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 Table in our lobby. For more information, contact Linda Seaton, Missions Committee Co-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
Second Mile Offering
Our June Second Mile Offering supports the 2019 Minnesota Annual Conference Love Offering for Missions. The Love Offering is gathered within Minnesota United Methodist churches and benefits international, national, and Minnesota missions. Funds from this year’s Love Offering will to go three projects: Lao Samphan Methodist Church, Laos (furthering efforts to expand the United Methodist presence in Laos, develop leaders, support pastors, and create programs to spur socio-economic development in one of the poorest countries in the world), Volunteer Lawyers Network (providing free civil legal services to people living in poverty, and partnering with community organizations to provide culturally competent services to immigrant and refugee neighbors) and Volunteers in Mission Scholarships (offsetting the cost for first-time mission trip participants who work on projects domestically or abroad—and have their lives changed through their experience). Click here to learn more about the Love Offering, and the three mission projects this year’s gifts will support.
Give throughout the month of June, online by selecting “Second Mile Offering,” in worship with cash or checks designated for Love Offering, or text the word “Funds” to (763) 333-2673, and follow the prompts.
Fall/Winter 2019 Mission Trip to Puerto Rico Informational Meeting
United Methodist churches continue to work in areas of Puerto Rico damaged by the 2017 hurricane. If you are interested in volunteering in Puerto Rico this fall or winter, you are invited to an informational meeting on Sunday, June 23 at 10 am in the Fireside Room. If you have an interest in participating but cannot attend, have questions, or would like more information, contact Linda.
Lunch at Rock Elm Tavern Supports Local Youth and Interfaith Outreach
Enjoy a delicious lunch and help local youth in a business service/learning project called “The Wooden Spoon” on Wednesday, June 26, 12-2 pm. These enthusiastic students are teaming up with Rock Elm Tavern in Plymouth to gain the real-life experience of what it would be like to run a restaurant. Proceeds will benefit Interfaith Outreach. The restaurant is located at 16605 County Road 24 (at the intersection of Hwy 55). Reservations are appreciated by calling (763) 208-4451, but not required. See you there!
Support the Men at Simpson Shelter
Throughout June, in honor of Father’s Day, help support the men served by Simpson Shelter. Consider helping by donating: boxer shorts (M, L and XL), white t-shirts, men’s socks, shaving cream, and disposable razors. There is also an on-going need for personal size toiletries (tooth brushes and paste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and deodorant), feminine hygiene products, women’s bras, and ground coffee. All items must be new and can be placed in the Simpson Shelter basket outside of Heritage Hall. Your generosity is appreciated!
Another way to donate is through the shelter’s Amazon Wish List. Anything for the shelter can be purchased online and sent directly to Simpson Shelter. It’s an easy way to make a difference without leaving the house!
Contact Lavinia with questions. For more information on Simpson Housing Services visit www.simpsonhousing.org.
Youth! – Help Others While Building your Resume this Summer (Interfaith Outreach Volunteer Opportunities)
There are great enriching volunteer opportunities for college and high school students (entering 9th grade and older) to stay active, do good in the community, and build resume material at Interfaith Outreach this summer. Choose the role that suits you most!
- Donation Receiver for the Food Shelf or Resale Select – Greet and thank donors. Load in donations of food, household goods and clothing. Help manage donation storage area. Must have completed 8th grade OR middle school students with a parent. Flexible schedule. Help needed Monday-Saturday mornings.
- Cashier or Store Associate at Resale Select – Must have completed 8th grade.
- Bag Groceries or Assist Families in the Food Shelf – Must have completed 8th grade.
- Play and Supervise Kids in the Children’s Play Area – Supervise and play with children (ages 0-8) in their play area while parents attend classes, visit the food shelf or meet with a case manager. Must have competed 8th grade OR middle school students with a parent. Wednesday/Friday 9 am-noon or Monday/Tuesdays 3-5 pm.
Whether you can help one afternoon a week or every day, you are welcome to join the Interfaith team! Contact Najmo, Interfaith Outreach’s Community Engagement Coordinator, at (763) 489-7505. For more information on these and other Interfaith Outreach volunteer opportunities, visit iocp.org/volunteer. Interfaith Outreach is located at 1605 County Road 101 N., Plymouth.
Fresh Produce Wanted for Food Shelf
The Interfaith Outreach Food Shelf loves fresh produce from the garden! When planning your garden this summer, consider an extra row to harvest for the food shelf. Their clients truly appreciate the extra flavor and nutrition provided by locally grown food.
Drivers Needed! Help Kids get to Summer Camps
Interfaith Outreach is in need of volunteers (must be 18 or older) to drive their 12-passenger van transporting children from their housing communities to various summer camp and program sites throughout the month of July. Volunteer shifts are available Monday-Fridays, 7:45 am or 3:45 pm shifts (approximately 1-1.5 hours each). Once trained, volunteers can sign up for the driver shifts they want to provide. A background check and driving record check will be required. Interested? Contact Najmo, Interfaith Outreach’s Community Engagement Coordinator, at (763) 489-7505.
The Home Event
Moving? Redecorating? Decluttering? Resale Select is in need of quality donations for its upcoming sale: The Home Event (Wednesday, July 17-Saturday, July 20). They are looking for quality, gently used or new items, pieces rich with character, and home goods that match trends of the current decade:
- Accent chairs
- Small, two-seat sofas
- End tables
- Coffee tables
- Small kitchen tables
- Decorative mirrors
- Rugs of all sizes
- Home decor including lamps, pillows and artwork
This sale is in lieu of their past Furniture Tent Sale. This year features smaller pieces that volunteers can move and shoppers can take home with ease.
Donations accepted now through Friday, July 12, Mondays-Saturdays 10 am-5 pm. Resale Select is located at 1605 County Road 101 N., Plymouth. Due to limited space, furniture donations must be pre-approved. Email a photo of the item(s) to Resale Select’s Store Manager, Sonja at resaleselect@iocp.org.
All proceeds benefit Interfaith Outreach programs and services for struggling families. Heart satisfaction guaranteed!
Bloom/Messiah Summer Family Dinners
Join us this summer around the dinner table as we continue to build relationships between the Messiah and Bloom communities. We invite you to serve and eat dinner, or donate food, for three summer meals Messiah is hosting for Bloom. Help bless the Bloom families, teachers and staff AND build relationships around the dinner table. We’ll host the next dinner on Thursday, July 18 in Heritage Hall, from 4:30-6:30 pm (during Bloom pick-up time).
For more information or to sign up to help, contact Kami Pohl at kpohl@messiahchurch.org.
Imara International Charity Golf Tournament
Tee up some fun on Monday, July 29, 11:30 am-8 pm (shotgun start at 1 pm) at Rush Creek Golf Club, 7801 County Road 101, Maple Grove, for the 8th annual Imara International Charity Golf Tournament. Enjoy golf and dinner for $175 or come for dinner for $45. Click here to register for a fun day of golf, food, friends, and fun.
The tournament is a golf scramble, a golf tournament where two or more players form a team to play, with the rules emphasizing fun without the pressure of players keeping individual scores. Each player hits a tee shot on each hole, but everyone plays from the spot of the best shot.
Golfers like you make this tournament successful and keep their mission of empowering Kenya’s future through the education and nurturing of young moms and their children a reality! They are currently starting construction on the Imara Village in Nanyuki, Kenya as they continue to plan for the future lives of these young moms and their children. Your support makes this mission possible!
Imara International Gala
Join us for the 7th Annual Imara International Gala and annual fundraiser on Sunday, November 3, 5:30-8:30 pm, Sheraton Minneapolis West, 12201 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka. Guest speaker and Imara’s Executive Director, Carol Erickson, will share the many celebrations that have taken place at Imara. Imara empowers Kenyan women through education to build a self-sufficient future for themselves, their children, and their community. Help give these girls hope and healing with your attendance. Registration details coming soon. For more information on Imara, visit www.imarainternational.org.
UMCOR Sager Brown Depot Mission Trip
A Minnesota Conference Mission Trip to the UMCOR Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, Louisiana, is planned for January 12-24, 2020. You can select one week (January 12-17 or January 19-24) or both.
In the depot, pack and verify cleaning buckets and hygiene kits, work in the campus garden, serve in the community at a thrift store or a senior housing complex, or do minor home repair. Evening activities include a campfire, worship, and general relaxation. Nearby attractions are Avery Island, Cajun and Creole museums, the Whitney Plantation, and the WWII Museum (in New Orleans).
Click here to register before Tuesday, December 31. Cost is $250/week for housing and food (a $50 deposit is due when you register). The trip is open to adults 18 and over. You’ll need your own transportation to and from Baldwin. Contact Lyndy with questions.
Local Missions
Bloom Early Learning & Child Care
Bloom is an accredited, award-winning, non-profit 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 non-profit 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 non-profit 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 non-profit 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 non-profit 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.
