Sharing God’s love through hands on mission and service is a priority at Maplewood UMC. Throughout the year we offer a variety of opportunities for folks to engage in mission and service including working on a Habitat for Humanity home, serving at Kingdom House, United Methodist related ministry in the near south side of Saint Louis, serving at the L’Arche community in Maplewood, and assisting in the fund-raising efforts for Mosaic Services, an organization which supports families in the Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District.
We collect food each month to share with the “Weekend on Wheels” program which provides food for families in the Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District. Through the Early Childhood Center’s Meals on Wheels program, rolling suitcases, filled with nutritious (and kid-friendly) food, are sent home with students on week-ends. MUMC folks continually collect food items at the church and deliver them to the Center for distribution. During a recent delivery one of the kids was heard commenting, “Hey, this is some really good stuff!”
We also collect paper supplies for Joe’s Place, and alternative housing option for high school students in the Maplewood-Richmond Heights Schools.
Our Adopt-a-Family/Giving Tree made its appearance on Sunday, November 27. The tree itself was nearly invisible, hidden by the ornament-shaped gift & name tags. By the end of the morning worship, at least half of the gift tags had been taken by individuals and families; we hope the rest will go next Sunday, December 4. Our dream is to provide Christ gifts (both useful & fun) for 22 people in four families. This is being coordinated with the area’s Family Support Network.
In 2010 for our Christmas offering we collected $8,000 and in partnership with another United Methodist Church funded a well and clean water project at Arnaldo Guibunda United Methodist Church in Mozambique. This well will provide the entire community and its neighbors with clean, safe water for drinking and washing.
Our Christmas offering for this year is being designated for NorthWest Missouri, and the post flood cleanup work being undertaken and which will be continued in the Spring.
Maplewood United Methodist Church is a Safe Sanctuary church. Folks who work with children, youth and vulnerable adults take training designed to assure that MUMC provides a safe and secure environment.