Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) and UMC of Martha's Vineyard
GBFB is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food
banks in the country. Last year, we distributed 57.7 million pounds of nutritious food to people
who struggle to have enough to eat. We are committed to increasing our food distribution
to provide at least one meal a day to every person in need in Eastern Massachusetts
while supporting healthy lives and healthy communities.
They will ship food products to Martha's Vineyard and deliver it to one central location.
We welcome this amazing new partnership in carrying out our mission
on the Island to serve our sisters and brothers.
UMCMV
Ministries
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms" - 1 Peter 4:10
Sharing God's Gifts in Mission
United Methodists are a world-wide church, so our Mission Share dollars help to afford care and support children with AIDS in Africa and to speak out against violence in the Middle East that is creating a new generation of orphans. Our Mission Share giving is paying for teachers, pastors, and missionaries in Maine and around the world—In Russia, Korea, and Africa, to name a few.
The United Methodist Church is the only Protestant denomination allowed to maintain a permanent presence in Russia. The General Board of Discipleship's Upper Room division hosted the first ever Emmaus Walk in Russia in 2008. That's missional giving! Our dollars flow from Martha’s Vineyard and join with giving from 1000’s of other United Methodist churches and flows to people in USA who are hurting, to Africa, Middle East, and around the world.
How Mission Shares Serve New England...
As a church, we celebrate the fact that we paid 100%
of our mission shares obligation in 2018.
Here’s a story of how mission shares serve New England….
Pastor Annie Baker-Streevy serves Calvary United Methodist
Church in Lewiston, ME. Her salary is paid in part through the Equitable Compensation Fund, supported by Mission Shares.
Pastor Baker-Streevy shares this about the church’s ministry: Calvary United Methodist Church continues to grow in our relationship with Christ as we live into our mission to "seek,
serve, and celebrate God" through our core values of "bold
service, city-centered, and radical hospitality." Located in the downtown neighborhood of one of New England's poorest
(per capita) cities, Calvary UMC strives to make God's kingdom
of love a reality by meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our community.
Thanks to the generosity of the New England Conference
through Mission Shares and grants, we are able to continue
being the hands and feet of Christ in our neighborhood.
Because of the funds we receive from the Conference,
we are able to remain a full-time ministry that is meeting
the needs of our neighborhood in a way that transforms lives.
You can contact their web page at calvarylewiston@yahoo.com.
Copyright 2019 United Methodist Church of Martha's Vineyard. All Rights Reserved.
UMC-MV: Making a Difference!
Angel Tree
every Advent Season
toys for kids
Back Packs
we fill with school supplies for
all the schools on the Island
Clothes to Go
free clothing 4 times per week/
12 months per year
Community Suppers - 2 locations
free meals January – March
Edgartown and Oak Bluffs
Houses of Grace
every night of the week
free meal at 7 churches
Homeless Shelter
available to a limited
number of residents
Island Food Pantry
open 3 days per week
12 months per year
Prayer Shawl Ministry
New ministry
making prayer shawls for
anyone hurting
Valentine's Day Ministry
we fill out valentines for our
members who are shut in and
deliver on Valentine's Day
Ministries Through our Connectional Mission Shares
Camping Ministry: 5 Camps...Maine, Massachusetts (2),
Rhode Island and Vermont.
Mission for Peace: Yearly journey for 4 high school students to meet youth from other countries
who are working for peace (Phillippines 2018-2019).
Hattie Cooper Community Center: Serving people in need in some of Boston's poorest neighborhoods.
N.U.H.O.P.E. - Responding to the world crisis of orphans.
This is New England UMC's voice to advocate for orphans. There are an estimated 150 million orphans worldwide,
and 800,000 children in the U.S. foster care system.
JFON (Justice for Our Neighbors): Offers free legal advice on where to go for health issues,
ESL classes, where to enroll children in public school, hospitality support, compassion, and a listening ear.
Located at Trinity UMC in Springfield, MA and at Woburn, MA UMC.
Have Faith: Many Hands
United Methodist Church’s NOW committee helps meet the needs of Islanders.
(From the MV Times 12/27/18 Edition, Written by Connie Berry)
After talking with the women in the NOW committee at the United Methodist Church, I’m wondering what I could
possibly be doing with my free time. NOW is an acronym for Nurture Outreach and Witness, and co-chairs
Sandy Joyce and Donna Leon, along with the organizer of the group, Barbara Spain, keep busy year-round.
I sat down with the women and the church’s pastor, the Rev. Roberta Williams, a couple of weeks ago. When I asked what
kinds of things they work on throughout the year, I quickly found out it was more than I bargained for.
The committee’s been together for about 10 years, they told me, and began under the previous pastor, Richard Rego.
“When people in the church had an idea for a ministry, they could come to this committee and we would help
them realize their idea,” Sandy explained. “The NOW committee is like the heart of the church,” Donna added.
There are the outreach programs most Islanders are familiar with — the Island Food Pantry and Clothes to Go, both
housed in the United Methodists’ old stone church in Vineyard Haven. There are two Community Suppers — one hosted
at the parish hall at the Campground on Saturday nights, and the other one at St. Andrew’s Church in Edgartown
(it used to be at the Old Whaling Church) on Monday nights; both begin at 5:30 pm. The suppers start up the first
Saturday and the first Monday in January, and continue until the last week of March.
“I think all of us that volunteer for the suppers, we get as much from it as the people who come,” Donna said.
The UMC has often talked to local restaurants and chefs, who have volunteered to prepare meals for their suppers.
The parish hall has a large commercial kitchen. The meals are served on dishes at the church, not paper
or plastic plates. In summer they sell food for the masses that come to Illumination Night.
“I’d guesstimate that we get about 10,000 people,” Pastor Williams said. “We start at about 5 pm, and a lot of families come.
We try to make this building available to the community. It’s air-conditioned, and we make it available to other nonprofits.
Last summer we had about six events sponsored by AA, the Cottagers, Jazz on the Vineyard, a group that helped build
a conversation around race.” The Boy Scouts also use the building, and they sell popcorn during Illumination Night.
The NOW committee is busy with Little Dresses for Africa, a ministry where they sew simple dresses that can be let out
and little britches with a drawstring waist for boys. The clothing is then shipped off to the Michigan headquarters
of the Christian nonprofit, Little Dresses for Africa, and they distribute the clothing throughout the continent of Africa.
This time of year the NOW committee collects hats, scarves, and mittens knitted and crocheted by volunteers,
and they decorate a Christmas tree inside the church with the handmade goods, which eventually make their way to
the Red Stocking Fund. The committee also began making prayer shawls a year ago.
“We make them and give them to parishioners who maybe have had a loss or need a little coziness in their lives"
Sandy said. “It lets them know that we’re thinking of them,” Donna added. They also are part of a backpack project
that benefits the elementary and high schools on the Island. Barbara explained that the Campground flea
market in summer and the holiday bazaar held recently help to fund their outreach programs.
The committee gets together once a month regularly, though they admit it’s harder to do in the summer months.
They brainstorm what to do, and have gotten parishioners together to craft ornaments, jewelry, candles, wreaths, cards,
and swags to sell. And this year on Mother’s Day, they asked people to bring in donations of diapers and wipes,
which were given to the Department of Children and Families. On Father’s Day, people donate children’s books
that remind them of their dad or a dad figure in their lives, and those are given to the Red Stocking Fund.
The church has another committee that serves receptions after funerals, they donate blankets to Church World Service,
and they go caroling at Windemere at Christmastime. The parish hall serves as a gathering place for AA groups,
who held a Thanksgiving dinner there, and a New Year’s Eve party and dance.
“We want people to know that the church is here for them,” Pastor Williams said.
I think I realize that now, more than ever. If you’d like to find out more about the United Methodist Church
of Martha’s Vineyard, reach out to them at 508-693-4424.
