Witness & Outreach Ministries at First United Methodist Church
Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. Matthew 25:40.
Our Witness & Outreach committee works to empower the congregation of First United Methodist Church, Iowa City to build relationships with other religious communities throughout Iowa City and by providing hands-on and financial support to various agencies and projects which seek to serve those in need both in our local community and throughout the world.
Witness & Outreach Ministries Brochure
Missions Committee
Coordinators: Jan & Doug Herman
This committee coordinates some of the mission work and missional giving done by Iowa City First and supports, among other things: Self-Help International, Church World Service, Personal Energy Transportation (P.E.T.) vehicles, and the Hope Mission Market - an opportunity to buy and give alternative Christmas gifts that give a gift of hope to those in need.
Appalachia Service Project (ASP) Team – Coordinator: Mike Hodge
Each summer this team travels to the central Appalachian Mountains to work
on making homes “warmer, drier and safer” as part of the larger Appalachia
Service Project. During the rest of the year, the team raises funds to support
the next year’s work by sponsoring a once a month smorgasbord.
Local Outreach Committee
Coordinator: Jan Down
Free Lunch Team – Mark Brown, Dea Brown
Prepares and serves a free lunch at the Wesley Center from 11am-2pm on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
Habitat for Humanity Team – Jan Down
Working with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity, this team raises funds and recruits volunteers to build low cost, reliable housing for low-come families.
Food Bank Collections Team – Becky Hall
This team collects food donations from the Food Donation barrels in our church and takes the food to the Crisis Center for distribution
Thanksgiving Ingathering Team – Sandy Willingham & Bernie Mulford
Our Ingathering Team works with other Iowa United Methodists to support the wider mission of The United Methodist Church through The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Iowa Nigeria Project, and many others.
CROP Walk Team – This team organizes members of our congregation to participate in the annual Johnson County CROP Walk which works to address the issue of hunger in our community.
Recycling Team – Sue Mullins
Collects recycled material from our recycling boxes in the church and takes the material to the recycling
center.
Project Holiday Tree – This team sets up and maintains a Christmas tree in Fellowship Hall to support
the Salvation Army’s Project Holiday. Project Holiday helps to provide gifts for children in the Iowa City
area.
Interfaith Ministries Committee
Coordinator: Kazi Alward
Iowa City First works with other religious congregations in our community on a wide range of social issues as well as developing ecumenical ties with other faith communities.
Consultation of Religious Communities – Lay Representative: Sally Jablonski
This group meets with representatives of other faith communities from the Iowa City area to coordinate activities done on a community wide basis. Such activities include:
- Winter Outerwear Distribution: Each fall we collect and distribute new and gently used, school appropriate clothing for children and youth ranging from pre-school (including infant wear) through high school, as well as winter outerwear for all ages.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration: Each January, we help to prepare a celebration of Dr. King’s birthday with an ecumenical event.
- To Gather Together: This is a project, sponsored by the Consultation of Religious Communities, benefits school students in Johnson County and the Iowa City Community School District. Gather Together collects school supplies for students without the resources to provide their own. School supplies are collected here at church and then distributed to students of the school our church supports, Lucas Elementary School.
Social Events Team
This team helps to coordinate, set-up, prepare food, and clean up after the annual
“Neighborhood Block Party” in cooperation with the other churches in the neighborhood.
This group also helps to coordinate our annual pot-luck with St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
