Local:
We serve in our local community through regular hands-on volunteer opportunities and our support of social service and nonprofit agencies. Two of our in-house ministries that we devote a lot of resources and people power to are our monthly outreach to wounded and recovering men and women at Walter Reed called Loaves and Fishes and our Welcome Home Ministry which helps to move un-housed neighbors into permanent, supportive homes.
We also have several ongoing partners in the community with whom we are regularly engaged. They include:
We also keep ourselves aware and informed about needs in our community and seek new opportunities in mission by having special events and occasional seminars. Some examples:
Our Alternative Gifts for Christmas project provides an alternative method for people to send Christmas cards to friends and relatives and give financial gifts to organizations that serve people in need.
National:
On a national level, BUMC is involved in a number of different efforts for disaster relief and ongoing mission work.
We also actively support the advocacy efforts of organizations that work for peace and justice in our country. Some of our national service activities include:
- Volunteers in Mission (VIM) Program - Regular hands-on service to disaster recovery areas including New Orleans and Charleston
- Our Youth participate in Faith in Action mission camps every summer. In past years they have headed to Mescalero, New Mexico; the Bahamas; Trenton, New Jersey; and Belize.
- Supporting the Children's Defense Fund and participating in their annual Children's Sabbath Program each October.
- Support of Methodists United for Peace with Justice.
International:
Our commitment to missions reaches out beyond our local and national concerns to the needs of the world. Some activities include:
- An ongoing relationship with the community Anse-a-Pitre in Haiti including annual service-learning trips, support for a local school and hurricane relief funds.
- Financial support for Sue Porter, a health missionary through the Board of Global Ministries serving in Ganta, Liberia
- Committing to support a microcredit program for an AIDS initiative through Opportunity International.
Other links to our international ministry involvement:
General Board of Global Ministries
United Methodist Committee on Relief(UMCOR)
Volunteers in Mission
For more information about our outreach ministries please contact Susan Bender or Shannon Snypp.