Outreach is very important to us here at First United Methodist Church of Clarion
and there are many opportunities for volunteerism.
Please select from the list below if you are interested in joining a specific group, or would like general information.
Outreach
Love Cupboard
Love Cupboard is a food pantry ministry provided at First United Methodist Church.
Love Cupboard distribution is from 4:00pm-5:30pm on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Individuals and families are able to receive help with food and hygiene products from our pantry during this time. Photo identification is required to receive items.
The Love Cupboard item of the month for April is
Boxed/Bagged Pasta.
Please place donated items in the box located just inside the Gathering Area.
If you have questions, or would like to volunteer for the Love Cupboard,
please contact our church office.
Karen G. Luderer Memorial Scholarship Fund
Karen Luderer lived her life as a devout Christian. Throughout her life, Karen epitomized the values of Christianity. She always looked past someone’s indiscretions and valued the person. Karen spent years helping the less fortunate. Whether it was her prison ministry, 4th Avenue Adventure ministry, or any of the many committees in which she partook, she was always willing to listen, counsel and help. She never sought the spotlight. In fact, she went out of her way to avoid it. Helping others was her reward. In this light, the family of Karen Luderer established the
Karen G. Luderer Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2018.
Criteria
-A high school GPA of 2.50
-SAT score of 800 or an ACT score of 16
-A member of the United Methodist Church, an active member of the Youth Group of the United Methodist Church or a former member of the Youth Group
-Traditional and Non-traditional students are encouraged to apply
Selection Process
Interested people will give a short presentation (PowerPoint or other presentation form) to the Selection Committee. In the spirit of Karen, the selection committee wants to learn of the person beyond a resume. The presentation should provide the committee with sufficient information to get to know the person. Topics may include: any hardships/challenges in life, the role of religion in their life, specific experiences of volunteer work, specific experiences of Youth Group/work camps, and any life experiences that will provide insight into the person. This list are examples only.
The presentation need not include these topics. The Scholarship will not just focus on grades and accomplishments, but the person as a whole. The presentation should be about 10 minutes and no more than 20 minutes. An interview will follow the presentation.
Award
Recipients will receive $1,000 Scholarship fund that will be paid directly to the recipient’s institution. The Scholarship is renewable, as long as the Student maintains a GPA of 2.50, for a maximum of 4 years. Student will be required to present a copy of their grades to the Committee every year in May prior to disbursement.
Application
An application form can be found HERE, or picked up at the First United Methodist Church Office, 600 Wood Street, Clarion, PA 16214 or may be requested via email at
churchoffice@fumc-clarion.org.
Deadline
All applications should be received by April 7, 2024. Selected Applicants will be invited to provide the presentation/interview to occur on a date to be determined – usually a Saturday in May. Interviews will be held in the Youth Room starting at 9:00am. The Applicant will be notified by text or email. If for some reason, you are unavailable on this date, the Committee will allow a Skype/Zoom presentation provided you meet all of the guidelines listed above.
Local and Global Missions
The Local and Global Missions Team seeks to provide opportunities for the Church at large to use God given gifts to further His Kingdom on earth. We are not all evangelists in the formal sense, but we have all received gifts that we can use to help in the work of the church, by supporting missionaries and also by supporting causes which show the love of God.
In the past we have contributed to such things as the AIDS Orphan Trust, UMCOR flood buckets and health kits, the Potato Project, ‘Nothing but Nets’, foster homes in Russia, The Gulf Coast Relief, and Blanket Sunday. We have also given financial assistance to members of our congregation engaged in mission work.
For more information, please contact our church office.
Stephen Ministry
What Exactly Is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministry is a ministry in our congregation in which trained and supervised lay persons, called Stephen Ministers, provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life challenges or difficulties. We are caring Christian friends who listen, understand, accept, and pray for (and with) care receivers who are working through a crisis or a tough time. We are not counselors, but trained lay caregivers. Our role is to listen and care—not to give advice or counsel. Stephen Ministers are also trained to recognize when a care receiver's need exceeds what they can provide. When that happens we work with care receivers to help them receive the level of care they really need.
The name Stephen comes from St. Stephen, who was the first lay person commissioned by the apostles to provide caring ministry to those in need as recorded in Acts 6. Stephen Ministry has been around since 1975, when Kenneth Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist, began it to multiply the caregiving in his congregation in St. Louis, Missouri. If you or someone you know could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, you can talk to Pastor John or one of our Stephen Leaders. Any of our Stephen Ministers would also be happy to help you through the process. (If you want to talk about Stephen Ministry for someone else, make sure you get his or her permission first.)
We always welcome new members who would like to serve as a Stephen Minister. Stephen Ministers engage in 50 hours of training in Christian caregiving, including general topics such as listening, feelings, boundaries, assertiveness, and using Christian resources in caregiving. In addition, their training covers specialized topics such as ministering to the divorced, hospitalized, bereaved, and aging. Let one of your Stephen Ministers know if this is a ministry in which you would like to serve by calling the church office at 814-226-6660 or email stephenministries@fumc-clarion.org.
Our Stephen Ministry Leaders are: Sandra Foster, Suzan Hahnfeldt or Barb Krupnik.
For more information, please contact our church office.
Work Camp
At First United Methodist Church of Clarion, our youth and adults participate in an annual mission work camp. This is a time where we can make a difference in people’s lives, and an event that ties together a specific group of people every year. It’s where we create friendships, bonds, and everlasting memories. Let’s not leave out the skill building activities that will help our youth in the future with their own homes.
As COVID hit our own church family in 2020, we have changed our focus from Habitat for Humanity Projects to staying in Clarion and the surrounding communities. There is something very special about helping our very own and being able to show this community that the youth of our church still and will make an impact in this world as they continue to grow as a Christian. Many Youth will develop their leadership skills that can be used throughout their lifetime. Take some time to seek out a youth or an adult that has participated, and you will hear a spark in their voice as they describe the experience as one they will never forget.
By staying local, we have also had the privilege to work alongside many adults from our congregation. They shine with joy as they watch our youth participate and grow in the love of Jesus.
The dates of our Work Camp this year are June 25 through June 30, 2023. The cost will be $125.00 which offsets the food and activity expenses for the week. We are asking that you commit by Sunday, May 21, 2023 and submit your monies due. If you would like more information please contact Shelly Rhoades (Youth Director) at youthdirector@fumc-clarion.org.
