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! For more information, contact Linda Seaton, Missions Committee Chair.
Messiah Church is committed to supporting several organizations consistently and long-term. 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
Cereal Challenge
Pastor Steve Richards has served on the Interfaith Outreach Board of Directors for several years. To honor his service and support of this important organization, we are collecting boxes of cereal for their food shelf. Can you help us honor Pastor Steve’s legacy with a cereal donation?
Cereal donations can be dropped off in the atrium at Messiah on Sundays, during church office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm and Friday 9 am-12 pm), or at Pastor Steve’s Retirement celebration on Sunday, June 5. For more information on the Interfaith Outreach food shelf, including other ways to donate, ways to serve, and how to request assistance with food, visit iocp.org/outreach-services/food-shelf.
Mission Trips to Imara
Imara International is excited to once again welcome mission trip teams to their home in Nanyuki, Kenya, beginning this fall and into 2023. Experience first-hand the journey and relationship of a Msafiri (Traveler) Mission Trip with Imara: connect with Imara’s moms and kids, complete projects, and experience the culture. Imara’s mission trip program has been a core part of the organization since its beginning 10 years ago. Find out more about upcoming trips during an informational Zoom meeting on Sunday, June 19 at 4 pm. Hear details on what a trip to Nanyuki looks like from prior mission trip leaders and participants. To register for this virtual meeting, and receive the Zoom link, visit www.imarainternational.org/mission-travel. For more information on Imara International, visit www.imarainternational.org.
Join EarthKeepers
Are you interested in becoming a Minnesota United Methodist EarthKeeper? EarthKeepers is a training program that equips US-based United Methodists to launch and grow environmental projects in their communities. Topics include eco-theology, anti-racism, community organizing, and project planning. All participants plan a project during the training. The summer session (which begins on Thursday, July 28) includes 8.5 hours of live online training and up to 24 hours of independent work. Click here for more information and to apply to be part of this program, by Thursday, June 30.
Sunday Morning Hospitality Helpers Needed
Do you have the gift of hospitality? Know your way around a kitchen? Enjoy doughnuts and coffee with friends here on Sunday mornings? Consider joining Messiah’s Hospitality Team to provide a warm welcome to our guests and help provide refreshments after services on Sunday mornings. Help once or every week. Training and treats provided! Please contact Heather Felt at hfelt@messiahchurch.org to sign up or for more information.
Simpson Shelter is in Need
It’s spring and Simpson Shelter has some new needs. Perhaps you can purchase an item on this listing to help?
Urgent Needs for All Programs:
- Cleaning supplies – all purpose cleaner, mops, sponges, etc.
- Paper towels and toilet paper
- New training underpants for toddlers
Urgent Needs for the Shelter:
- Blankets – gently used or new twin, full, or queen size (no throw blankets)
- New men’s boxers (sizes S-XL)
- New men’s t-shirts (sizes S-XXL)
- New women’s underwear (sizes 5-7)
- New bras (cup sizes B, C, and D)
- Bath towels and washcloths – gently used or new
- New shower shoes for adults
- Deodorant
- Shaving cream and razors
- Travel size conditioner, body wash, and bar soap
- Haircare products for natural, textured, or curly hair
- Nail care kits
- Q-tips
- Sunscreen
- Hair brushes
- Mending/Sewing kits
- Ear plugs
- Eye masks
- Coffee
- Bottled water
- Powdered drink mix
Personal care items must be new and unopened. Other items should be free of stains, rips and tears and freshly laundered, if gently used. Item donations can be dropped off in the marked bin in the atrium at Messiah on Sundays or during church office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm and Friday 9 am-12 pm), or email Lavinia P to schedule a contactless pick-up.
To see a current list of other 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. For more information on Simpson Housing Services, visit www.simpsonhousing.org.
American Red Cross Blood Drive
Make a difference in the lives of others by giving blood. Please consider donating blood at the next American Red Cross blood drive on Monday, August 8, 1-6 pm in Heritage Hall. Visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter “MessiahPlym” to schedule an appointment or click here: www.RedCrossBlood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=MessiahPlym. Save the date for the next blood drive at Messiah: Monday, October 10, 12-6 pm.
Did you know that you can give one super-powered blood donation that may have the same impact as two regular donations? This is called a Power Red donation. Click here for more information on being a Power Red donor.
If you have recently received a COVID-19 vaccine, knowing the name of the manufacturer is critical in determining your blood donation eligibility. Click here to read about the American Red Cross’s special COVID-19 procedures.
Serving Opportunities
Looking for other opportunities to serve our neighbors? Check out the following organizations that are accepting volunteers:
- Interfaith Outreach food shelf and Resale Select store: www.iocp.org
- Second Harvest Heartland: www.2harvest.org
- Feed My Starving Children: www.fmsc.org
- Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity work sites and ReStore locations: www.tchabitat.org
- Bundles of Love: Meets at Messiah at 6 pm on the first Thursday of each month
All organizations have their own COVID safety protocols in place. Please contact each organization directly for details.
Local Missions
Bloom Early Learning & Child Care
Bloom is an accredited, award-winning, nonprofit early learning center housed in Messiah Church. Because poverty early in life is a proven barrier to success later on, Bloom passionately strives to break the cycle at the start through nurturing care and exceptional early learning programs.
By providing scholarship assistance to half the children in our center, Bloom enables low-income single mothers and families to work or pursue education to improve their futures while giving their children the best possible start in their lives.
- Serving children 6 weeks through Pre-K
- Providing a nurturing, safe and intimate environment
- Using values-based programs and excellent curriculum with stellar outcomes
- Dedicating 50% of enrollment spots to children from families living under the poverty level in the Plymouth/Wayzata area
Our Shirley Robinson Scholarship Fund is a memorial to the wife of former Messiah Church pastor, Rollie Robinson, who originally challenged his congregation to help break the cycle of poverty through the provision of high quality, affordable early learning and child care. Gifts from individual donors, grants and fundraising events, as well as those from corporations, public organizations and faith communities, help Bloom assist children of low-income families. Contact Mary Olsen at (763) 449-0600 or visit www.bloomearlylearning.org.
Interfaith Outreach
Messiah Church has been an important partner in Interfaith Outreach’s efforts on behalf of the community to serve at-risk families in Hamel, Long Lake, Medicine Lake, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, Plymouth and Wayzata. For opportunities to get involved, contact Linda Seaton.
Interfaith Outreach was launched in 1979 by a small group of believers who envisioned a way for our community to respond to the unmet needs of struggling families and individuals in our midst, and to help them move toward self-sufficiency. From its modest beginnings in a church basement with no budget and a volunteer staff, Interfaith Outreach has grown to a sophisticated direct service provider and respected community catalyst. To learn more about Interfaith Outreach, visit www.IOCP.org.
Habitat for Humanity
A Christian nonprofit organization, supported in the Twin Cities by Messiah UMC for more than 20 years. Habitat provides guidance, materials and volunteers to help owners restore their houses, protecting their investment in the home and restoring pride of ownership. Additionally, Messiah supports, “Brush with Kindness,” a ministry of Habitat to help 125 families each year to rehab their homes. Habitat is supported at Messiah through volunteer workdays periodically throughout the year.
For more information, please call the church office at (763) 473-6968. To learn more about Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, visit www.tchabitat.org.
Simpson Housing Services
Messiah partners with Simpson Housing Services by providing many service opportunities including serving meals at the Emergency Shelter, working as an overnight volunteer at the Emergency Shelter and tutoring children. They are also in continuous need of donations such as socks, T-shirts, underwear, toothpaste, toothbrushes and deodorant.
For more information on Simpson housing services contact our office at (763) 473-6968, or visit www.simpsonhousing.org.
The mission of Simpson Housing Services is to provide free shelter and affordable housing with support services to homeless men, women and children. They assist individuals and families in their effort to improve their life situations and advocate for their human and civil rights.
The Simpson Center for Servant Ministries (Simpson CSM)
Simpson CSM is a ministry that seeks to cultivate holistic vitality in the urban community by building relationships with neighbors and partnerships across urban/suburban/rural communities. Messiah Church partners with Simpson CSM by volunteering their time and talents through community meals, food pantry, clothing store donations and produce fairs.
The CSM carries out its work through Health and Wellness activities, service opportunities and through the Poverty and Justice Institute. For more information on Simpson CSM, call the church office at (763) 473-6968 or visit www.simpsoncsm.org.
Imara International
Messiah Church is proud to be in partnership with Imara International and to support its Executive Director, and Messiah member, Carol Erickson, through its prayers, and donations of time, talent, gifts and service. To find out about the next mission trip opportunity, and ways you can help, contact the church office at (763) 473-6968 or visit www.imarainternational.org.
Imara International is a U.S. based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization working in Kenya. Imara’s purpose is 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. To learn more about Imara International, visit www.imarainternational.org.
Light of Hope
Light of Hope provides care, shelter and education to Kenyan girls in need. They develop leadership skills and help girls realize and reach their potential. For information about Light of Hope, visit www.LightOfHopeKenya.org or contact John Harmon at (612) 298-2069 or at jpharmoncpa@msn.com.
Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children is a nonprofit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. Messiah Church partners with FMSC by providing financial resources and countless volunteer hours packaging healthy meal-packs. To learn more about Feed My Starving Children, visit www.FMSC.org.
The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and we ship these meals to nearly 70 countries around the world.
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
UMCOR is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering around the globe. UMCOR’s work includes programs and projects in disaster response, health, sustainable agriculture, food security, relief supplies, and more. UMCOR is a ministry of The United Methodist Church through the General Board of Global Ministries.
Messiah Church supports UMCOR through various project (health kits, flood buckets) as needed by the organization. To learn more about UMCOR, visit www.umcor.org.
