Outreach and Missions
Community Outreach and Missions
Aldersgate has an active Outreach and Missions program. There is something for all ages and interests.
Aldersgate's Food Pantry provides assistance to persons in the community who need groceries. Our members donate food items or money to purchase these items from the Memphis Food Bank.
The pantry has two areas of service. One will provide food for one or two days. This helps families or individuals in Madison County in a time of emergency, to help them until they can get additional assistance.
The second area is the USDA Food Program. Here families or individuals receive a grocery bag filled with canned vegetables, beans, fruit, soup and other non-perishables, enough to last about a week. These bags are distributed on the 4th Monday of each month from January through October. In November and December, the dates are adjusted to give extra food before the holidays. In each bag, we provide inspirational literature, such as The Upper Room, and children's literature is available to those with young ones.
To participate in the USDA program, the following requirements must be met:
* be a resident of Madison County, Tennessee
* provide proof of income for all members of the household (Social Security, Disability, etc.)
* Social Security numbers for each member of the household
* proof of any assistance to income (housing or utility subsidy, food stamps, etc.).
Guidelines are set by the federal USDA program and vary depending on the size of the household only, and are available to anyone who meets the requirements.
Contact Lindsey or Gail White our Food Pantry Coordinators or call the church office for more information.
- Community Soup Kitchen Volunteer
Aldersgate provides volunteers to work at the Community Soup Kitchen several times during the year. Contact Ann Eichler our RIFA/Soup Kitchen coordinator.
Aldersgate provides desserts to the working and non-working poor who are served hot meals at the Community Soup Kitchen. The church has a list of volunteers who provide desserts on the 12th day of each month. This is done on a rotating basis.
During the months of January, February and March, Aldersgate teams up with RIFA (Regional Interfaith Association) to provide shelter and food for the homeless in the Jackson community. Guests are provided with shelter for the night, a hot meal and then breakfast in the morning. Volunteers are needed to assist with the program.
Connectional Outreach and Missions
- Apportioned Funds -- Sharing God's Gifts
United Methodist are connected in the ministry of Christ. John Wesley and his followers saw our work in the simplest terms. To paraphrase his inspiring words: "Do all the good you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can." We United Methodist follow in Wesley's footsteps, supporting one another and helping God's children whenever and wherever we can.
One way we accomplish this is through our apportioned funds, which is a method of giving that proportionally allocates the general church budget to conferences and then conferences apporiton to the local churches. Together, through our connected congregations, we United Methodists accomplish what no single church, district or annual conference ever could do alone. In this way, each individual, family, and congregation gives a fair share for the church's work. We combine our prayers, presence, gifts and service to make a significant difference in the lives of God's children in every place we can and as often as we can.
Six times throughout the year, United Methodist congregations celebrate church-wide Special Sundays with offerings. These offerings help during times of disaster, promote peace and justice, provide scholarships and student loans, reach out to the community, teach skills to encourage self-sufficiency and share the love of Jesus Christ with God's people everywhere. The following is a list of the Special Sundays: Human Relations Day, One Great Hour of Sharing, Native American Ministries Sunday, Peace with Justice Sunday, World Communion Sunday, United Methodist Student Day.
Conference benevolences fund the mission and ministry of our Memphis Annual Conference. This includes places such as Lakeshore United Methodist Assembly, Hannah's Hope, Reelfoot Rural Ministries, Wesley Housing Centers, etc.
