God crosses borders and in the year 2000 we saw the signing of a covenant among the Ft Myers/Miami Districts of The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church, and the Holguin Norte District of The Cuba Methodist Church. Each Cuban congregation is assigned a local Florida congregation as a sister church" - ours being in the village of Antilla. In April 2005 PIUMC sent its first delegation to Antilla.
Antilla sits high on a hill overlooking Nipe Bay on the eastern end of the island. Although there are huge political barriers that keep our relationship tenuous, we pray for each other on a regular basis.
It is significant to note that this is a mutual relationship, not a what-can-we-do-for-you involvement. If you would like details of our relationship, contact us - we are always ready to tell people about our sister church.
You can find details on the Covenant at www.Hume2.org, Select Mission Ministries and then choose Cuba/Florida Covenant.PIUMC CONTACT: Karen McKee (239) 283-8159
E.C.H.O.
Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization
Durrance Road, North Ft Myers, Fl 33916-1453
http://www.echonet.org
(239) 543-3246ECHO is a non-profit, Christian organization dedicated to the fight against world hunger. ECHO supplies missionaries, national churches and small farmers around the world with seeds in the fight against hunger. In so doing, through these missionaries and churches the Good News of Jesus Christ is spread to those in need.
There is a current need for a new dormitory for interns. The building would be built at no cost for labor by a Christian group, Builders without Borders. The building materials will cost $100,000 with $50,000 coming from a grant if they can raise the other $50,000. The Missions Team has decided to donate a minimum of $1000 from the church budget this year for the new dormitory. We will bring this need to the entire church body for additional personal donations.PIUMC CONTACT: Jim and Julie Looney (239) 283-2947
Fellow Islanders Sending Help
Pine Island FISH consists of approximately 100 volunteers who are your neighbors and have found a way to make Pine Island and Matlacha a better place to live. It is a non- profit association of volunteers organized for the purpose of making available and rendering the fullest possible range of neighborly, caring unpaid and non-professional assistance to those persons who request help.
Transportation is provided for Doctors appointments, Social service appointments, Hospital treatment and shopping. FISH also provides respite relief for caregivers, “In Touch” contact with homebound individuals, medical equipment delivery and return, help with medical claim forms and help with emergency financial needs.
In addition, the FISH Food Pantry provides food to those in need.
Food is collected from church donations and taken to the Catholic church. A person or family is screened by FISH to be eligible for a month's supply of food, no more than 4 times a year, unless there is an emergency. Applicants are contacted by the person on "pantry duty" for that day. Food is assembled, and clients come to the Catholic church for it.
Pine Island FISH is a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501 (3) (C) of the Internal Revenue Code and is supported solely by donations, including those of PIUMC and its members. You may contact FISH at 283-4442.PIUMC CONTACT: Pantry: Roy and Faye Maddock (239) 283-2750
Other FISH Business: Ruth Anderson (239) 283-8219
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating sub standard housing in Lee County. Through the use of volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, it builds simple, decent housing for struggling families.
PRAYER REQUESTS
• Laborers for the proposed Pine Island construction site.
• Volunteers to work in the thrift shop.
• Office workers.
• Painters for the job site.
• Volunteers and donations to build a house.
PIUMC CONTACT: Church Administration (239) 283-2386
Back to Main Missions Page
Our men and women volunteer their time and talents to help repair, replace, fix up or do odd jobs for people on Pine Island and the surrounding areas and for our congregation.
We do this work for the aged or infirm and for those who are unable to pay for the work. We supply the labor and the materials. Carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting, yard work, and miscellaneous fix ups are some of the things that we do.
If you need to have work done by Helping Hands, please fill out a request form available in the church office or call the church office and ask them to fill out the request form. Completed forms need to be turned in to the church office.
All donations that are given are used to buy materials needed for the repairs for those who cannot afford that expense. Volunteers are always needed.PIUMC CONTACT: Jerry Flesher (239) 283-7134
Back to Main Missions Page
We participate in a program that provides Christmas presents for children all over the world, including the U.S. These little ones would not receive anything because of poverty, war, natural disasters, etc, if not for "Operation Christmas Child".
We fill shoeboxes with toys, candy, school supplies and personal items, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, etc. Each box is labeled by gender and age and is placed directly in the waiting arms of a child. The children who receive the boxes also learn about God's greatest gift, His Son, Jesus Christ.PIUMC CONTACT: Church Administration (239) 283-2386
S.H.A.R.E. is a not-for-profit, self help-program committed to building community. SHARE offers a monthly nutritious food package to anyone who wants to participate, regardless of race, religion, social or economic class, gender, age, etc.
The package of food costs the participants $15 and two hours of volunteer service. (Volunteer service is anything you do without pay for someone outside your family.)
The food package consists of frozen meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, plus staples. Individual items vary from month to month. The food is purchased in bulk by SHARE food buyers from growers, brokers, packaging plants, etc., from across the United States, saving participants up to 60% over retail prices. SHARE is not a government program and is funded solely by the price of the food.
SHARE operates through community organizations called “host sites", such as Pine Island United Methodist Church. We partner with SHARE to commit human resources, space and money to provide SHARE activities an ongoing basis in the neighborhood. Through volunteer leadership teams trained by SHARE, host sites sign up participants, provide and monitor volunteer service opportunities and pick up and distribute monthly food packages. Some people purchase extra packages and donate them to the SHARE program to be distributed on Pine Island to needy people.
PIUMC CONTACT: Ruth Anderson (239) 283-8219
Gene Louise Fisher (239) 283-9831
Back to Main Missions Page
Church wide Special Sundays with offerings enable United Methodists like you to offer refuge in times of disaster, promote peace and justice, provide scholarships and student loans, reach out to the community, teach skills to encourage self-sufficiency and share the love of Jesus Christ with God's people everywhere.
Six times throughout the year, United Methodist congregations
celebrate Church wide Special Sundays with offerings. Your
support is critical to the survival of these important ministries
and for sharing God's gifts around the world. Usual months of emphasis are:· Human Relations Day - January
· One Great Hour of Sharing - March
· Native American Ministries - April
· Peace with Justice - June
· World Communion - October
· United Methodist Student - November
TEEN CHALLENGE of SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
5646 Seventh Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33907
Greg Hammond, Director
(239) 479-7741 (239) 275-1974 (239) 770-6656
tcfortmvers@aol.comThe mission of Teen Challenge is to help youth, adults and families with life-controlling problems become established in society through faith-based mentoring, counseling, education and job training.
PRAYER REQUEST:
· God's help in establishing our new women's home.
· Souls to meet Christ at our outreaches and in our program.
· For God's wisdom to speak into our students' lives for their deliverance,
healing and establishing a personal walk with Christ.PIUMC CONTACT: Church Administration (239) 283-2386
FLORIDA UNITED METHODIST - CHILDREN'S HOME
http://www.fumch.orq
Stephen Hartsfield
51 Main Street; Enterprise, FL 32725
(386) 688-5088The Children's Home creates an atmosphere that enables children and families with special needs to experience God's love and care as presented in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Four times a year, in the month’s that have a 5th Sunday a special love offering is taken to help support the Children's Home.PIUMC CONTACT: Muriel Pletcher (239) 283-3050
Back to Main Missions PageThe PIUMC Youth Group members raise money through donors and sponsors to help the millions of starving and hurting children in some of the world's poorest countries, offering them a hope they could not otherwise have. The group then goes 30 hours without food, so that they can have a real taste of what hunger is like. During this time they engage in different activities; community service projects, volunteer work, and study.
Afterwards the money raised is sent to World Vision, and is put to work in areas like Peru, Ethiopia, and here in the United States. It takes $360 and provides necessary care to a child for a whole year. Last year our Youth Group raised $2500 and donated it to World Vision.
