Messiah is a church of compassion and community outreach, supporting local, national, and global missions. From serving at the local food shelf to traveling to developing countries, we serve through mission – and there is a place for you to get involved!

Hurricanes Helene and Milton left a path of devastation through Florida, Western North Carolina, and much of the Southeast. People are in need and you can help!

Through UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), we are collecting a special offering for hurricane disaster relief. The fastest way your monetary gift makes an impact is to click here and give directly though UMCOR. You can also click here to give online though Messiah Church (select "UMCOR") or mail a check (indicate “UMCOR” in the memo) to: Messiah Church, 17805 County Road 6, Plymouth, MN 55447.

Through Midwest Mission, we are collecting specific disaster supplies. You can help by donating:

• Heavy-duty trash bags
• Tarps
• Shampoo (12-19 oz bottles)

Item donations will be collected through Sunday, October 20 and can be dropped off in the marked location in the atrium at Messiah on Sundays or during church office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm).

UMCOR works globally to alleviate human suffering, providing humanitarian relief and disaster response in the United States and internationally. UMCOR’s Promise: 100% of ALL donations go directly to disaster relief efforts. For more information on UMCOR and their response in this area, visit umcmission.org/umcor-us-latest-responses. Midwest Mission distributes disaster relief kits, resources, and supplies locally, nationally, and internationally to those in need during times of crisis. They are one of eight cooperating depots in the UMCOR Supply Network. For more information on Midwest Mission, visit www.midwestmission.org.

It's that time of year again! The annual scout holiday wreath sale will be Sundays, October 13 and 27. Messiah scouts from Troops 3570 and 5570 will be taking orders, pre-paid with your cash or check, before and after each service. Items will be available for pick-up at the church on Sunday, November 24.

Join Messiah members and friends to serve at Second Harvest Heartland (7101 Winnetka Ave N, Brooklyn Park) on Friday, October 25 from 9-11 am. "Food sort and pack" volunteers create food boxes on an assembly line. Once sorted and packed, Second Harvest Heartland distributes these items to agency partners that serve our hungry neighbors. Ages 8 and up (accompanied by an adult). Click here to sign up by Monday, October 21. Contact Mary Beth M with questions. For more information about Second Harvest Heartland, visit www.2harvest.org.

On Sunday, October 27 from 10:30 am-12 pm we'll be hosting a fun fall community event - Trunk or Treat! Kids of all ages are invited to our parking lot for trick or treating, Halloween fun and games, and a food truck. Everyone is welcome!

Could you host a "trunk" for this event? Here's how it works: bring your car on October 27 & park in the marked location in our parking lot. Decorate your vehicle...especially the TRUNK! (Come early so you can decorate AND attend worship at 9:30 am. You can be as simple or elaborate as you'd like.) Come dressed in costumes too,  just for fun. The kids walk from vehicle to vehicle, collecting candy the way they would trick or treating door-to-door. If YOU would like to host a trunk, sign up at the KID Street table in the Messiah Church atrium, or contact Kari Stern, Director of Children and Family Ministry, at kstern@messiahchurch.org. The more trunks...the merrier...and the more treats!

Could you purchase an extra bag or two of candy to help us host this event? Candy donations will be collected through Sunday, October 20 and can be dropped off in the marked bin in the atrium at Messiah (next to the KID Street table) on Sundays or during church office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm).

Join the Imara International family for a night of friends, fun, and inspiration at their 2024 Seeds of Hope Gala at the Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom (5418 Wayzata Blvd., Golden Valley) on Sunday, October 27 from 4-8 pm. The evening begins with a silent auction, experience boutique, wine pull, and more during a social hour. Then enjoy a plated dinner, dessert, and a program packed with impactful stories of brighter futures. Pastor Steve Richards, US Board Chair, and Carol Erickson, Executive Director, will share inspiring updates, as well as other first-person reports of the incredible work being done in Kenya.

Please RSVP by Sunday, October 20. Tickets for the evening are $100 each or $700 for tables of 8. For all the event details, to purchase tickets, or to make a donation to Imara International, visit www.imarainternational.org/shop/events-sale/17. To learn more about Imara International, visit www.imarainternational.org.

Christmas Shoeboxes (in partnership with Spirit Lake Ministry Center) are packed with love for children on reservations in the Dakotas and Minnesota who might not otherwise receive a holiday gift. On these reservations, up to 70% of the children would not receive gifts if not for this program and your generosity.This Christmas, Messiah Church will be supporting this ministry. Can you help?

To start, get a shoebox (or two) and wrap the top and bottom of the box separately with holiday paper. Some pre-wrapped boxes are also available in the Missions area in the atrium. Then click here for a list of suggested gifts. Start with a “wow” toy, then fill in with other smaller age-appropriate gifts. When the box is full, secure it with a rubberband and attach a label to the top identifying the age and gender of who would enjoy the gift. Click here to download printable shoebox labels.

Gift-filled boxes are due back to Messiah by Sunday, November 3, so they can be delivered to children in time for Christmas. OR purchase gift cards to Target, Walmart, or Michaels, and Messiah volunteers will shop and pack shoeboxes for you! Leave gift card donations in the church office by Sunday, October 20. Gift cards and filled shoeboxes can be dropped off at Messiah on Sundays or during church office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm).

Do you like wrapping presents? A few volunteers are needed to wrap shoeboxes on Tuesday, October 15 at 7 pm - meet in Heritage Hall. Christmas paper will be provided, or bring your own. Contact Pam to let her know you're coming.

Contact Pam L with questions. For more information about Spirit Lake Ministry, visit www.SpiritLakeMinistryCenter.org.

Make a difference in the lives of others by giving blood. Please consider donating blood at the American Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 from 12-6 pm in Heritage Hall. Visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter “MessiahPlym” to schedule an appointment or click here.

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.

Every Sunday morning, we generate A LOT of trash with coffee cups during coffee hour after worship. In an effort to reduce our trash and spend less money on disposable cups, we invite you to bring your own coffee tumbler on Sunday mornings. Please be sure your tumbler is labeled with your name, and we’d prefer if it has a lid to prevent spills. Then wash out your tumbler at home & bring it back again next week! Don’t worry, we still have paper cups for guests and regulars who forget. What a difference we could all make in caring for our creation with this small act! 

Do you have an abundance of produce from your home garden, CSA basket, or last grocery run? Totes for Hope, the food shelf at Messiah for Bloom Early Learning & Child Care families, would love some fresh fruits & veggies! Fresh produce is an incredible joy to the families who utilize this resource – it flies off the shelf as fast as it’s stocked! All sorts of fruits & veggies are welcome in any size donation – bring a handful or a bushel! Donations can be dropped off directly to the Bloom office (feel free to cross through the Messiah Church office to get there) Monday-Thursday 7 am-3 pm. Please do not leave fresh produce in the Messiah atrium.

Totes for Hope is a food shelf ministry of Messiah Church to help minimize food insecurity for Bloom families, located right here at Messiah. This self-select food shelf is available throughout the week, all year long, allowing families to take what food they need, when they need it. Totes for Hope is fully funded by donations.

Next time you go shopping, pick up something extra to donate to Interfaith Outreach and ICA. Most needed items:

• Pull-Ups (size 3-4 & 4-5)
• Baby wipes
• Baby diapers (size 3)
• Adult diapers (size XL & 2XL)
• Boxed cereals
• Canned chicken
• Vegetable oil (24 oz. bottles)
• Paper towels
• Can openers
• Reusable grocery bags (new)
• Paper grocery bags

We are always collecting food shelf donations in the round marked bins just inside the front doors at Messiah – drop off on Sundays or during church office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm). OR drop off your donation directly at Interfaith Outreach (1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth) during their donation hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 10 am-5 pm; or ICA Food Shelf (11588 K-Tel Dr, Minnetonka) during their donation hours: Mondays 10 am-6:30 pm, Tuesdays 10 am-3:30 pm, Wednesdays 9 am-3:30 pm, Thursdays 10 am-3:30 pm, Fridays 10 am-12 pm, and Saturdays 10 am-12 pm (1st & 3rd Saturdays only). For more information on the Interfaith Outreach food shelf, visit www.iocp.org/outreach-services/food-shelf. For more information on the ICA food shelf, visit www.icafoodshelf.org.

Messiah’s Prayer Shawl Ministry is seeking knitters and crocheters to make handmade shawls that the Congregational Care Team will distribute to those they serve through prayer, care, visits, and compassionate support. Through a grant from Messiah’s Living Ministry Endowment, yarn has been purchased for these shawls. Patterns are available for both knitting and crocheting. If you are interested in learning more or getting started, please contact Heather Felt at hfelt@messiahchurch.org.

Got books? Did you know there are Little Free Libraries in the parking lots at Messiah and Interfaith Outreach (1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth)? The library at Interfaith Outreach is maintained by Messiah members Phil & Sue Zietlow, and they are especially in need of children’s books to add to that library! Children’s book donations (in good condition) can be dropped off in the marked location in the atrium at Messiah on Sundays or during church office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm), or email Sue Z to schedule a porch pick-up. We’ll be sure to get these books to the Little Free Libraries for local families to enjoy!

Interfaith Outreach is a valuable resource to our community, addressing critical needs of our neighbors. Volunteers are always needed at the food shelf and Resale Select store. Can you help? Current needs include:

• Food Shelf Shopping Assistant
• Resale Select Store Support: Shifts are open Monday-Saturday mornings, afternoons, and evenings
• Resale Select Treasure Hunter: Shifts are open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings and afternoons
• Donation Door Greeter: Shifts are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning and afternoons

If you are interested in any of these opportunities at Interfaith Outreach, visit iocp.volunteerhub.com to sign up online. Sign up for a New Volunteer Meeting to learn about all open volunteer opportunities. Interfaith Outreach is located at 1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth. For more information on Interfaith Outreach, visit iocp.org.

Can you help with some much-needed items for Simpson Shelter? Current needs include:

• Men’s boxers and t-shirts
• Women’s bras and briefs
• Hair ties
• Personal care items (especially hair care products for natural, textured, or curly hair and baby oil; please no full-size items – travel sized only)
• Ketchup
• Pickles
• Salad dressing (especially Ranch)
• Drink mixes (canister size)
• Sugar/sweetener packets

Simpson is currently only accepting these specific items. 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), or email Lavinia P to schedule a contactless pick-up. Lavinia can also answer questions about appropriate items to donate.

Simpson is also looking for groups to make sandwiches in their kitchen. (Food items must be made/assembled at their site and cannot be prepared off site.) Gather a group, or serve individually. To schedule, contact Lavinia.

For more information on Simpson Shelter, visit simpsonhousing.org. Instructions for monetary donations, links for shopping their Amazon Wish List or Target Wish List, and a complete list of current urgent needs can all be found here.

Among the many ways to serve our local communities, Messiah Church supports Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (TCH4H). Opportunities exist in several ways but primarily in the construction of housing for eligible applicants. No special skills are required to participate on a build, just a willingness to serve! Messiah volunteers have been participating in a multiple structure project on Niskanen Circle in Chaska. If you would like to help with this build project, visit tchabitat.volunteerhub.com/lp/chaska. At this link, you can register as a new volunteer and sign up for upcoming serve dates that fit your schedule. (Volunteers must be 16 and up to serve on a build team.) If you have questions regarding TCH4H volunteering, contact Marv K. For more information about Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, visit www.tchabitat.org. 

Looking to donate large items (or a large quantity of items) but don’t have a vehicle big enough to transport them? Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity ReStore can come to you! All you have to do is request a pickup. For questions about this service, please contact Habitat for Humanity directly at (612) 588-3820 or visit restore.tchabitat.org/donate. Please do not drop off donations at Messiah. For more information about Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, visit www.tchabitat.org.

Every week, hundreds of people enter Messiah Church. You can be part of our servant volunteer teams who share God’s love. Here are just a few ministry areas where you might serve:

• Sunday Worship - welcoming guests into worship, reading scripture, arranging flowers, or praying over and tidying the space between services
• Communion Prep - these servants shop for bread and juice, prepare for communion (cube bread and fill cups), and clean up after the service, the first Sunday of each month. You can serve for just the 8:30 or 10:30 service, or prep for both. Training will be provided!
• Sunday Hospitality - greeting guests, serving coffee, and ushering
• Wednesday Hospitality - greet guests attending evening activities
• Kids & Youth - build lasting relationships and nurture the faith of the next generation (background checks and references required)
• Gardens & Grounds - no matter the time of year, lend your green thumb or handy skills toward decorating, maintaining, or organizing our grounds

For more information on any of these opportunities, contact Heather Felt, Director of Community Engagement.

Looking for other opportunities to serve our neighbors? Check out the following organizations:

• 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