Outreach

It is the mission of this group to reach out to the local community and beyond. We strive to provide activities that demonstrate that Shores is a caring and loving place to be. We provided financial help and gifts for families over the holidays, provided meals for residents of St. Francis House and weekly meals for homeless youth/young adults at Port In The Storm. Outreach has sponsored Carefest and Rise Against Hunger. Every October we sponsor a Pumpkin Patch. We provide Blessings In A Backpack to Hartley Elementary weekly for fifteen students, and we provide fresh fruit for an additional 85 students. We participate in Souper Bowl of Caring, with the help of our children/youth, to collect food and money for our local food pantry, St. John’s Ecumenical Food Pantry. We sponsor our children/youth to attend camp. If you would like to help out with any of our missions and/or sponsor a mission please contact Cheryl Jeffries at cheryljeffries47@gmail.com.

Hartley Afterschool Program

The Outreach Committee runs an After School Program during the school year. It is held on Wednesdays from 1:50 until 5:30. This program is only for students who attend Hartley Elementary.  Childcare and learning opportunities for children K-grade 5; by application only; limited to 20 children; contact Phyllis Wolfe at 904-797-4416.

View Child/Youth Registration Form.

Homeless Coalition

Members of the Outreach team weekly volunteer at the Homeless Coalition. The Coalition provides housing and guidance to homeless families. It also provides various kinds of support to others in need.

The team supports this mission by preparing bags of food and repackaging bread items donated by local groceries. The congregation supports this mission with monetary donations. Donations of clothes, blankets, and toiletry items are also provided. Donations can be placed in the overflow room off the sanctuary.

St. John’s Ecumenical Ministries Food Pantry

We are comprised of 12 local churches (of which Shores UMC is an integral part) who feed hungry families in our community. Food is collected from churches, purchased from Second Harvest food bank, or received via other donations. Applicants are interviewed to determine need. After need is established, bags of food are provided based on the size of the family. Each bag of food contains enough food for two people for four days.

Here at Shores UMC, we have a major impact in St. John’s county–through sharing God’s love and concern for our neighbors. Your donations of food, money, and time go a long, long way to help those in need. The Panty has distributed over 53,750 pounds of food this year alone. If you wish to help in this ministry, please call Alexis Stilwell at 904-377-1691.

Pastor at Panera
Each Wednesday Pastor Carolyn will be having office hours in the community. She will at Panera from 9-10 am. These office hours are open to anyone who would like to stop by during those hours. You are invited to join her for coffee and conversation. (Please check monthly calendar to make sure Pastor Carolyn will be there.)

Children’s Wednesday Night Program

Child_Youth Registration Form

Prayer Bear Mission

Our Prayer Bears sit in our seats every Sunday just waiting for someone who needs them to take them home! Each bear has been prayed over and loved just a little (so don’t hesitate to donate a new or slightly used clean bear in our overflow room – we will take care of any ribbons or brushing they need) by members of our church and they are free for anyone to take who feels the need for a little comfort. They are just as popular with our adults as with our young people! Knowing that someone has said a special word with God just for you is sometimes a life altering moment and these bears do a fabulous job of reaching out to anyone with their arms stretched open wide!

Sunset Circle

The Sunset Circle is a (fun), supportive group of women who meet on the second Thursday of every month at 7 pm in the Christian Education Building in room 7. In addition to (friendship) and fellowship, the women engage in ongoing Book or Bible Studies and mission projects. Interested women should contact Vicki Hall or Phyllis Wolfe at 904-797-4416.

One of the ongoing projects of the Sunset Circle is Boxes of Joy. The Sunset Circle will pack and mail a box or envelope of treats to soldiers, students, inmates or others who are far from home. This lets them know that they are loved and in the prayers of the Shores UMC family. If you have someone who would appreciate a Box of Joy contact Vicki Hall at 904-797-4416 with name and correct address.

Mission Circle

This group of active, crafty and giving ladies meets at 10 a.m. on the fourth Thursday of every month in the Christian Education Building. Their ongoing missions include making prayer shawls for the pastor’s use, making prayer pillows and hand-decorated bed pillowcases for hospice patients. Ladies who knit, crochet, sew or do needlework are welcome to bring their current project or adopt a new one at the Circle meeting. They accept donations of yarn, fabric, fiberfill, and other materials for their use.