Mission and Ministry
Mission and Ministry: Mercy
Opportunities
This year, the community of Saint Paul has come together to form the Justice and Mercy team (JaM), which heads up our
community activism and service outreach.As we begin our justice work, we have currently formed three teams focusing on important areas of concern for Saint Paul, and the Methodist church as a whole:
Climate Justice, Health Justice, and Racial
Justice.
These teams will reach out to our
surrounding community, fundraise, hold
events, educate, and amplify the voices of
those who are marginalized. We have also
begun to merge the amazing work of our
previous Missions Ministry into our JaM
team, as we continue to donate our time,
talents, and resources to help those in need.
If you have any questions or would like to
join as part of this effort, contact
Mackenzie Marrow at
[email protected].
Food Ministries
Saint Paul UMC is part of the Lincoln Food Bank backpack feeding program. Food is distributed weekly to an elementary school.
Twice-weekly free lunch distributed through our partnership with Lulu’s
Monthly food preparation for Matt Talbot
Food bags given from our pantry to Cornerstone and to those in need as available
Participation in Crop Walk and Heifer International annually
Housing
Saint Paul supports the Interfaith Housing Coalition and the residents of the President and Ambassador Apartments. Our support of this mission effort will provide a Christmas treat for all residents.
Saint Paul Justice & Mercy Team FAQ
- Presence at the state capital for justice gatherings on topics such as immigration and racial injustice
- Representation on community partnership boards working for justice
- Speakers, classes and forums to educate on justice issues
- Preaching justice
- SP supports (financially and through participation) the Interfaith Peacemaking Coalition yearly workshop.
- We have placed yard signs in member’s homes which address justice issues to let community know we are sharing God’s Love for all in acts of justice.
We have gained new members through our efforts at justice as people have seen our witness with PRIDE festival and our rainbow banners outside the church. Each have told stories of their previous exile from churches due to homophobic or shame-based theology. They have found new life and new connection to God through the welcoming of Saint Paul UMC.
- Saint Paul has undergone a new visioning process with the guidance of the Unstuck Church Group. One of the areas of our focus for growth is in Mercy and Justice. We have formed a strategic planning team which will be leading the congregation into greater justice-centered mission practices.
- We will begin with a foundation of deepening our own understanding of lovingkindness. All justice work must be grounded in love (open hearts).
- Next we will educate ourselves and the congregation around justice and the biblical mandate (open minds).
- Finally, we will go forward into the world beyond our doors to do acts of justice (open doors).
Our strategic planning team has identified three areas for our focus: racial justice, ecological justice, and health care. Each of these areas will be resourced and ministry teams will be formed to engage the congregation in love, education and action. We will schedule our efforts strategically by launching one at a time and building support before adding the next.
