Service Ministry

Service Ministry focuses on the mission projects that St. Luke’s supports and participates. Our Book of Discipline 2008 states that we are “to send persons into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ” (paragraph 121). Service Ministry at St. Luke’s includes these activities:

· Stateside Mission Trips

Appalachia Service Project (ASP)– Our High School Youth and Adult volunteers are invited to participate in a year long commitment of service that culminates in a week long mission trip to the Appalachian Mountains at the beginning of the summer.

ASP – F.O.G.G. (For Older Guys and Gals) Week long trip for adults in the Fall.

ASP Women Only – long weekend in November.

Disaster Relief – bi-monthly trips up to a week long to areas in US that are devastated by natural disaster.

· Foreign Mission Trips –

· Refugee Resettlement –

Assisting refugees in learning English as a second language, providing transportation or other assistance, supplying household items, etc.

· Easter Egg Project –

Creating, decorating and selling ½ pound chocolate covered eggs during Lent to raise money for various mission projects.

· Port/Link –

Giving financial support and volunteer help to the winter homeless shelter.

· Heart Haven -

Giving financial support and volunteer help in this home for mentally challenge adults. Located on Harpersville Road in Newport News.

· Kits for Conference –

Collecting items and monetary donations for health, layette, bedding, school and sewing kits as well as flood buckets that are collected annually in June at our Virginia Annual Conference session.

· Menchville House –

(Home for women and children who have experienced abuse). Hosting musical concert for fundraising.

· School of Christian Mission –

Annual program hosted by the United Methodist Women of the Virginia Annual Conference in Blackstone, VA, to teach and promote understanding of mission. St. Luke’s provides scholarship to persons attending this program.

· Wesley Foundation –

College of William and Mary – financial and volunteer support of programming as needed.

· Helping Hands –

Volunteers assist church members who aren’t able for themselves to accomplish small projects around the house.

· Good Samaritan Fund –

Money collected through the Communion Offering and given to persons in need.

· Medicine Box –

Money collected to purchase a box for third world countries.

· Stop Hunger Now –

In partnership with the UMW and 4th and 5th Grade Sunday School Classes, St. Luke’s membership has the opportunity to bag over 10,000 meals for those in need.

· Covenant Missionaries –

We are in a covenant relationship with three missionaries to support their missions. We donate $3000 to each ministry to support the work they do in their mission.