Needs Pool

Proverbs 31 House Shower—On June 24, 3:00 p.m all women are invited to join with our sisters in Christ at CFBC (Christian Fellowship Baptist Church (Harry Walls church) 1255 Ferguson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63133) for a Household Shower to benefit the Proverbs 31 House. Proverbs 31 House will provide transitional housing for homeless women and is opening this summer on the second floor of the CFBC building. Shop for furnishings for the new Proverbs 31 House in person or online from now until June 24 at Target, Home Depot and Bed, Bath and Beyond (registered as “Proverbs House”). Please see the list below for gently used furniture and other items that are needed at Proverbs 31 House.

2nd Sundays Kids Serve—All 3rd-5th graders are invited to meet each month to work on service projects serving people in our city and beyond, as well as our local church. Kids Serve meets in Room 205/207 from 3-4 pm. From cookies and cupcakes for the homeless, to cards for those in nursing homes, Kids Serve helps children understand the need to follow our faith beyond our worship and study commitments. Parents are welcome to attend with their children. Drop in or for more information contact Brenda Stobbe, bstobbe@livingwordumc.org

"May Item of the Month"
In May Missions will be collecting cooking oil, canned kidney beans, canned meat, meaty soups and corn for Kingdom House. Please place your donations in the collection bins located at the bottom of the stairs by the elevators. All donated items are delivered to the agency at the end of the month by a member of the Missions Committee.

Youth Summer Mission Trips—Youth mission trips are available this summer for Middle School and High School youth. For dates and registration information, visit the youth webpage at www.lwyouth.org, or contact Adam Mustoe at amustoe@livingwordumc.org

Back Pack Attack - Coming July 28!—We will be collecting donations of school supplies and back packs and hope to outfit 250 backpacks that will be distributed by the Rockwood School District to qualified families. Please mark your calendars for the Pack the Pack on Saturday, July 21. Adult and youth volunteers are needed to stuff the backpacks with the donations. Adult volunteers are needed for Back Pack Attack on July 28. It will be a fun morning of distributing the backpacks, as well as offering the families a light lunch and activities. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Susan Wintermute at lw.backpackattack@gmail.com.

Circle of Concern—With so many in our community in need, Circle of Concern is looking for volunteers on a regular and occasional basis. Here are a few needs you might consider...

Used Bikes Needed!—Manchester UMC's Bike Rehab ministry is a group that receives used bikes as donations, then cleans and repairs them. They are donated to local charitable organizations, who distribute the “like-new” bikes to their clients. Children and youth can experience the joy of riding, while adults have the option of using the bikes as transportation to and from their jobs. For more information, visit here. If you have a bike you would like to donate, call Jim at 314-724-8272.

Snacks for Babler students—We still need help filling a schedule to provide snacks in 2012 to students who otherwise couldn’t afford to eat with the other children during snack time at Babler Elementary. We are trying to coordinate a group of volunteers to donate 60 snacks a week to help these children. Providing snacks can be as easy as spending about $25 at Sam’s, or shopping online at Amazon and having snacks shipped directly to Babler. Please consider signing up for a week (or two, if you feel moved) to provide 60 snacks for these students. We are so close…only two more weeks to fill in May!! To help, contact Michelle Eisenhart, meisenhart@marcstrategies.com, 636.405.1152.

Serve at The Bridge—We are looking for groups to sign up to serve in 2012 at The Bridge soup kitchen downtown on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm. Chris will go down with the groups every month, so all you have to do is be willing to work! If you would like to reserve a month for your group of 5-10 to serve, please contact Chris Shank, cshank@livingwordumc.org, or 636-821-2800.

Cooking At Living Word—We have a group at Living Word that is using our kitchen facilities to cook meals for Shalom House (women’s shelter), and you are invited to help. Contact Barbara Steurer, libertysales@prodigy.net.

Needs Pool Email Updates in 2012—If you would like to receive email updates of the latest opportunities for you to serve in 2012, please send your email address to Chris Shank at cshank@livingwordumc.org, or call 636-821-2800.

Rummage Sale Mission—Calling all rummage ‘sailors’! If you frequent rummage sales, or even if you stop by a garage/yard sale occasionally, we can use your help! The Active Faith Sunday morning class has created a list of items needed by non-profit organizations that you might be able to find at rummage sales including wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, sewing machines and supplies, coats, tools, Bibles, children’s books, towels, dishes, baby clothes, diapers, and blankets. If you have a good sense for bargains and would like to learn more about how help keep an eye out for these items, please contact Patty Brown at patty.brown@atexinc.com, or 636-273-5877. You can visit www.livingwordumc.org/needspool for an item list.

Street Outreach— Street Outreach Ministries, associated with Epworth children’s home and serving the youth homeless population in St. Louis, has needs for plain white t-shirts in all sizes, and rain gear – umbrellas, rain coats, etc. If you are able to donate and transport any items in decent condition, please contact Kelly Sullivan at 314.918-3469.

Mission Trip To UMCOR Depot: June 2012— The UMCOR (United Methodist Committee On Relief) Depot is located in Baldwin Louisiana, and is a centralized location for collecting, assembling and shipping care and supply kits around the US and worldwide. On June 10, 2012 Priscilla Steele will be leading a group of 12 women for 6 days to work at this UMCOR depot. Cost is $230, which includes housing, food while at UMCOR, and registration fee. There will be some additional charges for travel and meals not covered while staying at UMCOR. In addition, UMCOR asks for a donation ($50.00 person suggested) or materials for kits. Only 5 spots are left for this group, so if you’d like to go, please contact Priscilla Steele, steele458@charter.net.

Meals on Wheels—needs volunteers in St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin & Jefferson counties. Because of the volunteer shortage, some seniors are not only missing hot, nutritious meals, but also the daily contact they need for companionship and assurance that their other needs are being met. Meals on Wheels volunteers not only deliver meals - they are often a lifeline for the needs of our community’s seniors. Members of local businesses or organizations are delivering a route one day a week. For example, if a business has 15 people who are interested in delivering meals to homebound seniors, they can take turns delivering their route so only one member will spend about 1 to 1 1/2 hours a week. Thus, each person will only deliver once every 5 months. Smaller groups are also welcome - such as groups of four where each person volunteers once a month during lunchtime. Contact Carolyn Amacher, 636-207-0847, ext. 118; chamacher@mid-eastaaa.org

Please send pictures!— People love hearing about what missions are happening at Living Word! Please send us your ministry team’s needs for volunteers and update us on your ministry successes! Pictures and updates can be shared in the newsletter so people can know what’s been accomplished in our community. Send volunteer needs and ministry successes to cshank@livingwordumc.org

St. Patrick’s Center (agency for the homeless)—seeking individuals to help tutor adults and students who are in the GED/ABE educational program. 5-10 volunteers needed. Contact: kzamastil@stpatrickcenter.org.

St. Louis Cares—St. Louis Cares, a United Way organized team, is looking for monthly assistance for various service projects in St. Louis. Volunteers must be 21 years or older and must complete an online (or in-person) orientation and certification with United Way. Contact: Rebecca, 314-539-4299

“The Bridge” soup kitchen—breakfast and lunch servers needed! Breakfast help needed every weekday: two people on Monday, and one each of the other days. Time frame is 6:30 am - 9:00 am. Help also needed on a couple of 5th days of the month: lunch on the fifth Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. May also have need for help with dinner on the 1st Wednesday of each month. Contact: Deb Crowe, dcrowe@centenarystl.org, 314-421-3136, ext 107.

New City Fellowship—Every second Saturday there is a free clinic from 9:30 to 12 pm at the South City worship site. They rely on volunteer doctors, nurses, and non-health professionals to staff and connect with the community at the clinic. Contact: Emily Church, Emily@ncfstl.org, 314.726.2302 x237