Missions

There are always ways to get involved in missions. From food bank contributions, to trips, to building homes in the community—Epworth United Methodist Church is committed to: loving, serving and growing.

To learn about how you can get involved, we invite you to call the church at (317) 251-1481. Check out our video of our work with Habitat for Humanity:

Begin to think about how you can participate in one or our "life changing" challenges, like the following have done:

Beth spends time in South American communities, providing immunizations, health assessments, and medical care. Jane works with homeless children at Dayspring Center, helping them learn gardening and other life skills. Mona takes a global view of missions, and goes wherever she is needed to work or assess mission projects and mission needs. Ginny and Frank organize packing parties for Operation Classroom. Susie organizes support for the Angel Tree project. Dan and Lynn teach Bible study to disabled young adults. Many Epworth folks serve meals at shelters.

Pledge Drive
Each year, the Missions Committee offers members the opportunity to make a pledge of support directly toward mission programs. Donors may either designate that their pledge must be used in support of specific projects, or they may turn over the pledge to the Missions Committee, to be used toward projects selected by the committee. Although priority is generally given to service projects of the United Methodist Church and the church's worldwide relief through UMCOR (United Methodist Commission on Relief), the committee also supports projects outside the church when those projects address an area or a need not currently targeted for support from the United Methodist Church.

Special Appeals
When disaster strikes, Epworth also takes up special collections to support emergency relief efforts by UMCOR. All contributions to UMCOR go directly to the relief efforts. The administration of UMCOR is financed by contributions to "One Great Hour of Sharing".

UMCOR
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is always a rapid response to disasters at home and worldwide. Remember that a full 100% of your donation goes to the disaster area. All administrative costs are funded through the general church.

Loose Coin Offerings
Loose coins in the Sunday offering are collected to support a mission program selected each month by the Missions Committee. The name of the recipient of the current month’s collection is listed in the church bulletin each Sunday, along with a brief description of the program.

Thank you to all who continue to support the Zimbabwe Food Ministry. As a result of your loose coin contributions in November, 75 chickens were purchased and delivered to the Feed the Hungry Group of St. Mark's Methodist Church in Harare, Zimbabwe. Additional food was purchased through your on-going support of this ministry, resulting in a total purchase of over $1700 for items reflected below. The food was delivered for Christmas. Another large purchase was made in November. The food is purchased in Zimbabwe and distributed by the ladies of St. Mark's to an orphanage which also feeds street people in the area and a to an area where old people live. To continue to provide food, please annotate your check/offering envelope with the words "Zimbabwe Food".

Food Bank Collections
Groceries are collected year-round for distribution to church neighbors at East 10th Street and Forest Manor churches.

Mission Trips
Mission trips for youth and adults provide our members with opportunity for service and personal growth. In June 2008 a group of Jr. Hi youth went to Louisville to live and work in the inner city, assisting residents with upgrading community standards. In July 2008 a group of Sr. Hi youth went back to Mississippi to continue with community needs in a Katrina stricken area. In 2007 groups of adults and youth went on a mission trip to Baker's Chapel near Evansville to help complete the rebuilding of that UMC church along the Ohio River which was destroyed by a tornado.

On one trip in 2006, an Epworth youth group went to the Cayman Islands to rebuild hurricane damage. A different group went to the Gulf Coast in 2007 to help rebuild a community after Katrina, and are going again in 2008. Still others spent over a week in Liberia Africa building more school facilities for the UM mission there. Another group went to Heifer International to observe that worthy effort.