WUMC Works to Make a Difference - Summary of YOUR Q1 Impact (January-March, 2024)

WUMC is a Church that Cares. . .all year long. This is the first in a series of quarterly celebrations of how this community of faith works together to share God’s love with others.

Much of your second mile financial giving comes through the monthly Communion Rail offerings. Every dollar contributed is doubled by the WUMC Mission Match Program. In the first quarter, over $25,000 was donated/matched for community partners - University High School, Central Texas Food Bank, Border Ministries, and Casa Marinella! Thank you for your abundant generosity!

You also were generous in sharing your hearts and hands:

An energetic work team from WUMC served a shift at the Central Texas Food Bank in February where they packed 5760 pounds of food. This will provide 4,800 meals to those in need in our community!

Border Ministries angels were extremely busy delivering winter coats and water through local partners serving asylum seekers in the Brownsville/Matamoros area as well as fulling the long term dream of improving facilities at the La Posada Providencia shelter in San Benito. We were blessed with a visit to WUMC from Father Abraham, pastor of Ministerio Una Mision in Matamoros who shared struggles and blessings of being on the front lines of ministry at the southern border. Following this discussion, an appeal was sent out to collect used cell phones for asylum seekers to use for making appointments with US authorities.

Support for the Afghan refugees you helped resettle several years ago continued. Hygiene kits were assembled and air buds were purchased (to aid in instruction using iPads) and distributed to refugee students in AISD. Additionally, 500 children were fitted with new shoes.

God’s love was shared with the young men incarcerated at Giddings State School through two projects in the first quarter. At Easter, care packages of chocolate bunnies and notes from WUMC members were delivered to all 120 youth ages 12-18 held at the facility, followed by eclipse bags filled with viewing glasses, SunChips, Sunny D, homemade cookies, and Bible verses about creation of the sun, moon and stars. It is heart warming and heart breaking to know these small acts may be the only expressions of caring and grace the boys have ever experienced.

Throughout the first quarter, WUMC teams faithfully continued to serve in several long term service ministries. Every first Tuesday morning, WUMC financially underwrites the “Feed My People” ministry which serves breakfast to homeless neighbors at First United Methodist Church downtown. WUMC volunteers arrive at 5:15 to prepare the meal and share fellowship. On the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Mondays each month, WUMC underwrites and implements “runs” for Mobile Loaves & Fishes. In first quarter 2024, our teams prepared and delivered meals to neighbors on the street on seven evenings, including one shift done by our confirmation youth in partnership with teens from Temple Beth Shalom.

WUMC is truly a Church that Cares! Thank you for the many ways you continue to share God’s love throughout our community and the world.