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
Methodists Helping Puerto Rico
We know that United Methodists here in New England have been eager to hear about how the Church is helping the people of Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has been and remains on the ground in Puerto Rico right now, and is working in partnership with the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico (MCPR) to address immediate needs and develop and implement a long-term response. Catherine Earl is Director of U.S. Disaster Response for UMCOR. In a recent letter to Conference Disaster Response Coordinators, Earl wrote: "UMCOR has been working with Bishop [Héctor F.] Ortiz and the MCPR Leadership Team to develop and fund a structure and program which will effectively address outstanding
recovery needs in both the short and long-term.
This will include volunteer coordination and hosting,
construction, case management and material support."
One Great Hour of Sharing, now called UMCOR Sunday on March 11th is one of our 6 special offerings that provides major support for immediate assistance in the wake of natural and human-caused disasters and helps support ongoing ministries of food, shelter, health and peace. One Great Hour of Sharing giving allows 100 percent of designated gifts to be used for the specified disaster response or other ministry.
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 71.75% of our mission shares obligation in 2017.
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 2018 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
Another Relief Story
UMCOR is currently in conversation with the
United Methodist Annual Conferences in Kentucky,
Tennessee, and Indiana as a violent storm system with relentless rains and fierce winds
pounded the southern and central U.S. over the weekend
of February 25 and could lead to treacherous flooding
in the days ahead. The system that stretched from Texas
to the Canadian maritime provinces left a path of destruction as it cut eastward Sunday: Homes were leveled, trees
uprooted, cars demolished. Five people were killed,
two in suspected tornadoes. Emergency crews struggled to keep up with calls from drivers stranded by rising
floodwaters in many locations. More than 200 river gauges reported levels above flood stage from the Great Lakes to eastern Texas, the Weather Channel reported. By Sunday,
the river gauge near downtown Louisville showed the Ohio River at 34.9 feet. The normal level is about 12 feet. In
1997, the water was measured at 38.8 feet;
roughly 50,000 homes flooded, and the Louisville
area alone saw $200 million in damage.
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.
