MISSIONS AT GUMC
Welcome to our MISSIONS Page
At Germantown UMC, we see ourselves as “sent” people. We are sent into the world by Jesus to continue the restoring and healing ministries He started while on this earth. Our vision is to become a church where our primary focus is outward to those beyond our culture and context. We are committed to enabling and fostering the spiritual growth of our members through their engagement in missions. Our goal is to have our entire membership involved in missions in some capacity. God has given each of us different gifts for the building of His kingdom, but we are all called to serve.
For information about the GUMC Missions Committee, please contact Anne Fritz
Regularly Supported Missions
GUMC makes budgeted monetary contributions to the following ministries and non-profit organizations.
CHURCH HEALTH
As a faith-based health care not-for-profit, Church Health believes in caring for one another as we’d all like to be cared for. With services that span all ages, including the youngest of us, and that treat the whole person, we make it possible for more Memphians to live fully. Today, with the support of our partners, volunteers and donors, we conduct over 61,300 patient visits a year in Memphis and serve as a model for countless communities across the nation.
Contact: Ken Hall
CROSSLINK MEMPHIS
Crosslink Memphis is a medical supply ministry. Our mission is to equip medical mission teams with medical supplies and medicines as they share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all nations.
Contact: A.J. Kamer
HANNAH’S HOPE
Hannah’s Hope’s mission is to love God’s children by: Helping pregnant women in crisis explore healthy options, providing the option of adopting with a Christian family prepared to parent for a lifetime, and supporting children, pregnant women and families through the adoption process and beyond.
Contact: Rev. Trina Morrison
JACOB’S LADDER
Jacob’s Ladder Community Development Corporation is an ecumenical Christian non-profit organization whose mission is a holistic revitalization of the Belt Line Neighborhood through partnerships with local residents, churches and 50 local businesses. Our vision includes re-imaging a broken community with new housing, community resources, and building green spaces and parks, as a testimony to the creative and loving power of God.
Contact: Bill Marler
MANNA HOUSE MEMPHIS
Manna House Memphis offers hospitality to homeless and poor guests. Hospitality includes welcoming of guests, and the offering of basic services such as clothing, hygiene items, showers, and serving coffee or other beverages. We seek to interact with our guests and will learn their names and their stories. Manna House is grounded in the spirit of the Catholic Worker Movement and thus we seek to welcome our guests from the streets with a spirit of hospitality that respects their dignity as human beings. We are open every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:00-11:30 a.m. On Monday and Thursday mornings we offer showers for men. On Tuesday mornings we offer showers for women. We believe compassion is contagious and that justice structures compassion so that all may have life to the full.
Contact: Peter Gathje
M.I.F.A.
MIFA was founded in 1968. Today, we serve more than 40,000 people annually. MIFA partners with corporations, foundations, congregations and faith groups, donors, and volunteers to support our programs for seniors and families. Our vision is “Uniting the community through service,” and our missions is “Supporting the independence of vulnerable seniors and families in crisis through high-impact programs.
Contact: director@mifa.org
MOUNTAIN T.O.P.
Mountain T.O.P. is a partnership ministry with a goal to help meet the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of all people we encounter. To achieve this goal, we offer a variety of mission-based programs for youth and adults. Participants can choose to serve with Mountain T.O.P. through home repair projects or day camp programs.
Contact: Doug Warner
PROJECT TRANSFORMATION
Project Transformation is a literacy program which partners children + College-age adults + churches to improve the literacy, social-emotional, and spiritual development of children through participating in high-quality, out-of-school time programs led by young adults.
Contact: 901.567.8049
REELFOOT RURAL MINISTRIES
Reelfoot Rural Ministries is a mission agency founded by the people of the Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church. RRM is located in rural Obion County, serving Northwest Tennessee and Southwest Kentucky. RRM provides multiple Community Services: Grocery Distribution, a Dental Clinic, an Eyecare Clinic, Home Repairs, Utility Assistance, a Special Needs Home and Emergency Relocation, as well as Children’s Services: Christmas Toy Store, Back Pack Buddies Program, School Supplies, and “Imagination Library” Sponsorship.
Contact: Robert Craig
ROOM IN THE INN
Partnering with area churches, Room In the Inn provides emergency shelter for homeless guests. RITI recently opened the doors of the Recuperative Care Center, offering recovery services for those released from hospital care. The Family Inn shelters up to 14 families who are in the rapid rehousing process.
Contact: Ron Wiggins or Lisa Anderson, Executive Director
UNITED METHODIST NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
United Methodist Neighborhood Centers in Memphis (UMNC-M) continue to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of families who need a helping hand. We are committed to compassionate service to all God’s children, providing education, child care, social services and spiritual development in a loving atmosphere.
Contact: Iletha Washington
MID-SOUTH FOOD BANK
According to the latest “Map the Meal Gap,” child hunger has increased from 21% to 30%, because of Covid-19. This translates to 1 in 3 children go home to little or no food. The funds donated to the Mid-South Food Bank have made such a difference in providing children and families with the nutritious food they so desperately need.
A donation to the Mid-South Food Bank can provide:
- Support to the “Kids’ Café, which is a summer and after school program that feeds children ages 6 to 18. Children can come 5 days a week and receive a well-balanced meal, free of charge in a safe environment.
- School food pantries which offer take-home food for children and families. Healthy, nutritious food is distributed free of charge for the academic year.
- Mobile food delivery to thirty-one counties surrounding the Memphis area. Fresh, nutritional food is distributed in areas that are deemed “food deserts.” Seniors are served in this way as well.
A gift in any amount can make an enormous difference! Designate Mid-South Food Bank on your donation through the church. Funds will be sent monthly to the Food Bank.
Contact: Barbara Schanson
GOLDEN CROSS SENIOR MINISTRIES
Founded by Rev. Jerry Corlew, Golden Cross Senior Ministries provides affordable housing for seniors and serves west Tennessee, west Kentucky and east Arkansas. Their mission is to “enhance the quality of life for all seniors served by Wesley Living.”
Contact: Tim Whelan
WEEKEND FOOD PROGRAMS
Germantown UMC volunteers began a program in April of 2013, to provide food on the weekends to food-insecure children—children who often do not know where or what they will have to eat on the weekend. Currently, we are serving 350 children (identified as those most in need) due to the generosity of many in our church and community!
It takes $300 to sponsor one child for the school year. The food comes from the Mid-South Food Bank and is a nutritional assortment of cereal, fruits, vegetables, milk, juice, rice, protein foods; all child-friendly, and easy to prepare! The volunteer team packs the food and delivers it to Caldwell-Guthrie Elementary School, and the children receive the food on Friday afternoon—6 meals for the weekend!
To support a child, give a check payable to GUMC and note it is for “Weekend Food Program.”
Contact: Barbara Schanson
YOUTH LEADERSHIP OF MEMPHIS
Youth Leadership of Memphis has been developing at-risk boys into leaders for over 20 years. YLM develops boys into men through a unique program that combines work, mentorship, and economic development to teach life skill and impart character.
Contact: Steve Taylor
ALTURAS MINISTRIES
Alturas is a comprehensive, non-profit children’s program. The goal is to help children who have the lowest economic resources in San Jose, Costa Rica. Alturas was founded and is led by GUMC Missionary, Amy Speake.
Contact: Amy Speake
MOSCOW THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Since 1993, the Moscow Theological Seminary has been training local leaders to bring the gospel of Christ to their churches and communities throughout Russia.
SPECIAL SUPPORTED MISSIONS
Thanks to the generosity of Eb Thomas, GUMC has additional resources to provide financial support to “new” missions each year. Recipients of these funds currently are:
- La Limyé (The Light) Ministries – a Christ-centered children’s home for orphaned girls in Haiti
- Urban Ministry Initiative – inner-city Memphis ministry supporting Constance Abbey which serves the homeless
- Zoe Empowers – international development organization which works to empower vulnerable children to move beyond charity