hours are required for each event. The task is large but many hands have made the work manageable. Those volunteers who have interacted with the guests find it to be a meaningful experience and their lives have been touched by the exchange.. Click here for more information.
A YouTube video about our participation is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMP7qB-t7Qo.
MissionCast – New FOS Project College of Nursing, Ludihana
The Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital is a new Festival of Sharing project. In this MissionCast, Rev. Laura Taylor, from Concord Trinity United Methodist Church, tells about the wonderful healing ministry through the College of Nursing. The Festival of Sharing Coordinating Committee chose this ministry for support for the next three years. Information about the ministry may be found on page 21 of the Festival of Sharing booklet which is available from the Festival of Sharing office. (573-474-3332) Information, pictures, articles and other videos may be found by going to www.ludhianamissouri.org. View MissionCast atwww.momissioncast.com.
Coming 9/25: Sue Cobb from St. Charles will share with us at both services and during the Sunday School hour….check out this MissionCast before it is gone! We saw a very moving video last year, and sent $1,600. Can we beat that this year? The neat thing is they are training nurses who will stay in the country..so this gift keeps on giving.
Bridge Bread
Our church participates in this ministry, based at Centenary UMC, by buying bread each week. Here is a link to a video about the program, with a cameo appearance by our own Janice Hitchcock, picking up our order:
Covenant with Chipongo United Methodist Church in Mozambique
First UMC has had a covenant relationship with Chiphongo UMC in the Massinga North District in Mozambique since June 2001. Mozambique is on the eastern coast of southern Africa. Chiphongo is 34 kilometers east of the city of Massinga near the Chibukeni River. The church has 246 members and its pastor is Sarneta Wetimane Macurrumbe.
There is not a source of clean water. The people drink water from the river which is also used for bathing, washing clothes and watering animals. First UMC has donated money for drilling a well. It has been difficult to find a drilling rig that will attempt to reach Chiphongo. There is not a paved road to Chiphongo. There is a wide rocky dirt/sand path used for automobile access. We hope a well will be drilled this year.
Our commitment is to send $900 per year in support, but the needs are many. Employment is not available in Chiphongo. People sell coconuts, cashews and other agricultural crops in flea markets. Most women own small plots of land for gardening. Men and youth migrate to South Africa to work in the gold mines.
For more information visit the Mozambiquie Initiative Website.