(937) 293-3151 | 3440 SHROYER ROAD  KETTERING, OHIO 45429

HELPING HANDS MINISTRY

Reaching Out in Christian Love

Hands together in prayer, hands reaching out in service, hands raised in praise, lend a hand, and make a difference for eternity.

Local Outreach Opportunities of Christ United Methodist Church, Kettering, Ohio

How To Choose An Outreach!

You will find below information about hundreds of opportunities for servant leadership. Sometimes it can be quite over-whelming to figure out how and where God calls you to serve.

First, I invite you to put your hands together in prayer and ask God to give you discernment about your servant role. I invite you to explore various serving opportunities through our monthly “Day for Others” Program. I invite you to call me for further information about specific ministries, and to be connected to others who share your area of ministry focus. 

Second, I invite you to assess your gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and life experiences for clues about what ministry God has already prepared you for.

Third, I invite you to look around you and reach out to those needs that you see. Right here in our immediate Dayton area there are folks desparate for our help. There is no question we are called as Christians to serve. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Finally, I pray that the words of Jesus will penetrate our hearts and move us to action, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” And Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did it for me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

It is awesome to realize that as we extend God’s love that we are also, in fact, loving God. Thanks for doing something that has eternal implications for our world and our individual lives.

 

Vicki Downing

Outreach Pastor

Coat Closet

Through Project Coat Closet we help children and youth go off to school in warm and attractive coats, hats, and gloves. Reaching out to young people allows us to demonstrate God’s love for them, and also raises their self-esteem.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE:

1.     Set up the coat rack with children’s first name, gender, age, and size.

2.     Select a paper coat with child’s information and buy the items.

3.     Wrap the coats, hats, and gloves that have been purchased.

4.     Deliver the wrapped gifts to the children at our centers.  

Many hands makes light work. Individuals or groups may sign up for one task or more than one task.

Showering Mothers and Babies With Love

Pregnant women will be invited to baby showers at our UMC Centers, where they will receive a new Bible, diapers, and a layette for their baby. The shower will include refreshments, an opportunity for the woman to make a Christian friend, and all the silly games one expects at a shower.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE:

1.     Buy new or donate very gently used items for the layettes.

2.     Buy diapers for the babies, newborn, small or medium.

3.     Attend the pre-shower gathering to assemble and wrap the layettes.

4.     Address invitations to the women inviting them to the shower.

5.     Make cookies or cake for the shower.

6.     Plan and run the games at the shower.

7.     Be part of a hostess team that will decorate and extend hospitality on the day of the shower.

8.     Be a follow-up friend to one of the mothers who attend the shower.

Habitat For Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is an international, non-profit Christian housing project that is dedicated to eliminating poverty housing and homelessness. Through volunteer labor and donations, they work with families in need to build simple decant housing. The houses are sold to the families at no profit and are financed with affordable, no-interest mortgages.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE:

1.     Sign up and work on specific work days organized by Christ Church .

2.     Contact our Habitat coordinator Janice Daniels for information about other builds in the area.

3.     Get a group together to serve food to the workers on work days.

 

Adopt a Family at Christmas

Provide Christmas presents and food for a needy family. This makes a wonderful project for a group, family, or individual to share the real spirit of Christmas.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE:

1.     Recruit or organize a group to adopt a family. Sign up begins in mid-October.

2.     Wrap gifts or invite adults from the family to pick up unwrapped gifts and wrapping paper.

3.     When necessary deliver gifts and food to family or UMC Center which refered family.

 

UMC Mission Centers

Alpha Center                      Jan Harmon, Director, 330E Court St. PO Box 300 , Sidney

East Dayton Food Pantry              Barb Dawes, Director, 140 Stonemill Road , Dayton   

Oasis House      Rev. Sharon Amos, Director, Higher Ground United Methodist Church

Ft. McKinley    Rev. Katharine Schaefer, Director, 3721 W. Siebenthaler Ave , Dayton          

St.Paul United Methodist Church Outreach    Rev. Beth Holten, Dircetor, 1001 Huffman Ave , Dayton

Wesley Community Center          Robert Walker, Director, 3730 Delphos Ave , Dayton

 

Feeding the Hungry

Servant leaders are needed on a regular and long –term basis to do a variety of tasks related to feeding the hungry. For example, restocking of shelves, serving clients, and picking up supplies of food from the Food Bank. For complete information about specific days and hours of service, please call our food pantry coordinator.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE:

1.     Visit the pantries to assess your willingness and ability to serve there.

2.     Prayerfully consider a regular commitment of service, such as once per week, bi-weekly, or monthly. It is essential that food pantries have dependable, adequate help to serve the hungry who depend on their ministry.

3.     Sign up to deliver food from Christ Church to the UMC Centers.

4.     Smart shop for special needs for our pantries.

5.     Pick up food at the Food Bank and deliver to pantries.

 

After School Tutoring

Don’t let the “tutor” title scare you. You do not have to be trained as a teacher or have any educational background or experience to serve as a tutor. Most often what is needed is an interested adult who will encourage the child to study, listen to them read, read to them, or work with them on simple arithmetic problems. It can be life-changing to have a friend who cheers you on.