You Can Make a Difference
If you want to make a difference in the lives of others, then we invite you to get involved in one of the many opportunities for outreach here at First United Methodist Church of Graham. We believe that as a church we have been called to reach out to those in need in our church, in our community and in our world.
Whether it is serving monthly at the Friendship Meal or building on our Habitat house or visiting the homebound or going on a mission work trip to Mexico – we have a place where you can make a difference. Explore the opportunities for outreach and then get involved!
Friendship Meal
If one of the core values of FUMC is “radical hospitality,” then there is no better example than the monthly Friendship Meal. Held the last Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in McCree Hall, the Friendship Meal is a free, hot meal served family-style for anyone in the community who would like to come.
The evening consists of a generous dinner, a time for group singing, a brief devotion, and then there is always a drawing for door prizes before the evening is over at 7:00 p.m.
If you like to roll up your sleeves and get involved, then join us at the Friendship Meal. There are a variety of jobs: food preparation, setting tables, serving as a table host or server, sharing a brief devotion, washing dishes, providing transportation.
The Friendship Meal is about making a difference – in the lives of those who come and those who serve.
Stephen Ministry – Ready to Care
Stephen Ministry is grounded in Jesus’ command to love one another. It is a one-on-one caring ministry that provides those who are hurting with love and care and support while they are going through a crisis.
Stephen ministers are members of the FUMC congregation who have received special training in providing spiritual and emotional care. Strict confidentiality is maintained including the identities of those receiving care and what takes place in each caring relationship. Stephen ministers believe that they are called to be the care-giver while God is the cure-giver.
Everyone goes through difficult times. Having a Stephen minister to care, listen, pray, support and encourage can make a difference in the life of someone who is going through a time of confusion, stress, or loneliness.
Stephen Ministry serves the needs of both the FUMC congregation as well as the community.
For additional information or to make a referral for help contact Alicia Haggart (549-6537) or Karen Howard (549-8803) or Sandra Boedeker at the church office (549-0970).
Samaritan Ministry – People Helping People
Following Jesus’ teaching to “Love your neighbor,” Samaritans are people helping people. This ministry of First United Methodist Church reaches out to people in our community in a variety of ways.
Samaritans
· provide weekly visits to the homebound, delivering flowers from Sunday’s worship service
· provide funeral meals to families following the death of a loved one
· provide cards of encouragement during a time of illness or personal crisis
· work in the community food bank and clothes closet
· provide Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas gift certificates to those in need
Samaritans are organized by teams to serve one week each month and includes both women and men.
The Samaritan Fund provides assistance with utilities, rent, prescriptions, dental and medical expenses as well as providing funding for wheel chair ramps and small home repairs. Over $25,000 goes out each year from this fund to help those in need in our community.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
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We’re a Church of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors”
A local mission event of FUMC is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” – one big day of mission work projects all over the community. Groups usually come together in McCree Hall to begin the day and to be assigned to work crews.
Then the fun begins as groups go out over the community for their assigned job for the day. Whether it is to build a wheel chair ramp, paint a house, wash windows at the community Food Bank, mow a yard, or roof a house – the children, youth and adults of FUMC are busy all over the community being good neighbors.
Watch this site for the date of the next “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” Day so that you can help, too.
Habitat for Humanity
FUMC Builds a Habitat House in 2007
It felt like “risk-taking ministry” (one of our core values) when FUMC made the decision to finance and build a Habitat house for the Anita Vaughn family in 2007. It turned out to be a most rewarding experience for the congregation as they gave generously over $60,000 for the project. Laboring in unseasonably cold days in April to the heat of July to complete the house, it was a labor of love for all who participated. As you can see from the photos, it took a whole church to build the house and the results even amazed the builders.
FUMC’s Habitat Plans for 2008
For 2008 FUMC has committed to donate $3000 to this year’s Habitat house and to provide workers for one of the construction days with the hope that in 2009 we can again build a complete house ourselves.
Watch this web site for FUMC’s Habitat work days for 2008 and how you can be a part of this year’s house, scheduled to be built at 827 Texas.
