So much to say about our first ever Servant Sunday on February 26! Over the course of the morning, 336 of you participated in projects hosted in our building! Here is a summary of what we worked on and completed together:

  • 20,756 meals for Stop Hunger Now (now known as Rise Against Hunger), an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable
  • 70 health kits packed for UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), the agency of the United Methodist Church that provides relief in disaster areas, like the communities hit by the storms and tornadoes Monday night
  • 27 fleece blankets for pets; 140 toys for cats; 80 lbs. of peanut butter/dog biscuit treats for Wayside Waifs, a local animal shelter whose purpose is to find forever homes for each of the animals in their care
  • 25 units of blood for the Community Blood Center, providing blood for patients in emergency situations
  • 54 supportive letters/notes to service men & women (including 9 to “our own” Spencer Dawson)
  • 32 letters to people waiting for sponsorship in Mexico & Central America
  • 12 gardeners pruned the Giving Grove trees in our Food Pantry Garden, including 3 apple trees, 2 Asian pear trees, and 48 feet of blackberry bushes. They also weeded and mulched the raised beds and put protective fencing around the bush cherries.
  • 28 preemie hats, 3 baby blankets, and one prayer shawl created for persons who are homeless by Hands of Love, St. Paul’s knitting and crocheting group providing tangible symbols of love and comfort for those in need.
  • 120 bags and cards decorated to encourage and cheer recipients of meals from Meals on Wheels providing nutritional meals for local seniors
  • 3 volunteers cleaned the Johnson County Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) house where St. Paul’s helps serve homeless families on a regular basis.

That means that on Servant Sunday, well over 21,000 lives were touched by the love and care of St. Paul’s UMC! That is good news indeed and one of the many, many reasons I am honored to serve in ministry with you.

I think it’s fair to say that we will want to do this again! I want to say a special word of thanks to everyone on the Mission Team (and friends of the Mission Team) who worked so hard to make the day happen:

  • Bob Casey
  • Meredith Christian
  • Judi Derks
  • Sandy Finney
  • Lisa Healey
  • Paige Humphreys
  • Sharry Lockhart
  • Cathy Matlack
  • Lelia Moore
  • Janet Podoll
  • Rob Reiman
  • Linda Stoner
  • Ann Thomas
  • Pat White

P.S. This just in! Todd Seifert, Director of Communications for the Great Plains Conference, produced this wonderful video story of our Servant Sunday activities! Enjoy.