Missions

Pamela Fitzpatrick, Chairperson
Sonja Jones, Vice Chair
Ronda Christian, Secretary
Barbara Battle, Treasurer

Rev. Janet Gaston Petty & Rev. Courtland Pitt, Clergy Advisors

Meeting Dates | Vision | Mission | Scripture | History | 2010 Goals | Special Projects

Meeting Dates

Missions Ministry meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. For further information email the Missions chairperson.

Vision Statement

The Missions Ministry of Hope United Methodist Church is committed to sharing the love of Jesus by reaching out to those who are experiencing physical or spiritual hunger, using our time and energy to decrease material need, and boldly sharing the Word of God, in an effort to assist those whom we encounter to live socially and spiritually fulfilled lives.

Mission Statement

Missions Ministry strives to provide food, clothing, shelter, spiritual support and the Word of God whenever and wherever there is a need, with the intent of assisting people to move to a higher physical and spiritual level.

Scripture

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (I John 3:17)

Missions Ministry History

an abbreviated history by Liz W. Chamberlain, Church Historian

In 1975, the merging of Southfield United Methodist Church with St. Mark’s Evangelical United Brethren Church created Hope United Methodist Church. With the newly formed church came a new organizational structure that included a number of “work areas” (now called ministries). One such ministry is Missions.

Hope Church records indicate that its first Missions chairperson was Ruth Geving, who served as chairperson from 1975 to approximately 1977. Ruth Geving, also a charter member of Hope United Methodist Church, maintained her membership at Hope until her death in the mid 1990s. Under her leadership as Missions chair, the focus was on serving the global community.

Dr. Carlyle Fielding Stewart, III accepted the assignment as Hope’s pastor in 1983, and as the first African American pastor of the all-white congregation, was instrumental in appointing African Americans to various leadership positions. One such appointment was Liz Chamberlain. As the first African American chairperson of Missions, Liz served from 1986-1988. When Liz assumed the position of chairperson, she continued to carry out projects inherited from her predecessor, namely an annual clothing drive, CROP Walk, and the dressing of Goodfellow dolls for needy children at Christmas.

With Annie Morrow as its leader in 1990, Missions worked under the aegis of Evangelism and Outreach. In 1991, Dr. Grenae’ Dudley took over the reins of Missions (no longer a sub-committee of Evangelism and Outreach), and took the ministry to another level by adopting a shelter (COTS) and working with other agencies that serve the needy. Dr. Dudley led food and clothing drives, sent care packages to Desert Storm soldiers, worked with nursing homes, and continued the tradition of dressing Goodfellow dolls. The ministry’s concentration switched to the needs of the local community.

The Missions Ministry has come a long way. From 1975 to 1988, Missions basically operated as a one-person ministry. However, by 2004, under the leadership of John Gambrell, Missions has evolved into a ministry of approximately 35 members. These members are actively involved in serving God through numerous community and several global outreach efforts. There is a bi-monthly nursing home ministry, a spring and winter Angel Tree program, holiday and monthly food basket projects, cloths for the needy, overseas outreach to assist churches in Haiti and Liberia.

Although the CROP Walk was dropped over the years, it has once again been selected as a joint Missions project with Church and Society, along with several other ongoing outreach efforts. In 2005, under the leadership of Mildred Braddock, Missions was blessed with a freezer and refrigerator from the Food Bank of Oakland. This blessing has enabled Missions to supplement their food baskets with additional frozen and/or refrigerator items. The Closet of Hope has provided a record number of families clothing and food do to the new direction and persistence of the Chairperson and the Co-Chairperson.

Past Missions Ministry Chairpersons

1975 ~ Ruth Geving
1977–1978 ~ Doris Robbins
1981 ~ Dick Loader
1983 ~ Carmel Dunham
1986–1988 ~ Liz W. Chamberlain
1991–1993 ~ Dr. Grenae’ Dudley
1994 ~ Benny Whitfield & Leonaora Thompson
1998– 2000 ~ Prudence Washington
2000–2002 ~ Jean Lewis
2002–2004 ~ John Gambrell
2004–2008 ~ Mildred Braddock
2008–present ~ Pamela Fitzpatrick

Missions Ministry 2010 Goals

• Weekend in March designated as “Missions Weekend” celebrating Missions Sunday
• Missions Symposium for Partnering included in the Missions Weekend
• Continue Annual Hope Extravaganza Project spotlighting Youth of Hope to raise more funds for Hope Scholarship
• Easter Dinner for more shelters and families in need
• Reach out to UM churches to partner with and work together
• Outreach globally but start in the United States outside of Michigan first
• Sponsor youth to attend/ go with them to UM camps
• Work further with Meals on Wheels and delivery and preparing dinners
• Train to learn more languages to help other cultures
• Encourage the congregation and other ministry areas to become more involved in mission outreach projects that service community
• Develop ways to provide education on missions (“service to others”), so that the congregation will be better informed and more committed to supporting the Missions Ministry
• Make connections to volunteer with new additional projects: Special Olympics, Habitat House etc.
• Partner with Van Ministry in efforts of outreach transportation when needed
• Seek out additional Vehicle (camper) to become a mission on wheels truck (for families in burn out crisis that we can travel with needed items to them location.
• Continue to look for other opportunities to become involved/partner with other churches and community agencies committed to helping those in need.
• Serve as a liaison within and beyond the local congregation concerning mission ministry outreach work
• Being innovative when trying to encourage full participation of the congregation in church wide (Tony Crosby Week) and church conference level missions outreach projects (Haiti, Liberia, etc.)
• Partner with Van Ministry, Trustees or Stewards with campaigns for fundraising for new church transportation

2009-2010 Service Groups

Closet of Hope (Feed the Hungry and Clothing Bank)

Programs developed to assist families with food or clothing during the Holiday, Monthly or Emergency time of need.

>> Click here to visit the Closet of Hope page.

Nursing Home Visitation

Programs developed for Nursing Home Centers

>> Click here to visit the Nursing Home Visitation web page

Angel Tree

Programs developed to assist children that are less fortunate in orphanages, families or group homes and selected young women's programs to help with school supplies, wish list, clothing and gift certificates.

>> Click here for photos

Overseas Outreach (Conference level church programs)

Local or Overseas Programs developed to assist churches abroad in Haiti, Liberia or selected areas of need from United Methodist Conference Level

Special Projects

Programs with special needs of service for each different season

>> Click here for projects

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