Risk Taking Mission & Service

"Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40)

"Risk-Taking Mission and Service includes the projects, the efforts, and work people do to make a positive difference in the lives of others for the purposes of Christ, whether or not they will ever be part of the community of faith. ... Risk-Taking Mission and Service is one of the fundamental activites of church life that is so critical that failure to practice it in some form results in a deterioration of the church's vitality and ability to make disciples of Jesus Christ."
- Robert Schnase, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations

John's Island Mission

Solon United Methodist church sends a caring group fo volunteers every year to help the South Carolina Rural Mission located near Charleston, South Carolina. The Rural Mission is a Christian non-profit organization which works on rebuilding, or repairing homes for those who are unable to do so for themselves. John's Island and other area Sea Islands, despite nearby expensive vacation resorts, are extremely economically depressed areas. Further, the homes in this area are regularly damaged or destroyed by hurricanes or other inclement weather. Through support of many local churches and churches like ours, their ultimate mission is to eliminate substandard housing in the Sea Islands.

How can you help?
A number of ways...

1 ) By giving your time when we go to John's Island: - As a driver - we need a number of min-vans, SUVs and pick-up trucks are always helpful.
- As a worker - on-site training is provides so there is no experience necessary. Experienced workers are strongly encouraged to join us to help provide that training.
- Other duties include cooks, and depending on the need, child care can be provided on a limited basis.

2) Through your financial support just by marking John's Island on your envelopes.

3) Through your prayers in support of our efforts in John's Island.

Who Can Come and How Do I Sign Up?

Anyone can come including friends or visitors who are not even members if they are able to help. Special consideration can be made for children. Die to the extreme heat and hard work, those with serious health conditions should check with the coordinator and their physician first.

Service, Fellowship, and FUN!

In addition to the personal rewards of serving God by helping those in need, there are opportunities for fellowship with other members of the church, for sightseeing, swimming in the ocean, and a lot of fun!

To sign up, just contact Dan Blechschmid or Kay Low through the church office.

City Mission

The serving of the evening meal on the 4th Saturday of each month at City Mission is now open to the entire congregation. The City Mission is a haven for homeless men on East 30th Street in downtown Cleveland. For some of these men, this is the only warm meal they receive during the week. We feel strongly about moving outside the boundaries of the city of Solon in order to serve those who are less fortunate.

Volunteers are needed each month to perform this ministry. A sign-up sheet is located on the Missions bulletin board located in the entrance to the Narthex. A copy of the guidelines is also located there.

Please contact Bill Rafalski through the church office if you are interested in serving.

Helping Hands

Have you recently been hospitalized?
Are you ill at home?
Do you need a ride to the doctor's or the grocery store?

Helping Hands is able to assist you! Helping Hands, began at Solon United Methodist Church to help our church family. We provide assistance such as meals, rides, and shopping on an as-need basis.

It has been approximately one year since Helping Hands Ministry was begun. During that time, we have provided meals for seven families, picked up medication at the pharmacy, and provided rides twice. Thanks to all who have been so generous with their help.

If you need help, call Barbara Metzger, or the church office.
If you can provide help, call Barbara Metzger.

SUM Hope - Ministry Outreach

SUM Hope Ministry's goal is to reach out to our fellow parishioners with love, comfort, friendship, prayers, and our presence when it is wanted. There are many different kinds of grief and our ministry is striving to develop ways to meet all of these needs. We are planning more training sessions and have reference material available to us but most important, we have our Christian hearts willing to reach out and serve our church members.
God has given us the commandment to love one another and our neighbors as ourselves. What better way to follow God's intention for our lives than to minister to those who are in need of a friend's sincere and loving compassion. If you feel you would like to become part of our ministry or could benefit from the "Hope" that we offer, please contact either Carol Taylor or the church office. Please pray for our ministry that it will be first and foremost guided by God's wisdom and love.

SUM Hope had our first meeting of the fall season and are excited about providing some programming, support and information to our church family. Some of our ideas for speakers, or sources of help, etc. for the upcoming year are:

1. Help in getting information regarding job search, writing resumes, etc.
2. Basic computer classes
3. Importance of living wills, health care powers of attorney and other legal advice everyone should know
4. Long term care - nursing home or in-home care for parent or spouse
5. Hospice care
6. Care for dependent (possibly special needs) children

Also, if anyone is interested in attending a "How to Care in a Christian Way" seminar, there is a session being held on Oct. 11th - 9:00AM to 1:00PM at First Baptist Church on Fairmount Blvd, Shaker Hts., It is being presented by the Stephens Ministry (so you can expect to be asked if you or your church would be interested in becoming part of Stephens Ministry). Please call Carol Taylor 330-405-2904 if you are interested in attending. The cost is $15.00 per person. (4 or more people total cost of $50.00).
Our quilters have done a magnificent job on our "remembrance" quilt that is to be dedicated on All Saints Day on Nov. 2nd. Should you want to add the name of a loved one to the quilt, please call Carol Taylor for more details.
SUM Hope is going to supply a bookcase and some inspirational books regarding the programs in which we are involved. Should you have a book that has been of help to you through difficult times and would like to donate it to the bookcase, please bring your book to the church office, give it to any member of SUM Hope or call Carol Taylor should you have any questions. We are planning to place the bookcase in the area of where the remembrance quilt will be hung. These books will be available for anyone who wishes to read them - it is not a library so we will not be tracking who has what book - but ask that when you are finished with the book you return it to the bookcase so someone else may use it.

The members of our SUM Hope team are: Gene Elliott, June McCandless, Scott Low, Sue Lumpkin, Gail Panik, DuAnn Semik, Carol Taylor. We are always glad to welcome new members, so if the Lord leads you in our direction, please talk with any of us or contact Carol Taylor through the church office. We are excited about sharing the love of Jesus with our church friends and family and want to provide you with as much loving support as we are capable. Please remember we are here for you to help you as best we can through your time of strife.

In Christ's love,
Carol Taylor