Reaching beyond the church campus
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
— 1 Peter 4:10
Loving neighbors both near and far is an essential part of Christian life. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, in service to a hungry world. Outreach Ministries here at Orange UMC strive to help people find their place in God’s story through meeting both physical and spiritual needs of all people. We have a particular heart for feeding people, but seek to serve wherever needs arise.
Outreach Ministries
PORCH
Orange UMC partners with PORCH Hillsborough and PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro which strive to fight hunger by collecting food and monetary donations to help stock local food pantries. Orange has co-sponsored or otherwise supported their food distribution events. We have also raised funds to support the organization as a church. If you would like to get involved, volunteers are often needed to help staff future distribution events, and both food and money donations are always accepted. Please contact Pat Davis for more information.
Red Cross Blood Drives
Orange UMC partners with the American Red Cross to help host blood drives in our Fellowship Hall. On the occasions that their original location for a drive becomes unavailable, we offer our space to them. When we host a drive we always need volunteers to help set-up/break-down, usher donors, and distribute snacks. We advertise the blood drives to both donors and volunteers in our weekly emails. If you would like to join our mailing list, please email office@oumcmail.com.
Share the Love Bags
Share the Love bags are bags of food that our Outreach teams makes. These bags are for you to take and distribute to any food insecure or unhoused persons you encounter. If you would like to donate food items for these bags, you can donate the following:
Lance Toasty Sandwich crackers, peanut butter flavor
Member's Mark applesauce, 4 oz. cup
Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey Crunchy Granola Bars, 2/pkg
(Armour or Libby's) Vienna Sausage, 4.6 oz.
Kar's Sweet 'n Salty Mix, 2 oz. (trail mix)
Member's Mark purified bottled water, 16.9 oz.
Member's Mark 10-pack crew sports socks, black
Ziplock Easy Open Tabs Storage gallon bags
Backpack Buddies
Backpack Buddies is a ministry that packs backpacks for school aged children facing food insecurity. We need volunteers to help pack and distribute the backpacks, so if you would like to help click this link to sign up. If you would like to donate food items, here are food items that are needed:
Entrees: Ramen, soup, canned ravioli, mac 'n cheese cups, Vienna sausages, beans and franks, baked beans, canned chicken, microwaveable meals (shelf-stable)
Breakfasts: oatmeal packets, grits, single-serve cereal boxes, Pop-tarts, granola bars
Snacks: fruit cups, pudding cups, peanut butter or cheese crackers, single-serve goldfish, microwaveable popcorn, slim jims, individual packs of peanuts or trail mix
Other items: milk or juice boxes (shelf-stable), individual microwaveable veggie cups, plastic jars (16 oz. or smaller) of peanut butter
Weekly Bible Studies
Orange UMC has some disciples who attend and facilitate weekly Bible Studies for the incarcerated. There is currently a Monday Night Study that has been in place for more than 40 years. Though we would love for more people to volunteer for this ministry, there is an abundance of red tape and administrative obstacles that make approving new volunteers difficult. Please join us in prayer that these obstacles would be removed so that more people would be able to help in this important work.
Angel Tree
When a mom or dad in is prison, it is their children who do the ‘hard time’ during the holidays. We can let these kids know that they are not forgotten by their incarcerated parent through the Angel Tree Project. If you have questions or would like to become involved in this area of service, contact Terry Law.
Orange County Correctional “Christmas Family Day”
Would you like to help Fathers at the Orange County Correctional Center (OCC) purchase Christmas gifts for their children? If so, then there is a wonderful opportunity to get involved during Christmas time. You may purchase any NEW gift of your choice and leave it UNWRAPPED in the box marked “Christmas Family Day” near the Angel Tree. OCC Fathers can ‘buy’ these donated gifts for their kids, wrap them, and give them to their children during visitation. Please remember that many of the inmates have older children, so scarves, coats, gloves and teen clothing is very much appreciated along with toys for the younger children. If you have questions or would like to become involved in this area of service, contact Terry Law.
UMC Apportionments
Approximately 10% of OUMC’s annual budget goes toward apportionments that benefit UMC program agencies and other benevolent causes throughout the United States and the world. These include the World Service Fund, Africa University, and Black College Fund. Orange UMC has a proud history of being a Rainbow Covenant church. For more information about apportionments, check out this resource from the North Carolina Conference.