Wesley UMC - Missions

Wesley is an Oklahoma Conference 5-Star Church Award winner, when it comes to missions. But we don't stop there with those basic requirements of mission participation. We originate and participate in a host of mission projects at home, statewide, nationally, and internationally.

"Mission Shawnee" is a summer lunch program with Bible stories. It was started through Good Shepherd Chapel to feed 250 undernourished kids from Shawnee at five local sites for the 40 weekdays of the summer. For most of these children, it is the only well-balanced meal of the day. This and love and care from volunteers is also leading to other needed family ministries. Wesley is a big supporter of this program and sends volunteers and cash to this ecumenical effort in Shawnee. For the summer of 2007, Wesley is the base of operations for "Mission Shawnee." Our kitchen is lunch assembly headquarters. Food and volunteers load up in our parking lot to go to five sites around Shawnee to feed and read to the kids of need. Andrea Wingo would appreciate your call to help: 313-2125.

Shawnee Family Promise is hosted, helped,, and sponsored by 12 Shawnee churches for "suddenly homeless" people. It is part of the Family Promise national organization. The Day Center 273-0161 is host to families in the daytime. Evenings are spent in the churches. Wesley is now a "helper church" for SIHN families, providing volunteers to the Day Center and sending quarterly supporting checks for operations. For more information about SIHN and how you can help, contact Gary Dowdy. Read more on the Family Promise national link.

Shawnee's Habitat for Humanity chapter offers our church a chance to be involved with local construction efforts that benefit selected needy families to have a home of their own through local volunteer helpers and their own quantity of "sweat equity." Learn more about the national program by clicking here on Habitat for Humanity.

Wesley's United Methodist Men have helped sister churches in Shawnee with renovation projects and done several in-town home projects, most notably wheelchair ramps to make a home accessible for disabled and elderly. The Wesley Youth participate with church members in mission work across the state as well as at home. Whether playing, clearing brush, weeding, or building and painting, the means to sharing God's love are provided with missional service and outreach.

Mission Trips

Mission trips provide church members opportunities to experience hands-on service. Many members have now gone to help build homes in Mexico. Others have served in Slovakia, Poland, Russia, South Africa, and in Bosnia. Youth go to the Methodist Boys Ranch in Oklahoma, to Texas and to Louisiana to work with Volunteers in Mission teams. In December 2008 we are scheduled to do a VIM medical mission team to Rio Bravo, Mexico. The past two Junes, 2007 and 2008, we have sent construction teams to Rio Bravo, not just to build houses, but special projects like build a septic tank for a kindergarten.

Rio Bravo Mission Teams
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Connor Rutherford Whitney Heer Dedication of the casita for the Rio Bravo family

Wesley helps sponsor a missionary in Mexico. Marsha Alexander is the director of "Manos Juntas Mexico" (Hands Together Mexico) in Rio Bravo. We are helping support her in her mission there. We sent 22 people to Rio Bravo in June, 2007, to build a 12'x20' home and to put a roof on a church. We look forward to our next mission trip to Rio Bravo to build another concrete block home (casita) for a homeless family.

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Marsha Alexander, Director, Manos Juntas Mexico

We Care Fund, Salvation Army (meals, Bibles, blankets, Christmas, Angel Tree) and Habitat for Humanity home building projects, and other Saturday projects.

The Wesley congregation seeks to lovingly fulfill this mission statement with several ongoing programs. The Logos (Logos means "the Word") program is a nondenominational after-school event on Wednesdays, which unites children, youth and adults within and beyond our church for Christian study, dinner and recreation. Our weekday Parents Day Out program serves many families. Our Wesley facility is used by the Boy Scouts weekly. Vacation Bible School is very well attended. High school youth enjoy our Shawnee All-Church Youth Volleyball Tournament sponsored by the Wesley Youth.

Statewide

Volunteers in Mission, Partners in Mission, Habitat for Humanity work groups,

Gore Boys Ranch ("Circle of Care" website)

National

Youth Summer Mission Trip

Global

Mexico, South Africa, Europe, Central and South America

Additional Links

General Board of Global Missions

Volunteers in Mission

United Methodist Women

United Methodist General Information