OUTREACH
I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers of mine, you did for me.
Mathew 25:40
There are many opportunities at Church
of the Messiah to care for our community and the world. The
following programs are coordinated by one of three groups: Missions
(missions beyond Columbus), Church and
Society (local outreach and social issues), or Evangelism.
Be sure to check the News
and Calendar pages because events are happening all the
time!
Click on a ministry to find out more:
Africa
University Endowment
Messiah developed a special relationship with Africa
University, located in Zimbabwe, after several teams and individuals visited Africa
University. Africa University is the first United Methodist
University on the continent of Africa. The education provided
helps strengthen the future of African nations and the
stability of the entire region. Messiah funds a scholarship at
Africa University. United
Methodist Women's groups also support an orphanage there with
donations of clothing.
Bethlehem on
Broad Street (December)
Bethlehem on Broad Street, an interfaith celebration of many
churches, takes place in downtown Columbus each year on two
days: the Sunday before Christmas from 1-6 PM at the Broad
Street United Methodist Church where clothing and food will be distributed and
on December 25, Christmas Day, at First Congregational Church
where Christmas dinner will be served and gifts distributed.
Watch for the stable in the church lounge where you may bring
items and get information about how to volunteer. Each year we increase our goal. We have
filled over 500 bags of groceries for those who are in need.
Some of the items needed are: dry milk, cereal, rice, macaroni
and cheese dinners, canned meats or tuna, meals in a can (hash,
stew, pasta), spaghetti and sauce, 16 ounce cans of fruits and
vegetables, soup, pork and beans, peanut butter, wrapped bars of
soap, toilet paper, tooth paste, shampoo, feminine hygiene
supplies, disposable razors, infant formula, infant cereal, baby
food, and disposable diapers. Warm clothing is also needed. Clean out your
closets and find those warm items that you no longer need. and
give them to someone who can use them. They need new underwear,
socks, knit hats and scarves for men, women, and children of all
ages. Volunteers can help in many ways to make
both of these days a success. This is a great opportunity for
families, Sunday School classes, or any group.
Click
here to request more information or to volunteer.
The Giving Tree
Once again, it is time for a very special annual event at
Church of the Messiah! We have the opportunity to share the joy and celebration of our
Savior’s birth. The Church and Society Committee is
sponsoring the “Giving Tree.” Starting November 11, the
“Giving Trees” will be decorated with cards. Each card will
list a person and a gift idea. You can share your
blessings and joy by taking one or more of the cards.
Purchase the suggested item, wrap it, and attach the card securely to the outside of the package. Bring the gift with
you to worship service on December 2 or 3. All
gifts will be brought forward during the services. It is a
true joy to participate! Come join in sharing your
blessings and realize the true spirit of Christmas!
Habitat
for Humanity
Habitat
for Humanity (opens in new window)
is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that
encourages businesses, churches, organizations and people of
all faiths to work together to eliminate substandard housing.
Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, there are now
1,595 Habitat affiliates in the U.S. and 79 countries in
addition to the U.S. Members of Church of the Messiah have a
goal to build one home a year under the direction of a
seven-member steering committee which meets the first Tuesday
of each month.
Harvest Weekend
At our covenant partner
church, Hilltop United Methodist Church in Mutare,
Zimbabwe the entire congregation gathered in August for
Harvest Sunday. Each person brought his or her
special gift forward in preparation for the ministry of the
church for the coming year. Here at Church of the
Messiah we too will celebrate Harvest Weekend
both as a way of “producing great praise to God” and as a
way of planning for our ministry in the coming year. Begin
now to pray for God’s guidance for what you are being called
to bring as your gift for the coming year. You will receive
a letter of invitation as well as some resources to help you
plan and prepare for this special weekend.
Join me
in praying: O God, what do you want to do through me
and through Church of the Messiah to transform the world? -
STL
Heifer Project
International
This worthwhile program focuses on providing long-term
solutions to world hunger. Families in communities around the
world and the US are provided with one pair of food producing
animals, such as chickens, rabbits, goats, cows, or pigs --
even bees! They commit to then donate the first female
offspring to another family, thereby spreading self-sustaining
development within their community. The Missions Committee
does an annual drive for Heifer around Christmas time. People
are encouraged to "give a pig" or other animal to
someone for Christmas. The recipient receives a card notifying
them that a gift of an animal has been given in their name. Click
here to visit the Heifer International Web Site. (opens
in new window) Watch for information in the bulletin
and messenger about the annual drive. Donations may be made
at any time.
 International
Childcare (ICC)
ICC is located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. They run Grace
Children's Hospital and are crusaders against Tuberculosis, an
epidemic on the island. Through hospital care and community
nurse visitation, ICC provides pre and post natal care,
immunizations and TB treatment. A Volunteers In
Mission trip went to Haiti in 1999 and Messiah supports
ICC financially.
Click
here to learn more about ICC. (opens in new
window)
Kairos and
Epiphany Prison Ministries
The mission of Kairos is to bring Christ's love and
forgiveness to all incarcerated individuals, their families,
and those who work with them, and to assist in the transition
of becoming a productive citizen. Epiphany is a similar
program working in juvenile detention centers.
Click here for more
info.
 McCurdy
School
McCurdy School, founded in 1912, is a private Christian school
affiliated with the United Methodist Church. McCurdy enrolls
about 500 students each year. Classes are college preparatory,
and an AA sports program is in place. Excellent counseling
emphasizes effective and positive change for violence
prevention and various support groups. Volunteers
in Mission (VIM's) serve as tutors and in other
capacities. Messiah has sent both youth and adult VIM teams to
McCurdy school in past years and also funds a scholarship at
the school. You can also help by saving Campbell's Soup
Labels. Amazingly, McCurdy has purchased three vehicles
through the Campbell Soup program!
Click
here to learn more about McCurdy School.
(opens in new window)
Missionary
Support
Messiah's dollars help support a number of individuals who
have responded to God's calling to be missionaries. Revs. Drs. Michael & Anita Dohn serve
the Dominican Republic in a medical mission.
http://www.sam-usa.org. Dennis and Dee
Dee Heffner run the McCurdy School in
New Mexico, in one of the most poverty stricken regions of the
United States. Jeanne/Gaston Ntambo is the only native African pilot
in the Wings of the
Morning flight ministry in the Congo. Gaston earned a
degree in aviation maintenance in Toledo with the help of the
United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Jeanne, were
commissioned as UM missionaries November, 2001 and serve in
this ministry together. Nicholas and Esther Gitobu are serving
in Cambodia. Further information on the Heffners,
Ntambosw and Gitobus can be found at
www.gbgm-umc.org/work/missionaries/biographies. Chuck and Barb McLean are serving
as English as a Second Laguage (ESL) teachers at the
University of Nations in Hawaii. This campus trains
and sends out disciples all across the world.
www.uofnkona.edu
Open Shelter
This ministry provides dinner to homeless men at the Columbus
Open Shelter on the first Wednesday of every month. Many
groups and Sunday Schools find this is a service they can
provide once or twice during the year. It is also a meaningful
service for families to do together. Open
Shelter (opens in new window) is the
only "24-hour emergency walk-in shelter" for men in
Central Ohio. It has no admission requirements. The Open
Shelter is the most utilized shelter in the State of Ohio. Click
here to request more information or to volunteer.
P.A.W.S.
P.A.W.S. stands for "Pets Are Working Saints". This
unique ministry unites animal lovers and their pets with
people in nursing homes. Elderly people are especially at risk
for loneliness and a sense of isolation. A visit from a
P.A.W.S. representative with a dog can brighten their day and
even provide real health benefits. Click
here to request more information or to volunteer.
Dinner at New Life UMC
and/or Donate Needed Personal Care
items
The Church and Society
Committee asks you to be involved in this ministry as
we provide a Sunday dinner to the low-income families served
by New Life UMC. On Sunday, November 26, we will be
making and serving dinner for approximately 125 men, women
and children. We will also be collecting personal care
items (toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and disposable
razors). We need your help! Please volunteer in one
of the following ways: Donation of food (see list below) or
Volunteer to help at one of the times below:
-
Noon
- 1:00 - Slice ham and pie in Messiah kitchen – help load
food into van
- 2:00 - 4:00 - Prepare food at New Life Church/ set
tables.
-
4:00 - 6:00 - Serve food, cleanup
-
6:30
- Return to Messiah
Please
indicate how you will share your gifts in this ministry.
Please return this form to the church office, place in
collection plate, or fax (614-882-2161). Questions?? Call
Melanie Jerse (891-6330) or Marty Wolfe (891-6016). Food
needs to be delivered to our church kitchen by noon Sunday,
November 26, please mark for “New Life”.
Click here to volunteer
by email
Urban
Church Partnerships
Church of the Messiah works with two churches in the urban
Columbus area: New Life United Methodist and the United
Methodist Church for All People. Both these churches are
serving a population of marginalized people struggling with
joblessness, homelessness, addictions, abuse and other issues.
Messiah provides volunteers to teach Alpha, work at the UM
Free Store, serve dinners at New Life, and other activities.
George and Eileen Howard are commissioned as missionaries from
Messiah to serve the Church for All People. Troy Salyers, from
Messiah, is also commissioned to serve New Life United
Methodist Church.
Click
here to request more information or to volunteer.
Volunteers in Mission
Through this program, thousands of volunteers have served
throughout the world. For many who have chosen this form of
mission, it has been a life changing experience. Volunteers
serve in both national and international projects ranging from
construction to evangelization to social outreach and medical
assistance. VIM teams organized by Church of the Messiah have
traveled to places such as Haiti, New Mexico or Zimbabwe.
However, VIM trips do not have to be organized in our local
church and many volunteer opportunities are available all
year. To find out where you can volunteer, visit the VIM
Web site. (opens in new window)
Westerville Area
Ministerial Association (WARM)
WARM is a cooperative effort among area churches to serve
people in need in the Westerville City School District with
Christian compassion. WARM provides short-term assistance
through basic food and clothing needs as well as helping in
emergencies with limited funds. It also provides access to
church programs and prayer to fulfill the long-term spiritual
needs of clients.
 Wings
of the Morning
In the remote regions of the vast Democratic Republic of the
Congo, a critically ill patient has few choices. There are
impassible roads, few vehicles, and no public transportation
system. Relatives may walk hundreds of miles carrying the
injured or ill on stretchers. Wings of the Morning provides
almost the only alternative. Using small aircraft, pilots
pickup people in remote villages and transport them to
hospitals. They also distribute medicines and relief supplies.
Wings of the Morning provides much needed transportation to
pastors and missionaries for them to carry out their work.
Church of the Messiah, through the Missions Committee,
supports this program and also Gaston and Jeanne Ntambo.
Gaston is the only Congolese pilot in the program.
Missions
The Missions ministry area overseas various ministries
connected with projects around the world. This includes
monetary support of Missionaries,
as well as mission projects such as the Congo air ministry "Wings
of the Morning" and the McCurdy
School in a disadvantaged area of New Mexico. Money has
been raised for Heifer International and
to build orphanages in the Congo. Missions also arranged to
sponsor Moses and Israel from Africa University
in partnership with Otterbein College and the Methodist
Theological Seminary. Messiah dollars are also sent for
disaster relief and other short-term needs. Most importantly,
Missions is concerned with keeping Messiah informed and
educated about mission outreach opportunities. Click
here to request more information or to volunteer.
Church and
Society
The role of Church and Society is to initiate and coordinate
the programs of the church that address social issues. Issues
include human welfare, political and human rights. They
especially focus on outreach in the greater Columbus area.
Church and Society sponsors such events as Bethlehem
on Broad Street, Open Shelter,
and Habitat for Humanity. Click
here to request more information or to volunteer.
Evangelism
This group recommends and promotes activities concerned with
member care and growth and outreach into the community. It is
concerned with making Disciples for Christ and encouraging
church participation. Activities include the Welcome Desk, Web
Site, community mailings and promotional publications.
Evangelism prepares Advent devotionals for the congregation
and also collects devotionals and Bibles to send to needy
communities.
Click
here to request more information or to volunteer.
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