Rebuilding Lives Through Missions
We are challenged to share our good fortune and skills with the world. Asbury has made missions a focus not just here at home but also abroad.
The missions listed to the below show how small groups of Christians can make big differences in the lives of God's people.
PET - Personal Engery Transportaion
The Mission Candle donations will be sent to the PET Project based in Columbia, MO beginning Feb. 17th.
PET stands for Personal Energy Transportation. Each PET costs $250.00 to make. It is a hand-cranked wheelchair which is designed to provide the gift of mobility to persons who have lost the use of their legs due to polio, landmine injury, amputation, disease, and to untreated leg deformities. Many of these victims are children. These are built by over 100 groups/individuals across the US who build parts for the PET and ship them to building sites. The project is ecumenical and is supported by the Missouri Conference. The PETs have been sent to 60+ countries. Contact Jean Knapp if you have questions about this project.More information about this global mission can be found on the following PET websites:
Click here for more information about Asbury's support of Mocuba UMC.
Nothing But Nets is a grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. In the fall of 2007, Asbury will be participating in this program. For more information about the Nothing But Nets program click here.
VIM trips- contact: Angie and David Kellett
Members and friends of Asbury periodically go on short-term missions trips to various places under the Volunteers in Missions program. Past trips have been taken to Mexico, El Salvador, Bahamas, Nicaragua, Florida and Costa Rica. Anyone is invited to be a trip leader. Scholarship money is available if needed.
Judy Sorenson Home Missions (“Get Off the Couch” Day) – contact: Alice Stehle.
On one or two Saturdays a year, church members spend the day raking, fixing, painting, cleaning up, and generally helping out other church members or citizens of the community.
Get On It Now! - contact: Ginny Oliver
Home Missions has started a new program that will provide assistance to Asbury members throughout the year. Volunteers will provide transportation, home repairs that need immediate attention, professional advice, periodic check ups, contributions to an emergency fund.
Crosslines - contact: Kathy White
Asbury provides the food for the Crosslines pantry once per month. Each month volunteers sack the donated groceries at Asbury, deliver them to Crosslines, then work from 8:00-1:45 at Crosslines handing out the groceries to those in need. Sacking occurs on the third Monday, delivery to Crosslines on the third Tuesday and the stint at Crosslines on the third Wednesday (Fish Day). Volunteers are welcome to work anytime possible. Monetary donations can be delivered to the church office.
Monthly food donations needed to support Asbury's Crosslines Pantry.
Month
Items
Jan/July
Soup, Canned Fruit, Tuna Helper
Feb/Aug
Canned Veggies, Jiffy Mix, Peanut Butter, Desert (Jello, Cookies, etc)
Mar/Sep
Tuna or Canned Meat, Crackers, Pasta Sauce (please bring two sets of items in Sep so we can also provide for the Hispanic Ministry)
Apr/Oct
Rice, Tuna, Pasta, Canned Fruit
May/Nov
Macaroni & Cheese, Tuna or Canned Meat, Jelly, Canned Veggies
Jun/Dec
Cereal ,Pork & Beans, Tuna Helper
Festival of Sharing- contact: Jean Knapp
Observed on the third Saturday in October, the Festival of Sharing creates Church World Service kits of various types (health, school, newborn, etc.) for distribution throughout the world.
Feeding the Hungry Hispanic Ministry- contact: Pastor Michael Blacksher
Food items are collected in September at Asbury. Among the items that are needed are bags of rice, flour, sugar and beans as well cooking oil. Food items are collected in a box marked “Food for Hugo” in the entryway. Of course donations for this ministry are also accepted throughout the year.
Other mission activities in which Asbury members participate include:
- The Rainbow Network - Helping the poorest people of Nicaragua
- Asbearies toy donations each August to The Victims Center to go to abused children
- Donating dental kits, Campbell soup labels, and Boxtops for Education to a neighborhood school.
- Donations of food and clothing for the Springfield Family Violence Center.
- We collect aluminum cans in support of our Covenant Church in Mozambique
- We support our local elementary school (Portland) by participating in the Council of Churches of the Ozarks Reading Buddies program.