There are many ways that Aldersgate UMC helps those in our community, country, and around the world. Here is a summary of how we’ve served those around us in 2018.
January – The year started off after a busy holiday season, the first Mission of the Month Heart of Christ Honduras received $1580.00
February – Our Mission of the Month was Habitat for Humanity – Besides the normal collection of offering funds, there was a 2X4 sales, magnet sales, and then the Soup and Chili Supper. Total receipts for the Habitat for Humanity Mission totaled $3718.00. Also, in February, Lee Murphree from Heart of Christ spoke to the Congregation about recent activities in Honduras.
March – Aldersgate had a first time Mission of the Month in March -The Care Center in New Hope and Grant. This mission received $1335.00 from the Congregation.
April – Our Mission of the Month in April was Servants in Faith and Technology or SIFAT, which received $1535 in offerings. The Spring Build for the Habitat Home that we were assigned as a church began in April.
May – Our Mission of the Month for May was Special Camps at Sumatunga. This mission provides summer camps for the adult mentally challenged at no costs to the participants. All the money collected for this mission goes to scholarships for the Camp Participants. A total of $1935 was raised for this mission
June – Our summer Mission Activities began this month – Our Mission of the Month was New Life Church in Anniston which is a Church that serves the lower income area in Anniston and provides a healthy and safe place for young people after school and provides adult mentorship. We were treated to an interpretive dance team from New Life during a Sunday Service. A total of $1395 was raised for this mission.
July – We had mission teams go to both Special Camps at Camp Sumatunga and Heart of Christ Honduras. Over the week at Camp Sumatunga – 9 members served at the Camp and 13 adults and youth traveled to Honduras to work at the Mission. Several dresses and outfits for the children were taken to Honduras. Our July Mission of the Month was North Alabama Wesley Foundations, a total of $1415.00 was collected. The Wesley Foundation is a United Methodist ministry to College Students. For many the Wesley Foundation becomes their discipleship family for students while they are at college.
August – Our Mission of the Month for August was HEALS Clinics- HEALS provides first aid and medical attention to students in Madison County. The Church also collected socks during this month. A total of $1840 was collected for HEALs and over 400 pairs of socks were collected.
September – Our Mission of the Month was CASA or Care Assurance System for the Aging. This organization provides winterization of homes for Seniors and helps build ramps and performs other maintenance for Seniors in Madison County. This Mission of the Month received $1385.00.
October – Our Mission of the Month was the Byron Tatum Mission in Costa Rica. This mission received $1205.00. Also, Cookies for Teachers event was held on October 1 st where cookies are donated and delivered to local schools and the local fire station and police precinct, along with a card that offers the Churches help in the event that a student who otherwise might not be able to afford glasses or some other items I paid for discreetly by the Aldersgate. The money for these items comes from the money that is donated to the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund mostly by the offerings left on the altar during communion services.
November – Our Holiday Season kicked off with the CASA work day, several members of the church volunteered on November 3 rd to winterize homes for Seniors, rake leaves, install fire detectors, and provide other light maintenance for 3 homes this year. This month also was the Christmas Shoebox Collection month. A total of 98 Shoeboxes of Christmas goodies, toys, and other items designated to be delivered all over the world was collected. The Mission of the Month was Christmas Angels which received $3868.99. Beth Tatum from the Byron Tatum mission spoke between Sunday services.
December – The first Saturday Dec 1 st had 18 members of both adults and youths’ shop for 38 Christmas Angels with the funds received in November. All the gifts were delivered to Parkway Place Mall Angel Tree that afternoon. 18 seemed to be the number for December as 18 Food Boxes were collected for the Healthy Families Program at the National Children’s Advocacy Center. In December we split the Mission of the Month with two missions, First Stop, a local homeless advocacy organization and Rising India Ministries which is developing Christian Pastors and Ministers in India a predominantly Hindu Nation. The Mission of the Month received $1010.00 which was split evenly between the two missions. During the Christmas Musical $266 and over 600 food items was collected for the Huntsville Assistance Program.
During the year there were two local ministries that served our local community here in South Huntsville – One Picnic in the Park provided lunches during the summer months to Children and teenagers. 501 meals from the Food Bank were served and 834 sandwiches many to teenagers. 602 volunteer hours from members of the Church made this ministry happened. The other ministry is called Hope on Wheels where the Church Van is taken to a central location and meals are served those in our community. A total of 1654 meals were served, and volunteers logged 350 hours in this mission.
We have three regular monthly missions, Salvation Army Canteen Truck, Huntsville Assistance Program, and Backpack Meals. On the first Sunday of the Month, a team from Aldersgate takes the Salvation Army Canteen Truck to a couple of locations to serve meals to those that are less fortunate. Normally, two to three members serve on the truck and usually the number served is between 40 and 60 individuals each month. On the Second Sunday of each month food and paper items are collected for the Huntsville Assistance Program. HAP helps those in need by providing food items and rental assistance if needed. The third monthly mission during the school year is Backpack Meals. Food items are donated and provided to a local school for those students that
might not have adequate food over the weekends or to supplement their food supply. In 2018 we provided these for Morris Elementary, but in 2019 Backpacks will be serving Sonnie Hereford Elementary.
During the year, Aldersgate collects offerings for the United Methodist Committee on Relief or UMCOR. This is the disaster response organization of the Methodist Church. In 2018, a total of $2915 was collected for UMCOR.
Aldersgate UMC 