We Are A Matthew 25 Church
The Gospel of Matthew provides for us a parable from Jesus about what it means to be faithful servants in our earthly lives. When we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, provide clothes and blankets to those without, tend to the sick and lonely, and when we minister to those in prison -- we are embodying Christ to a hurting world and demonstrating what God's Kingdom looks like.
Current Mission Initiatives
Here are some current or critical mission opportunities
Blessing Cards for Diaper Bundles
Bundles of Hope Diaper Ministry needs volunteers to handwrite blessing cards that are given to each person who receives diapers from our church. Bundles of Hope will provide the cards and the verbiage — the volunteers provide their time and handwriting! If you can help, please contact the church office at 205-822-0910!
Volunteers Needed!
Church of the Reconciler (COTR) will train volunteers to help people access their critical government documents. If you feel a little overwhelmed by the thought of that, just imagine how a homeless person who has lost all their forms of ID would feel. COTR journeys with people to navigate the difficulties of life, and it’s fun to do it together, and they’ll teach you how to help. For more information on the Church of the Reconciler and the many ways to get involved, visit the COTR church website or the COTR Facebook page.
Volunteer Opportunities
Urban Ministries needs people who can help with any of the following service opportunities. If you can help, please call Danny Jones at 205-781-0517 or email him at Danny@urban-ministry.org Danny will be happy to talk with your group about Urban Ministries!
- WE Community Garden – The West End (WE) Community Garden is a block away from Urban Ministry, and the folks there welcome volunteers whenever they are available. Saturday morning is often a good time before the day gets too hot. (If there is another day or time that is more convenient, let us know.) Groups tend to come for 1-3 hours, though we believe that it is better for a group to leave a little too soon than to stay a little too long.
- Food Drive – We always welcome additions to our food pantry that stays busy helping stave off hunger. While all non-perishable items are welcome, we have suggestions for items that are particularly helpful.
- Serve with our social worker in food distribution or in the pantry – Great for a small group on a weekday.
- Replace concrete step at our Midfield facility – We have a dire need to replace a concrete step where we host our visiting work groups. It would involve building a form, pouring the concrete perhaps with some rebar in it, and putting the step in place. An extraordinarily helpful and important project for someone with the right know-how.
- Replace soffit and fascia at Midfield facility – We have a skilled volunteer who says if we get him 8 people (adults, college, high school) who can hit a nail, he can have that done in 4-5 days. A group that didn’t have that much time could knock out part of it.
- Paint soffit and fascia – The soffit and fascia will need painting after it is replaced.
- Ceiling repair at Midfield facility where leaks have been fixed – Our skilled volunteer says he could do it in 4 hours if he had a couple of helpers.
- Paint the repaired ceiling
- Deep cleaning at Midfield facility
- Deep cleaning at West End office building
- Paint homes (exterior only) – We paint homes for low-income homeowners. Groups often work 4 days in a row, or perhaps for 3 or 4 Saturdays, or even for just a day or two to finish or start a house that another group starts or finishes.
- Landscaping at Midfield facility and/or the West End building
- Replace light fixtures
- “Warm up” the front entrance area and/or the front office area – Someone with an eye for design could make our entranceway so much more appealing.
- Tree removal at Midfield facility – We have an unwanted magnolia tree that is rubbing up against a roof. It will require a little finesse.
Are you interested in helping in another way? Urban Ministry would like to make it happen!
“One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve him in our neighbour; which he receives as if done to himself in person, standing visibly before us.”
Chile Mission Partnership
John Elmore, UMC Missionary to Chile
Bluff Park UMC has supported missionary John Elmore’s work in Chile since 2007. We are one of about 65 United Methodist Churches throughout the U.S. that support him as his Covenant Churches. To be in a Covenant Church relationship with a Methodist missionary requires three commitments: 1) to pray for our missionary and his work; 2) to contribute monetarily to his work; and 3) to send a team at least once a year to work alongside of him.
More About John Elmore
UMVIM Teams to Chile
Since 2007, BPUMC has sent mission teams to Chile to work with John in the various towns where he has served. His current assignment in Angol is to renovate and revitalize the only Methodist camp in Chile. It will be used for spiritual retreats, youth camps, and church meetings. The rustic camp consists of bedrooms facing an indoor courtyard, a dining hall, and bathrooms. Outside are small, separate outdoor worship areas set among giant sequoias which have grown from seeds missionaries brought from California. The camp is also an easy walk to the Malleco River. One of John's visions is to develop ecological studies at the camp, incorporating hikes to the river and study of local vegetation. BPUMC’s September 2019 mission team to Chile painted all the bedrooms, repurposed old bunk beds into nightstands, painted out-buildings and fences, and landscaped the grounds. Since COVID prevented us from sending a team to Chile in 2020, the church is sending $300 per month to help with John’s work in Angol. This is in addition to the $1,950 that he received from the 2020 Easter Love Offering. We will send another work team to Chile when it is safe to do so!
Covid in Chile
Chile is divided into regions. Every week the National Board of Medicine for the country goes on television and announces the restrictions for each region. Phase 1-5: Phase 1 Full Shut Down ==> Phase 5 Full Open
View Covid in Chile PresentationMission Contacts
Susan Reynolds-Porter
Adult Ministry Program Coordinator and Missions Program Coordinator
John Elmore
UMC Missionary to Chile