Missions' Items
This is a list of items for "Shoebox for Christmas" each year for kids. Shop a little each month over the course of the year.
(All sizes should be small-to-medium travel sizes easy to pack and ship)
JAN "Health" -- bandaids, Q-tips, cotton balls, pocket Kleenex
FEB "Hair" --combs, brushes, conditioner, ribbons, ponytail holders, clips, shampoos
MAR "Hygiene" -- Toothbrushes and toothpaste, floss, etc.
APR "Cleanliness" --Soap, washclothes, deodorant
MAY "Personal" --Socks and underwear
JUN "Pastimes" --Small books, hand-held games, activity books, coloring books, crayons or markers
JUL "Fun things" --Small toys, cars, jacks, balls, small stuffed animals
AUG "School" --Pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, & other school items
SEP "Teacher's supplies" --Paper, glue, scissors, pencil sharpeners
OCT "Nice to have" --Children's Xmas cards, petite figurines
NOV "Warmth" -- Mittens, gloves, scarves
DEC "Assemble" and send-off.
Some representative 'Thank You's'!!
From our Christmas Advent families in 2023 ... three families received gift cards for groceries and bills. Some family members (children especially) received hand-knitted hats, or handmade soaps, and other Christmas gift surprises from your donations.
From Rehoboth Christian School (NM) . . for 4 boxes of E.S supplies (2016)
From 'Church World Service' for donation to Miscellaneous Kits for disaster relief . . .
From UMC Board of Child Care for donation . . . (2016)
From UMCOR for donation to General Board of Global Ministries for direct donation to Babyfold at Old Mutare Fairfield Children's Home, Zimbabwe . . .
From Shepherd's Table, Silver Spring . . . (continuing)
From Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference for Native American Children's Fund . . .
From MoCo Coalition for the Homeless for clients, and for Back-to-School fair . . . (2016)
From Rehobeth Christian School, New Mexico, for 6 boxes of elementary school supplies, hygiene items, and backpacks (Mr. Jim Holwerda, Principal) . . . (2017)
From MoCo Coalition for the Homeless: "We did it!" With your help 11 veterans ended their homelessness through 'Operation Homecoming' . . . . (2016)
From Enemy Swim Day School, South Dakota . . for supplies, socks, hygiene items, etc.
From Broad Acres E S kids: " . . for the 112 backpacks!" (Sept 2017)
2017 Mission Tree . . hats, scarves, mittens, etc to WI and SD
2017 Holiday Shop and (5) Advent Families' Christmas . . . from L to L at JLES at Br Acres
2017 Coat Drive -- 220 coats collected for families of Br Acres ES. Thanks to Valerie Campbell,
Denzel Maddy, and Jasmine Maddy for organizing! Wow! Thanks from
Linkages to Learning at JoAnn Leleck ES at Broad Acres.
April 2018 - A group of GS angels helped pack 'Hunger Kits' at Colesville Presbyterian Church.
Xmas in April 2018 -- 16 of us from GS joined a larger work group headed by B. Frank Joy Construction and worked on a house of a legally blind woman. Built a fence and trash enclosure; installed several ceiling fans; fixed or installed new outlets; installed smoke and CO2 detectors; did weeding; trimming, repairing garden trim; cleaned a kitchen, bathrooms and storage; removed old carpet and broken furniture, and always . . . always . . . . painted!
May 2018 -- from Mobility Worldwide (c/o Penney Farms, FL) , $300 for cost of a motorized 3-wheeled cart distributed free to a wheelchair-bound elderly person in need.
"Food Pantry" . . . Every Sunday
You can help by donating. Some ideas: bulk items (e.g., Costco or similar) of staples like sugar, flour, rice, dry pasta, beans, canned tuna and meats (e.g., Spam, sausage, potted meats), cooking oil, small jars of mayo, boxes of cereal, jelly, peanut butter, mac and cheese, and single-serve cups of bags of snacks (e.g., applesauce, dried fruit), to put in kids' lunches. Please, nothing perishable. Also accepting Grocery gift cards to get prescriptions and personal hygiene items. This continues to be a great resource for neighbors in need. Contact Paulette Brown, Coordinator.
2018 Christmas Mitten Tree Update . . .
The Hazel Black Mitten Tree Project for Native American Reservations collected 6 large boxes of hats, scarves, socks, lap robes, blankets, sweaters, baby items, and other miscellaneous items that were sent to a Reservation in Eagle Butte, SD. and the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center in Milwaukee, WI. Thanks to the buyers, shoppers, and packers who put this together. A special thanks to the Riderwood Knitters Group and Laura Kane for the beautiful hand-knit items, and to Pat and Lani McConnell for helping Janice pack and ship the boxed items.
. . . and 2018 Coat Donations
Thanks to everyone who donated coats to the Winter Coat Drive. We're pleased to report a final tally of 150 coats -- 93 for kids and 57 for teens and adults. A special thanks to whomever brought in a bag of children's boots. We're sure they were welcome when the snow storms hit!!
. . . and 2018 Advent Families
Thanks, thanks thanks to everyone who donated and took care of "mitten" needs on the Advent tree. This year's project helped 6 families in-need: four from Broad Acres and two from the Church. GS enabled toys, gifts, stockings, grocery cards, and more. One family thanked us (through BAES office) for the GS "Angels" who enabled Christmas; their kids had "the best (surprise!) Christmas ever" after concluding that their parents probably couldn't afford to provide much of anything. (What? They don't believe in Santa?!) Other families sent thank you cards, artwork, and picture-"proof" of their kids' Christmas excitement. Check the bulletin board in the hall outside of Lewis Hall. Thank you "Elves"!
Rev. DaeHwa Park
A native South Korean, and an ordained elder in full connection of the B/W Conference. His father, Rev. KookWon Park, is a Korean Methodist Pastor. Rev. Park (DaeHwa) studied theology at Yonsei University, SK, 1985-1989, and studied graduate work thru 1995. He served at several Korean Methodist churches in the Seoul metropolitan area. He worked as youth pastor, Sunday school teacher, program director, theological intern, and young adult pastor. He eventually made his way to Fairfax, VA, where he worked at several churches. He has also worked or pastored in Gaithersburg, Greenbelt, Oakdale, and West Friendship. The National Metropolitan Memorial UMC in Washington, DC, is his home church, and also where he started the ordination process.
Rev. Park lives in Olney, MD, with wife YoungHoon Park (music teacher at Springhill Lake E.S.); Gideon Thory, Jeremy Solo, and Theodore Atticus.
Visit Rev. Park's website here
The Seven Ministry Initiatives
Sunday Morning -- start the week with faithful ordinance of Worship.
Assimilation -- Call, equip, and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Intergenerational -- Honor each generation and pass along discipleship and mission to new generations.
Technology -- take advantage of IT to enhance delivery of the Word.
Third Place -- a "City of Refuge" (Numbers 35:6); a house of prayer, where everyone is welcome. "Home" is our first place, and our "Work" is our second place. "Church," then, is our third place; an oasis of prayerful refuge.
Glo'cal - literally "Global and Local," pertaining to outreach and community outside our walls.
Accommodation -- We accept you just as you are; with sin, with ailments, with disabilities, . . all.
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