Missions

4200 McKee Rd. I Charlotte, NC 28270 I (704) 846-6177 I office@stfrancischarlotte.org

St. Francis Missions

Ephesians 6:7 - "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men."

From its inception, St. Francis UMC has been dedicated to missions and outreach. Church members have looked to St. Francis of Assisi as our model for humble service. Mission work has always been, and remains today, an important role in the life of the church, bringing our members together in many rewarding ways. All members, whether together in a Sunday School class, with family or friends, or individually, are encouraged to deepen their faith through mission work.

St. Francis established a Missions Committee to coordinate missions activities, maintain a calendar of events, and inform church members of opportunities to get involved in missions activities. Members for 2010 include Lin Celoni - Chairperson, Michelle & Grafton Whithers, Julie Barnette, Bruce Gorrell, Vance & Nina Sonnenburg, and Matt Smith.

Missions work truly exemplifies the saying that "you get more back than you give." Missions Committee members will be glad to help you get involved in projects that match your skills and/or interests or to assist with submission of new projects.

2010 Missions Opportunities

Below are the Charlotte area, national and international projects supported in 2010 by St. Francis UMC.

Charlotte Area Projects

Bethlehem Center - The St. Francis community adopts needy children through the center each Christmas to help ensure they have a merry Christmas. At Thanksgiving, our scouts collect food for Thanksgiving Baskets that are distributed through the center. There are additional opportunities throughout the year to assist the families at the center. Please contact Julie Barnette for more information.

CROP Walk - Each year our St. Francis youth participate in the local CROP Walk to raise money for food pantries locally and around the world. For more information, please contact Matt Smith.

FAVAR - Our St. Francis United Methodist Men (UMM) support this organization which provides prison ministry, housing, and job support to ex-inmates to help them re-integrate into society. Contact Grafton Withers for more information.

United Methodist Men (UMM) Church Member Support - Our St. Francis UMM work on local projects, including minor home improvement, for those church members needing assistance. For more information, please contact Bruce Gorrell.

Habitat for Humanity - Each fall, St. Francis joins other churches and builds a house for a family in Matthews. Please contact Bruce Gorrell for more information.

Community Garden / Loaves and Fishes - St. Francis is blessed with enough land to plant a substantial garden. The garden is a community effort with people of all ages helping throughout the spring, summer and fall. There is enough of a harvest to feed those church members who want fresh vegetables to pick what they need. Beyond that, each Wednesday evening, we have a group gardening night during which we harvest all ripe vegetables and deliver them to the Loaves and Fishes food pantry at Park Road Baptist Church. For more information, please contact Lin Celoni.

Pinewood Elementary School - Each fall and spring, St. Francis supports the Pinewood Elementary School with a back-to-school supply drive and a teacher's luncheon. The staff at Pinewood know they can reach out to us for any needs that arise during the year. Please contact Becky Owens for more information.

Common Cupboard - Common Cupboard is a local food pantry in Indian Trail, NC. St. Francis collects one item nearly every month in support of this organization. For more information, please contact Nina Sonnenberg.

Prayer Shawl Ministry - Click here for more information on this St. Francis ministry.

Wrapped in Love - Click here for more information on this St. Francis ministry.

Blood Drives - St. Francis UMC has been sponsoring blood drives for the American Red Cross since December 2004. Since that time, we have held 15 blood drives and collected 493 pints of blood. Every donation can help up to three people, so our donors have played a part in saving over 1,400 lives. For more information, please contact Barbara Osgood.

National Mission Projects

Henderson Settlement - For several years, St. Francis has travelled as family and/or youth groups to Henderson Settlement in south eastern Kentucky usually in the summer for a week at a time. Work is done on homes and public areas. Accommodations are meager, but the fellowship and service is rich and rewarding. For more information, contact Bruce Gorrell.

International Mission Projects

United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) - St. Francis support UMCOR world-wide projects throughout the year. Please contact Lin Celoni for more information.

Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church- St. Francis has on numerous occasions sent mission teams to countries to assist local churches in construction projects. These missions provide materials, construction teams, and expertise on either stand-alone projects or as part of the Western NC Conference mission efforts. For more information, please contact Grafton Withers.

Samaritan's Purse - Charlotte is a major distribution center for the Operation Christmas Child project which depends on hundreds of volunteers in this area. St. Francis provides completed boxes and supports the distribution center each year. For more information, contact Lin Celoni.