Outreach projects are an important part of serving God by serving those who are in need. There are many ways to serve, whether through direct participation in service projects and mission trips, helping with fund raising, or providing resources and support – an prayer.  Please pray that meaningful work is completed in these communities and that close fellowship results in lasting relationships with one another and a strengthened faith for all. 

As part of the Outreach Ministries Survey, the congregation provided input was provided on which areas were of highest interest for intentional FUMC focus for outreach activities, with the top five being:

• Children and Teens in Crisis
• Hunger
• Homelessness
• Literacy & Education
• Social Justice

FUMC has many Outreach programs already underway, addressing these areas in a variety of ways.  The chart below provides an idea of how some of our current projects align with these areas of focus..

 
(Please note this is a work in progress and may be incomplete)

Mission Trips

Mission trips offer a special opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in need. 

Upcoming mission trips include:

When	Where	Contact
April 2008	Henderson Settlement in Appalachia	Ellen Lewis
June 2008	New Orleans (Sr. High students)*	Beth Miller
July 2008	Zeba Indian Mission in L'Anse, Mi (Jr. High students)*	Beth Miller

 

*Help support Youth Missions in particular by enrolling in our Grocery Store Certificate and GLScrip programs.  Details.

Here are some recipes we have collected from our brothers and sisters in Meru, Kenya!

Past Mission Trips

Summarized below is a summary of many of the recent mission trips in which FUMC has participated.

2008 Wesley Alternative Spring Break trip to New Orleans

2008 Wesley Alternative Spring Break trip to Honduras

2008 February Kenya Mission: Check out our  online photo album .

2007 August Appalachia Mission: A group of families from First Church returned to the United Methodist Mission at Henderson Settlement, Kentucky. The group worked on a variety of home improvement and organizational projects.

2007 Kenya Mission: Twenty-one from our congregation returned to Meru, Kenya to continue the work we began on the three schools that provide vocational and high school education to the poorest in the community. Check out photos of Bishop Imathiu's November 2006 visit to Ann Arbor plus new photos of building progress from the schools in Meru, Kenya.

2006 August Appalachia Mission: A group of families from First Church travelled to the United Methodist Mission at Henderson Settlement, Kentucky. The group worked on a variety of home improvement and organizational projects.

2006 Zeba Mission for Jr. High Youth: Youth (7th & 8th grades) returned for the eleventh year to the Zeba Indian Reservation at L’anse in the Upper Peninsula to lead a daily vacation Bible school program for community children in July 2006. Youth contribute by planning and facilitating the daily lessons with singing, drama, crafts, and games. The Zeba Indian Mission is a mission of the Detroit Annual Conference. Check out our online photo album.

2006 Zeba Mission for Sr. High Youth:  Youth (9th-12th grades) helped repair the Zeba Methodist Church and at the Zeba Campground where VBS is held. Check out our online photo album.

2006 Bularia Mission:  For the past four years the Sunday youth offerings have gone to support an orphanage feeding program in Yambol, Bulgaria. This young Methodist church, in a former Soviet-block country, provides food and various ministries to orphans and children from extremely poor homes.The Strangely Warmed Players drama troupe performed, we provided English and computer classes, a “day camp” for the children in both Yambol and Dobrich and we had fellowship with the Bulgarian churches in Varna, and Sofia. Check out our  online photo album.

2006 Estonia Mission: Several members of our congregation returned to Paldiski, Estonia in June 2006 to work on church renovations, making space for a Sunday school room and a pastor's study.

2006 Kenya Mission: Over 20 members and friends of our church travelled to Meru, Kenya to help set up a new school library and other projects in January of 2006.

2005 Estonia Missionaries: Several members of our congregation were part of a larger group in Estonia in June 2005. (Read a report from the Estonia Missionaries and see pictures of the trip on Webshots.)

2005 Zeba Missionaries: Thirty-three of our jr. high youth travelled with 11 counselors to Zeba Indian Reservation at L’anse in the Upper Peninsula to lead a daily vacation Bible school program for community children in June 2005. 
(See pictures from the 2005 Zeba mission trip on Webshots.)

2005 Puerto Rico Missionaries: In June 2005, fifty-six sr. high youth and 13 counselors led daily vacation Bible school for 80-100 children each morning and performed repairs at Camp Corson, a camp of the Methodist Church, every afternoon.
(See pictures from the 2005 Puerto Rico mission trip on Webshots.)

2005 Brazil Missionaries: In July 2005, the Strangely Warmed Players youth drama troupe performed daily for the International Christian Youth Conference. They travelled down the Amazon in the Methodist "Evangeboat," performing and helping to lead a vacation Bible school with a group from Tennessee. (See pictures  from the trip to Brazil on Webshots.)

2005 Appalachia Missionaries: In August 2005 families from First Church travelled to the United Methodist Mission at Henderson Settlement, Kentucky. A variety of community projects will be available for the entire family. (See photographs from the Appalachia trip on Webshots.)

2004 Kenya Missionaries: (Read a  report and see pictures  from our trip in 2004 to Meru.)