Around The Community

MISSION TRIPS.
Anyone who has actively participated in outreach can attest to the spiritual growth and strengthening, sometimes even spiritual awakening, that occurs during outreach. While there are many worthwhile outreach ministries right here in our own community, mission trips offer something you just can’t get at home. No matter what the purpose of the mission (hunger, housing, health care, disaster relief and reconstruction, etc.), traveling to an area with profound needs will create a completely different outreach experience.

You will probably live in much more meager accommodations, eat local foods, meet people whose needs you might not otherwise understand, and learn that needy people are a lot like us, just living in different circumstances. Most importantly, you will be forced to put aside all the daily distractions that can make us forget the important things in life. Cultural and language differences can present difficulties, but also offer additional richness to the experience. You may be amazed at how adaptable you are.

Past trips have included a youth trip to Tennessee with the Appalachia Service Project, Katrina rebuilding trips to Mississippi, and an UMVIM trip to Guatemala. No trips are currently being planned, but we’d love to know if you are interested in participating in one.

VISITING THE ELDERLY.
Visiting our elderly and shut-ins is one of the easiest yet most vital ministries.  It costs nothing but your time.  In return, you are attacking a basic human pain: Loneliness.    Don’t know how to break the ice when visiting a nursing home or care facility?  The administrators of the facilities are ready to help.

Many will introduce you to residents who may not get many visitors.  Others may help you find a senior with similar interests or hobbies.  Perhaps you have time to simply read to a senior whose eyes have dimmed.  Other care centers allow you to bring well-behaved pets in to brighten the day for their residents.  And if you have young children, most of your work is done!  Seniors love to coo over babies and toddlers. Begin by calling ahead and offering your help.

HUNGER INITIATIVES.
Hunger is a huge local and global issue, but it is important to remember that it is an intensely personal issue as well. Each person who goes to bed hungry has a different story. Many of these people are either very young or very old. Many come from homes that have suffered from poverty for as long as they can remember, while others find themselves in difficult situations due to health issues, job loss, family tragedy, or poor personal decisions. No matter what the cause, no one should have to go hungry.

There are a wide variety of programs that each works in its own way to alleviate hunger in our community. There are also many that offer help and hope to hungry people all over the world.

    • The Backpack Buddies program is in full swing and going great, with 25 backpacks being filled with food each week. This program provides weekend meals for children who receive free or reduced-price school lunches and may not otherwise have adequate meals over the weekend. If you’d like to get involved as a substitute food donor (to cover vacations or missing items) or to help with preparing the backpacks for pickup by the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, contact Jennifer Ostling (847-4476,jostling@nc.rr.com).

 

    • The Society of St. Andrew supports local hunger relief agencies through its Gleaning Program. Gleaning is a means of saving usable food that would otherwise go to waste. Farmers donate the crops and volunteers come to their fields to harvest them and load them onto trucks. The crops gleaned vary throughout the year. Requests for volunteers come via email, sometimes with just a few days notice. For this reason, we have set up a PGUMC mailing list for those interested in gleaning. If you would like to be added to this list, please contact Lucinda Sullivan (lucinda.sullivan@pgumc.org).

 

  • The Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is the oldest and largest organization in the United States representing those who provide meal services to people in need.  While the main goal is to feed seniors in need, the programs provide elderly Americans with much more than just meals.  Several members of Pleasant Grove UMC deliver meals twice a month in the Raleigh area.  More volunteers are always needed.  For more information, contact Bob Starkes (barjstarkes@nc.rr.com).

 

Other hunger ministries that Pleasant Grove supports include the CROP walk and Souper Bowl Sunday.

OTHER OUTREACH MINISTRIES