Here are a few of the ways one can serve locally.
AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries): AIM was created by churches to eliminate duplication of assistance to those in need. It has a “hand up, not a handout” philosophy. We partner with AIM in providing monetary resources, wood ministry, WACS (Women and Children Succeeding), and our newest connection with them, the Fortson Home Ministry.
Casting Purls: These ladies are crafters of knitting and crocheting, making items that are used by other missions and charities. For example, they provide prayer shawls for those bereaved and going through difficult times such as cancer, scarves for Samaritan’s Purse Shoeboxes, mittens and blankets for Mission Development (Appalachian Ministry in Kentucky), bandages for the American Leprosy Association, hats for babies and Cancer Association, and much more. They meet on the second, third and fourth Thursdays at 1 pm in Asbury Hall.
Fortson Community Partnership:
Trinity UMC has partnered with the Fortson Homes Community since 2020 by spending a few hours each Friday during the summer eating lunch, playing games and showing love to the students and families in this housing community. We also deliver the Weekend Snackpacks to the students as we leave each Friday. As we spent this time in fellowship, the team felt called upon to do more. Students in this community mainly attend Title 1 schools in Anderson County and we felt the need to focus on their education during the school year. In January of 2023, we started a tutoring program on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 1.5 hours for the students in the area. Our goals for this tutoring program were to offer a healthy snack for the students after school, help students with their homework and encourage the students, demonstrate to students that someone outside their home and classroom puts value on their education.
When we serve God, by feeding the hungry, giving shelter to the homeless or in our case, teaching the children, we are showing God’s love. When we show God’s love to anyone, we plant seeds of that love in their hearts. As we continue to show God’s love, we can nurture those seeds as they grow. By beginning with love and service, we start by opening hearts so that we can then share the Good News with those around us. To share God’s love, we must first show that we love, otherwise our words are empty.
If you would like to help with this partnership, contact Rev. Kathryn at kmbariou@umcsc.org.
Fortson Home Fridays: We partner with AIM as we adopt this community to pick up weekend food packs from AIM and deliver and distribute them on Fridays during the summer. While at Fortson Homes, our members will provide Friday lunch for the children there and offer them special activities of games and crafts that revolve around a theme. Our goal is to build a relationship with this community.
Mercy Center: Known as the South Main Chapel and Mercy Center, it partners with churches and other non-profit organizations to offer services of worship and caring (food, medicine, counseling, etc.) for the various needs of those in our community. Our Outreach Ministry team provides and/or serves food on Sundays for four quarterly meals each year and members are invited to join them to help serve. We also have a yearly bottled water and Gatorade drive for them.
Pumpkin Patch: Members can serve as volunteers in our pumpkin patch which is offered during the month of October to raise funds for a variety of missions. Opportunities range from greeting guests to measuring and pricing pumpkins, being a cashier, or assisting with a field trip.
Rebuild Upstate: Rebuild Upstate focuses solely on home preservation and repair as means to keep residents in their own homes. Whether addressing safe entry and exit by building a new wheelchair ramp or ensuring that a family is healthy and dry under a new roof, the goal of every home repair is to make sure the residents may remain comfortably in place for years to come. That’s why Rebuild Upstate takes a holistic approach to affordable housing by partnering with other fantastic community organizations to help address the symptoms of subpar housing and empower individuals to break the cycle of poverty.
Weekend Snackpack: Our members gather several times a year at the food distribution center to assemble food packs that are given to children on Fridays so they will have food for the weekend.