Suncreek UMC Mission

Suncreek UMC Missions: Ongoing Projects

Allen Food Pantry
In the narthex mission collection bins, we collect canned and other non-perishable food items for distribution by the Allen Food Pantry. The Food Pantry is a program of the Allen Ministerial Alliance and is located at St. Jude Catholic Church. Allen Community Outreach assists by screening persons who are in need and sending them with a voucher to the Food Pantry if their needs include food. Your donations reach families who have great need.

Bread Run
Every morning, bread run volunteers pick up donations from a local grocery store and deliver them to nearby shelters and food pantries. To volunteer, please send an e-mail message to missions@suncreekumc.org

Boyd Elementary Summer Lunch Program
The Boyd Summer Lunch program brings the churches of Allen together to help the students and families that live near Boyd Elementary have a healthy lunch during the summer months. The ministry was started through the Allen Ministerial Alliance. Through this ministry the churches provide lunch for the families along with crafts, games, and fellowship. Boyd Elementary has 80% of their students on free or reduced lunches. These families would struggle during the summer months to provide nutritious meals for their children. The program also provides a way for churches to reach out to this community and provide the children with fun activities and events the can look forward to throughout the summer. Each of the churches who participate chose a week in the summer to have a wonderful and rewarding time playing and eating with the families. Suncreek United Methodist Church will participate in this ministry June 7-11, 2010. If you would like to be a part of this rewarding ministry please contact Janet Hunt at janet.hunt@suncreekumc.org.

Card Workshop
Suncreek hosts a card workshop four times a year to make homemade cards for our American troops and other outreach ministries. For exact dates or to be added to the card workshop email list please contact Janet Hunt at janet.hunt@suncreekumc.org. Join us in room C129 from 3:30 to 5:00pm on the following dates: September 19, October 17 and January 16.

Communion Offerings
Suncreek UMC designates mission beneficiaries for the monthly communion offering. Persons donate by leaving a gift at the altar rail when they come forward to take communion. Past communion offerings have benefited Florida Hurricane Relief, Wesley-Rankin Community Center and Dallas Ramps.

Czech Republic Partnership Initiative
A team from Suncreek UMC went to the Czech Republic in August 2005. Following the trip, we formed an official partner church relationship with St. Lukas UMC in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The church's pastor and his family visited Suncreek in 2006. In 2007, a team from Suncreek returned to Karlovy Vary. Suncreek travels to the Czech Republic every July to conduct English Camps.

Hope's Door
Hope's Door Dinner Angels deliver dinner on the first Monday of every month. The dinners are for a group of women who have identified problems with family violence but have not lived in the Hope's Door shelter. They come for counseling and support on Monday evenings. To volunteer, send an e-mail message to missions@suncreekumc.org

ZOE Ministry
In many African countries, orphaned children are raising their brothers and sisters due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. A child is orphaned every fourteen seconds in Africa due to this pandemic.
In response, ZOE Ministry shares the Love of Christ and gives hope to vulnerable children in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, and Rwanda through the Giving Hope Empowerment Project. This program includes training in farming, animal husbandry, vocational skills, income-generating activities, HIV/AIDS education, health and hygiene. The training frees orphans from poverty and dependency within 2-3 years in the program.
The core focus of Giving Hope is to empower orphans and child-led families to become self sufficient so they will not require lifelong assistance from outside relief programs.
This program centers around Community-Building and Empowering Lives in order to bring the children back into both their local communities and into the loving, nurturing body of Christ.
Suncreek United Methodist Church will partner with ZOE ministry in July 2010 to sponsor a working group through the Giving Hope Empowerment Project. We will receive updates about the progress of our group and will visit the group during the three year commitment process. To learn more about ZOE ministry please visit www.zoeministry.org. If you would like to learn how you can get involved in our partnership with this ministry please contact Janet Hunt at janet.hunt@suncreekumc.org

Global Missions Projects
Suncreek volunteers travel the globe to help those in need. To learn more about Suncreek Global Ministries click here.

Suncreek UMC Missions: Annual Events

Senior Luncheon
Each January, Suncreek helps prepare a meal for over 175 people at the Allen Ministerial Alliance Seniors Luncheon held at St Jude Catholic Church.

Blood Drive
This Annual Blood Drive is performed by Carter Blood Care. All donations go to hospitals and facilities in the Metroplex area. Suncreek's goal is 25 units per drive.

Max's Used Book Drive
In the summer of 2000, Max, a former Suncreek child, started this church-wide collection of books for other children. We continue this tradition by collecting new and gently used books in the kindergarten through sixth grade reading levels. To date, the drives have collected over 9,000 books.

Project Transformation
Project Transformation is a program to connect young energy and leadership, North Texas conference churches and institutions, and urban congregations in a meaningful program by providing dedicated interns to urban churches.  Suncreek volunteers work with youth participating in the summer reading program and provide a weeknight dinners for the interns.  To volunteer, send an e-mail message to missions@suncreekumc.org Suncreek also financially supports a summer intern each year.

School Supply Drive
In June and July, through a partnership with Trinity River Mission, we collect school supplies for impoverished West Dallas students. Pick an item from the list and return your purchase to the church, or make a financial contribution and we'll purchase the supplies. Each August we have a back to school party at Trinity River Mission wehre the children do crafts, eat together and receive their school supplies.

Adult Mission Trips to Mexico
In 2010, we will offer several mission trips to build houses in connection with Proyecto Abrigo in Mexico. We will offer an adult team trip, February 25 - March 1, 2010 as well as another family mission trip March 13 through March 17. We will also offer a Mission Trip for college students May 20 - 24, 2010. Between 2002 and mid-2009, over 380 people have participated in one of our adult, family, college, or Sr. High Mission Trips to Tierra Nueva, Mexico. We have built over 60 homes. Please contact Janet Hunt at Janet.Hunt@SuncreekUMC.org for more information.

Adult Mission Trips to Cooper Canyon Mexico
Suncreek UMC has been involved in ministry to the Tarahumara Indians in Copper Canyon, Mexico for three years. The Tarahumara are a very private and religious group of people. They live as their ancestors have lived for generations. They live off of the land and their survival is threatened for many reasons. Copper Canyon is a breathtaking canyon that is larger than the Grand Canyon and is a very popular tourist attraction. The Indians make pottery, jewelry, and baskets by hand to sell to the tourists. Suncreek UMC is in partnership with Reverend Jose Luis Portillo's church, Nuevo Pacto in Mexico for this very special ministry. Please contact Janet Hunt at janet.hunt@suncreekumc.org for more information

Ramp Building
Twice a year, Suncreek UMC Volunteers, in association with The Dallas Ramp Project of the Kiwanis Club of Richardson, build access ramps onto the homes of those who would otherwise be homebound. This enormously satisfying work meets a huge need and is a lot of fun for men, women and older youth. Projects are complete in a few hours, providing a huge sense of accomplishment. Our next ramp building project is Saturday, September 11, To volunteer, send an e-mail message to missions@suncreekumc.org.

Thanksgiving Food Drive
During November 1 - 15, Suncreek donates non-perishable food items or grocery store gift certificates to benefit the clients of Allen Community Outreach. In 2008, we collected over 120 bags of food.

Alternative Gift Fair
Come enjoy delicious refreshments while you begin your Christmas shopping. You can choose from Fair Trade crafts or donations that support local, national or global ministries. We provide you with special gift cards for each gift you purchase.

Trinity River Mission Christmas Project
Suncreek's special Christmas Missions project this year is the Trinity River Mission Christmas Family Connection. This program benefits impoverished families at Trinity River Mission. We will be partnering with families and bringing gifts to a large Christmas party on Saturday, December 5 from 9am-3pm. We will enjoy games, food and fellowship with the families. Please contact Janet Huntat janet.hunt@suncreekumc.org if you are interested in participating or if you would like to volunteer to help with the party.

Suncreek UMC Missions: Community Agencies
Suncreek UMC supports a wide-variety of agencies that aid persons in need. Some of the agencies that we work with most frequently with are listed below.

Allen Community Outreach
ACO provides a wide range of services to persons in need, including rent, utilities, food and clothing assistance.

Trinity River Mission
Trinity River Mission is a community center that works to aid children in reaching their potential through after-school programs, tutoring, and summer activities that encourage high academic achievement. It also seeks to encourage strong and healthy families where children and adults experience love and support.

Wesley-Rankin Community Center
Wesley-Rankin is a community center in West Dallas that provides support, education, and hope to the West Dallas community. It was founded in 1902 by women from six Methodist churches.

Collin County Children's Advocacy Center
The mission of Collin County Children's Advocacy Center is to identify, protect and improve the lives of abused and neglected children in Collin County. We take bread weekly from Kroger to help the staff. Suncreek also provides homebaked treats to support the staff the first Tuesday of each month. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, please contact Janet Hunt in the church office.

UMCOR Responds to the Earthquake in Haiti
A major earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti on January 12, causing widespread destruction. Millions of people are affected and thousands are feared dead. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has close ties with the Methodist Church in Haiti and is responding to the devastating earthquake with funding, material resources and prayers.
UMCOR executive, Melissa Crutchfield says, “We are working with our partners on the ground to provide immediate relief to the people in Haiti. UMCOR has worked in Haiti for many years. We anticipate that there will be years of rebuilding needed and are prepared to work with the people to help them through that process.”
Working with partners, Action by Churches Together, Church World Service, Global Medic and the Methodist Church, UMCOR is channeling its resources to respond effectively to the people most in need.
In a statement to Global Ministries staff, the General Secretary said, “Events such as these can challenge both our faith and sense of security. As a church we know that the heart of our ministry is continuing and extending Jesus Christ’s ministry of outreaching love.”

Community Missions Church & Society Congregational Care Connecting