Missions & Outreach

Through its conference, district and congregational initiatives, the Eastern PA Conference is involved in mission and outreach locally, regionally and worldwide. United Methodists promise to support the church with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. Thus, we are present in all these important ways wherever there is need–physical or spiritual–offering our minds, hearts, hands, feet and voices to foster healing, hope and wholeness in the name of Jesus Christ.

Our local churches–individually and through their districts and mission connexions–reach out with funds, volunteers, donated materials, advocacy, promotion and always prayer. And the conference promotes mission outreach and partnership especially with friends in Central Congo, Tanzania and other global areas, along with helping agencies in local communities. We are also renewing our mission efforts to eradicate a deadly, global disease through our involvement in the denomination’s Imagine No Malaria campaign.

We invite all to join our efforts, and we urge Eastern PA churches to tell Communications what they are doing in mission and outreach, so we can tell others through the pages of this Website.

Celebrate National Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month

Share a Love Offering for Puerto Rico on any Sunday,
September 16 – October 14, 2018

Dear Eastern PA Conference Churches:

We urge you to receive a special love offering and help us support efforts by the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico to recover from Hurricane Maria’s destruction.

Resolution 2018-26, adopted at our 2018 Annual Conference, calls on all churches to celebrate Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month in September by receiving and sharing this love offering to aid our sisters and brothers in Puerto Rico. We recommend any Sunday, September 16-October 14, for your observance and offering

• Download the flyer (letter-size)
• Download the worship bulletin insert (half-page, double-sided)

Learn more our Helping Puerto Rico Rise Again webpage.

Board of Global Ministries Barbara Drake Eastern PA Conference Secretary of Global Ministries bedrake15@aol.com Volunteers in Mission Rev. Russell Atkinson Eastern PA Conference UMVIM Coordinator ratkinson@epaumc.org

LUMINA Lancaster United Methodist Inner-City Alliance, also known as LUMINA, exists to offer impoverished residents of Lancaster County the light of hope. We encourage children and youth through education and building Christian character. We empower families through life-skills education and equip those in need with basic necessities and proper clothing for work and school. We are a cooperative mission project of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist church, based in the West District and affiliated with the Conference Office of Connectional Ministries.  We currently partner with a number of supportive United Methodist churches, located primarily in Lancaster County, PA.  Please visit our website: luminaoutreach.org Location: 20 E. Clay Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone: 717-394-8412 Fax: 717-394-1435 Office Hours: Tues – Thurs, 9 AM – 5 PM General Inquiries: office@luminaoutreach.org Look us up on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LUMINA.Outreach LUMINA Newsletter: June 2018 Issue and the Additional Insert Correen Russo Executive Director Correen.lumina@gmail.com Melissa Artz Administrative Assistant Melissa.lumina@gmail.com

United Methodist Neighborhood Services During it’s transitional period, United Methodist Neighborhood Services (UMNS) operates under the management of the Board of Directors and volunteers and is affiliated with the  Eastern PA Conference Office of Connectional Ministries. We receive continuing support from churches of the Eastern PA Conference, community organizations and non-profit agencies. UMNS continues to be a vital part of the community by providing food, clothing and resources to those in need. The Eastern PA Conference United Methodist Women provides major support, as the agency strives to aid individuals and families. Since in December 2016, UMNS has been located at Janes Memorial UMC in Germantown, which, along with First UMC of Germantown, plays an important role in the mission institution’s efforts to offer essential support to its community. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3477 Phila., PA 19122 Physical Location: 47 East Haines Street, 3rd Floor Janes Memorial UMC – Thelma Nichols Building Phila., PA 19144 Phone:  215-236-0304 or 267-331-5129 Fax: 215-236-8618 or 267-335-4104 Email: neighborhoodservices76@gmail.com Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 AM to 12 PM Free Services: Food and Clothing UMNS Newsletter: 2018 Spring Issue Mr. Carl Boyd Vice-Chair, UM Neighborhood Services cpboyd60308@comcast.net Mr. Andrew Smith President, UM Neighborhood Services andrew.reginald@hotmail.com   Photo from the 2018 UMW Gathering. Pictured from left to right: Barbara Sveen, UMNS Board Member; Andrew Smith, President of UMNS; Susan Dziuks, UMNS Board Member and President of EPC UMW; and Millicent Clark, UMNS Volunteer. UMNS Food Drive United Methodist Neighborhood Services distributes food to those in need in the Philadelphia area each Tuesday and Thursday. As of January 20, 2018, they are facing a decreasing food supply and are asking for assistance from local churches. UMNS will be accepting food donations on any Tuesday or Thursday between 9:30 AM and Noon. If these times don’t work for you, or you are unable to deliver the food, you may contact Millicent Clark at the agency to make other arrangements: 47 E. Haines Street Jane UMC Nichols Building Phila., PA 19144 215-236-0304 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3477 Phila., PA 19122 Read the full letter to churches from UMNS, sent January 30, 2018.

Congo Partnership

Partners in Mission through Christ

As an outgrowth of our Hope for the Children of Africa connection to the Central Congo Area, a Partnership was established the Central Congo Episcopal Area and now three US Annual Conferences: Peninsula-Delaware, W. North Carolina, and Eastern Pennsylvania. To learn more about the amazing things God is doing through the Congo Partnership, visit Congo-Mission.org for more information and updates!

You Can Make a Difference!

Pray for the Partnership and its outreach and share our stories giving others an opportunity to respond!

Remember, 100% of your contribution goes to the projects with no administrative costs.

EPA Congo Partnership

• Chairperson: Dr. Annette Onema-Orbach

Congo Partnership Resources

• Download the powerpoint presentation from the Congo Partnership Celebration event on Nov. 1, 2017

More Congo Partnership News

United Methodist Church of Tanzania

• Photos from Tanzania Missionaries visit to EPA churches, 2017
• Sept.-Dec. 2016 Newsletter

Mission News & Information