Community Outreach

Englewood UMC is very involved in ministries that effect those in our community and around the world. We take seriously Jesus' commands to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" and to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:29-31; Matthew 22:37-39; Luke 10:27). We love serving God and other people, and there are plenty of opportunities for all of us to get involved in sharing God's love through these ministries.

To get involved with any of these ministries, fill in the form on the Contact page and include your interest in the comment box. 
Picture














​

​Backpack Buddies
​Englewood UMC decided to participate in this program because of the number of students that go hungry on weekends. At school students get two meals a day, but on weekends they may not have anything to eat. Some students may go without a substantial meal from Friday afternoon until they return to school on Monday. The backpacks provide students with nutritious food for the weekend. 

Our backpacks go to Williford Elementary School. The guidance counselors and school social worker determine the students in need and provide us with the number of bags needed. We then gather to pack the bags, which are delivered to the school on Thursday. We repeat this process each week. 

Our funding comes from individual donations and from various church organizations, such as the UMW and UMM. 
 Picture
Bears Club After-School Tutoring
Englewood UMC has been hosting this after-school tutoring program since 2012. It is our privilege to participate with Englewood Elementary School to assist with the education and nurturing of the children of our community.

One afternoon a week, we provide a safe, nurturing environment for these children. We pick them up from school, have time for games and creative activities, provide a snack, teach a Bible lesson, and have one hour of tutoring time. Our tutors are members or friends of Englewood UMC who have all been Safe Sanctuaries trained, which includes a background check through the church. 

It has been a huge blessing to our church to host these children each year, and we are excited to see how God continues to bless this program in the future.
Picture














Meals on Wheels
Englewood UMC has over 35 volunteers doing 23 routes over 6 different days each month. We have been involved with the Meals on Wheels program for over 36 years, since its introduction into Rocky Mount. All who participate really feel they are ministering to those in our community who are unable to leave their homes while being the hands and feet of Christ.
 Picture
MERCI Center
MERCI Center is a warehouse where the North Carolina Conference stores materials that have been donated for emergency relief efforts. These include flood buckets, health kits, birthing kits, and school kits. 

On the first Saturday of each month, Englewood UMC sends a team to the MERCI Center to help with any projects they have going on at the time. We help prepare these materials so that they are ready to be used immediately when a need arises. Everyone is welcome to participate in these work days!

Click here for more information on the MERCI Center.
Picture

​"Son"Beams
This group of approximately 15 volunteers visit Brekenridge Retirement Center every Friday and help the residents play Bingo from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Every second Thursday, we lead the residents in singing some favorite old hymns from 2:00-3:00 p.m. We also share scripture and have a devotion.

Everyone is welcome to join in the great fun we have with these residents. We have formed some very special bonds with these new friends, and some volunteers visit the residents outside of these regular activities. Once again we have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ to some lonely people. 
 Picture
Support Our Troops
This ministry supplies peanuts from the United Methodist Men to troops deployed abroad. Everyone is invited to participate! At our peanut-packing parties, we transfer the peanuts to containers that can be shipped, label the containers, pack them for shipping, and complete postal forms. We also pray for each person who will receive these packages and for their families.

Our church has received many thank-you notes, emails, and even a phone call from Afghanistan thanking us for the peanuts and for our prayers. The peanuts represent a "taste of home" for troops that are far away from their families. We are blessed to have such a ministry as part of our church!