Mission Collections
The Wattsburg and Phillipsville Churches aim to make a difference by showing Christ’s love to others through different mission work. In 2021 we held 10 community and social events (6 additional events had to be cancelled due to COVID), 2 global mission trips collections (trips to resume in 2023), and 12 local missions work/collections (3 additional cancelled due to COVID). Below are some the things that we are currently collecting for and supporting.
Each year the congregations take collections to fill backpacks with school supplies for our local elementary students. Each bag consists of a notebook, folder, pencils, pencil pouch, sharpener, ruler, crayons, markers, colored pencils, erasers, and glue sticks. These bags are distributed at National Night Out, the Lowville Food Pantry, and at the Erie County Fair at Wattsburg.
In 2021 we were able to put together 240 bags. (Over 100 more than in 2020).
We are always collecting non-perishable foods and monetary donations for our local food pantry run by the Lowville United Methodist Church.
We also aim to bless them around the holidays by providing blessing baskets. These baskets contain laundry detergent, hand soap, shampoo, toilet paper, facial tissue, dish soap, and toothpaste.
2021 gave 32 families a basket for Thanksgiving and another for Christmas.
Another annual collection is to bless children through a shoebox of gifts for Christmas. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
2021 36 boxes were collected.
An annual collection at our churches is to support the Military. Donations of items such as trail mix, crossword puzzles, deodorant, jerky, flip flops, and water enhancers are collected to be sent to those serving on the front lines during the Christmas season. Monetary donations are also collected to help support the shipping costs associated, as well as Christmas cards with well wishes for the troops.
In 2021, 14 full boxes and $450 was collected.
In support of children in our local area, coordinated through the Food Pantry, we hold an Angel Tree in both our churches. We aim to bring the gifts of Advent to local children. Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace can all be conveyed through a simple gift specific to the child’s wants and needs.
In 2020 we were able to bless 20 children.
2021 event gave gifts to 14 local children.
We collect “Cleaning Kits” and “Hygiene Kits” throughOctober 31st to assist with disaster relief through our local UMCOR partner, the Eastbrook Mission Barn. Instructions for putting together either of these kits can be downloaded :
Our last event was Saturday, April 30th. This Chili Cook Off and Items Auction supports our Jamaica Mission through Won by One to Jamaica. This is a yearly mission trip that we aim to take again once the pandemic allows it.
We were able to raise $1,100.
We collected wheelchairs and mobility devices for All God’s Children Ministries the first two weeks of September. This collection event is in cooperation with AGCM overseas partners. AGCM typicall takes several mission trips to Latin America every year. The pandemic changed that but the need for devices was still there. We are delighted to have been able to support their mission.
more organizations we support
Through different programs All God’s Children Ministries is able to provide ramps to residential homes, medical equipment to those in need globally, education and support to local churches, and respite care for family care givers. Be sure to check out all the amazing things they are dong on their website.
http://allgodschildrenministries.org
Our men visit Chosen weekly to aid in their mission to refurbish medical equipment. They also have mission trips and home health care services. Visit their site to see the amazing things they are doing.
Our mission trip to Argentina is coordinated through this organization. They help supplement the pay to keep workers at the orphanage that our team visits.
To find our more visit their website.
To honor and remember the special men in our lives on Father’s day we take a special collection that we call “Buy a Board” to benefit Habitat for Humanity.
To honor and remember the special women in our lives we “Buy a Blanket” as a part of a special collection for Mother’s Day to benefit CWS.