Make an Impact

Messiah Church is a church of compassion and community outreach. Members and friends of Messiah devote their time and talents to support local, national and global missions. From serving at the local food shelf to traveling to developing countries we serve through mission, there is a place for you to get involved! Sign up for any of these service opportunities and community outreach programs at the Missions area in our lobby. For more information, contact Linda Seaton, Missions Committee Chair.

Messiah Church is committed to supporting several organizations consistently and long-term. Each month, we do a “Second Mile Offering” to support a specific organization, and when you visit for the first time, you can elect to have Messiah make a donation to one of several organizations on your behalf.

 

Current Needs & Volunteer Opportunities

November Second Mile Offering: Interfaith Outreach Sleep Out

Our November Second Mile Offering supports the Interfaith Outreach Sleep Out. The Sleep Out is a community-wide campaign to support struggling families in the west suburban communities by raising funds to address their needs and help prevent homelessness. Gifts to the Sleep Out help more than 2,000 families each year with food and housing, as well as longer-term life-changing assistance through education and employment. Thanks to the Sleep Out, families move from survive to thrive. For more information on the Sleep Out, visit the Interfaith Outreach website at https://sleepout.iocp.org/.

Give throughout the month of November, online by selecting “Sleep Out,” by texting a dollar amount to (763) 333-2673 and following the prompts, or by mailing a check (indicate “Sleep Out” in the memo) to: Messiah Church, 17805 County Road 6, Plymouth, MN 55447.

 

Interfaith Outreach Sleep Out Events

Join the community fun and momentum of Interfaith Outreach’s 2020 Sleep Out campaign! With your help, we can prevent homelessness in our area and help struggling families:

• Click here to see the Sleep Out Kickoff video
• 25 Nights of Stories – Through Sunday, December 6. Be inspired by the transformative power of personal stories daily at iocp.org/25stories.
• Shop with a Purpose – Wednesday, December 9-Friday, December 11. Shop and dine (in-person or online) with generous partners who donate a portion of their sales to Interfaith Outreach. A list of participating businesses can be found at iocp.org/SWAP in mid-November.
• Join the Community Conversation on Sold Out: Affordable Housing at Risk – Tuesday, December 15 and Wednesday, December 16. Attend a virtual screening of the TPT documentary Sold Out: Affordable Housing at Risk, hosted by Interfaith Outreach and followed by a community conversation about local housing challenges and solutions. Free – all are welcome. RSVP at iocp.org/soldout.

 

UMW “Unique” Boutique

It’s time for the annual United Methodist Women (UMW) Treat Boutique – with a unique spin for 2020. Last year, with your generous support of the Treat Boutique, the UMW distributed $5,000 to benefit local, national & international missions. With your generous help, they hope to match that giving this year! Would you consider a financial donation to the UMW “Unique” Boutique to help support these organizations?:

• Interfaith Outreach Sleep Out
• UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
• Imara International
• Light of Hope
• Bloom Early Learning & Child Care
• Interfaith Outreach food shelf
• ICA food shelf
• Feed My Starving Children
• Days for Girls
• Helping Haiti Work
• Meals on Wheels
• Home Free Shelter

Give throughout the month of November, online by selecting “UMW Unique Boutique,” by texting a dollar amount to (763) 333-2673 and following the prompts, or by mailing a check (indicate “UMW Unique Boutique” in the memo) to: Messiah Church, 17805 County Road 6, Plymouth, MN 55447. The need is greater than ever!

We hope to be back baking cookies and other treats for you next year!

 

Food Needs at Bloom

The Bloom Early Learning & Child Care food shelf is getting low! Due to the increase in COVID cases, our Messiah shoppers are trying to limit their exposure and decrease their shopping time. And with less opportunity to shop in bulk, your support is key to minimizing food insecurity for these families. If you are able, please pick up a few extra of these items the next time you shop. Any donation is greatly appreciated! The most commonly requested items that we do not have on hand (or that are going fast) include:

• Pasta sauce
• Spaghetti noodles
• Canned vegetables
• Canned fruit
• Canned chicken
• Cooking oil (24 oz. sized bottles)
• Sugar
• Dish detergent
• Laundry detergent
• Hand soap (liquid or bars)
• Cleaning supplies (disinfectant wipes, toilet bowl cleaner, all purpose cleaners, etc.)

A huge thank you for your generous donations of paper and plastic grocery bags. This need has been met in abundance, so those are no longer a need at this time.

Items can be dropped off at Messiah Monday through Thursday 9 am-3 pm or Friday 9 am-noon. Leave non-perishable food in the labeled grocery carts to the right, just inside the church front doors. Please wear a face mask, maintain physical distancing and use the available hand sanitizer while in the building.

 

Christmas Offering: Bloom Early Learning & Child Care and Imara International

Our 2020 Christmas Offering supports Bloom Early Learning & Child Care scholarships and Imara International.

Bloom Early Learning & Child Care is a non-profit early learning center located here at Messiah Church, with a special mission to make the highest quality childcare, programs and curriculum accessible to the entire community. The Christmas offering supports the Shirley Robinson Scholarship, which provides tuition assistance for children of low-income families, allowing parents to work while their children receive otherwise unaffordable quality care. For more information on Bloom, visit their website at www.bloomearlylearning.org.

Imara International, one of Messiah Church’s covenant mission partners, is a US based non-profit working in Kenya to provide an opportunity for teenage mothers to earn a high school degree and learn marketable skills to support themselves and their children. Imara fosters a safe, healthy environment where respect, faith, and teamwork are a central focus. Infants and children who are part of the Imara family are provided healthcare and early childhood education. Imara’s program is structured to teach life-sustaining skills that build strong families and communities while breaking the cycle of poverty. For more information on Imara, visit www.imarainternational.org.

Give throughout the month of December, online by selecting “Other,” by texting a dollar amount to (763) 333-2673 and following the prompts, or by mailing a check (indicate “Bloom” or “Imara” in the memo) to: Messiah Church, 17805 County Road 6, Plymouth, MN 55447. Undesignated gifts will be evenly distributed.

 

Face Masks Needed at Missions Inc.

Missions Inc. Programs provides behavioral health, chemical health, and domestic violence services to people experiencing homelessness, chemical addiction, and violence at three sites in Plymouth and St. Paul. Through six human services programs, the organization assists over 3,000 people annually using evidence-based programming from a person-first perspective. It’s their goal to provide people with the opportunity to discover new ways of living that will sustain them when they leave their programs.

Missions Inc. has an urgent need for adult and child 2-layer, 100% cotton face masks, to help keep their residents and staff safe. Patterns and requirements can be found here: www.missionsinc.org/urgent-masks-donations. Through December, please drop off any mask donations to the marked box in the church atrium, and arrangements will be made to have them delivered to Missions Inc. Masks can be dropped off at Messiah Monday through Thursday 9 am-3 pm or Friday 9 am-noon. Please wear a face mask, maintain physical distancing and use the available hand sanitizer while in the building.

For more information on Missions Inc., visit www.missionsinc.org.

 

Simpson Shelter is in Need

Simpson Shelter wants YOU to know how important your donations are to their clients! To see a current list of ways to help Simpson Shelter, visit: www.simpsonhousing.org/ways-to-help/give-supplies. Instructions for monetary donations, links for shopping their Amazon Wish List, and a complete list of current needs can all be found here. Immediate needs include:

• Cold Weather Apparel (MUST be waterproof. Hand-knit items are not adequate, even though they are made with love.): gloves, mittens, hats, thermal socks, t-shirts, and underwear
• Personal Care Items (a good source is the Dollar Store, since travel right now is low): deodorant, razors, shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, toothpaste, and toothbrushes
• Gift Cards: Dollar Store, Aldi, and Cub
• Food Items: bulk coffee, tea, and hot cocoa

Donations can be labeled and left in the church atrium outside Heritage Hall and arrangements will be made to deliver them to Simpson. Items can be dropped off at Messiah Monday through Thursday 9 am-3 pm or Friday 9 am-noon. Please wear a face mask, maintain physical distancing and use the available hand sanitizer while in the building. Or contact Lavinia to schedule a contactless pick-up. As always, YOU make a difference. Thank you!

Contact Lavinia with questions. For more information on Simpson Housing Services, visit www.simpsonhousing.org.

 

Virtual & In-Person Mentors Needed to Support Orono Students

You can make a difference for students who are navigating this new reality of distance learning by volunteering to be a virtual or in-person mentor. Orono Community Education is looking for caring adults who are willing to provide one-on-one support for learners in the SPARKS and STRIVE mentoring programs. After school and during the school day volunteer options are available. Limited one-to-one mentoring or support for a classroom of students is also possible. If you would like more information, please contact Genna T at (952) 449-8391.

 

Become a Youth Leader

Messiah Youth Ministries is looking for leaders for Wednesday Night Youth Groups! Explore the Old Testament through videos, guided discussion, games and activities with Middle Schoolers…or lead a small group of High Schoolers who are getting to know what it means to be a follower of Jesus through study of the Gospels and New Testament Letters. Caring adults coming alongside teens is central to adolescent faith development. Be who you needed when you were younger! Contact Sami Tierney, Director of Youth Ministry, for more information at stierney@messiahchurch.org.

 

Interfaith Outreach Needs You

The Interfaith Outreach programs are running differently and many require volunteers to work in new ways. (Review their health and safety protocols here.) Please consider filling some urgent volunteer positions listed below:

• Greeters at the Main Entrance help clients check in for their food shelf appointment, complete health screening questionnaire and temp check for guests, and direct visitors. Weekday mornings or afternoons, ages 18 and up. Contact their Community Engagement Coordinator, Ashley W.
• Donation Receivers greet donors, help unload donations for the food shelf and Resale Select, provide a receipt and thank the donor. Some heavy lifting required. Mondays or Fridays, mornings or afternoons, ages high school and up (middle schoolers welcome with an adult). Click here to sign up for open spots online.
• Food Shelf Volunteers sort and stock shelves or assist families during shopping hours. Weekday mornings and afternoons, ages high school and up. Click here to sign up for open spots online.

Interfaith Outreach is located at 1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth.

 

Needs at Local Food Shelves

The best way to help the Interfaith Outreach and ICA food shelves right now is with your generous donations. Click here to make an immediate online donation to Interfaith Outreach. Click here to make an immediate online donation to ICA. Your gift during this crisis provides essential services for our most vulnerable neighbors. Every $1 you donate allows them to source $9 of food and goods from their partners.

Their most needed items at this time include:

• Cooking oils (vegetable, olive, coconut, etc.)
• Laundry detergent
• Healthy snacks (granola bars, dried fruit, etc.)
• Toilet paper
• Feminine hygiene products

Please drop off these or any non-perishable items directly at Interfaith Outreach (1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth) during their donation hours: Monday and Friday only, 10 am-5 pm. Click here for a full list of general and holiday food shelf donation needs. Thank you for feeding families in this time of uncertainty.

 

Serving Opportunities

Looking for opportunities to serve our neighbors? Check out the following organizations that are now accepting some volunteers:

• Second Harvest Heartland: www.2harvest.org
• Feed My Starving Children: www.fmsc.org
• Interfaith Outreach: www.iocp.org
• Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers at work sites and at their ReStore locations: www.tchabitat.org

All organizations have safety protocols in place.

 

Resale Select is Taking Donations

Resale Select is in need of gently used or new items you no longer need. Their doors are open for those high quality donations you have been stashing away. However, there are limitations on what they can accept at this time. Click here for a list of accepted donations and the COVID-19 drop-off process. Please drop your donations directly at Resale Select (1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth) during their fall hours: Monday and Friday only, 10 am-5 pm.

Resale Select has also launched an online shopping site. Click here to see this new, creative way to shop their store. Since 2011, Resale Select has provided stellar merchandise at thrift store prices. When the public shops, everyone wins – proceeds benefit Interfaith Outreach programs and services.

 

Local Missions International Missions