A very special thank you to everyone for blessing families on Thanksgiving. We delivered 50 Thanksgiving Baskets to needy families in Smyrna, In addition, under the direction of the Motley Christians approximately 200 people enjoyed a meal either at Wherry Housing Community Center or at the Church. Thank you to the Motley Christians for coordinating this effort and to all who helped with this ministry.

We want to thank everyone for supporting our Angel Tree. All the angels were taken and gifts purchased.  Gifts were given to foster children and to seniors at the nursing homes and those that received Meals on Wheels. In addition, we were able to provide gift cards to 15 children that did not get on any angel tree. These were the forgotten angels. Once again, this congregation showed that they have Christian love for all people.

The clothes closet is in need of underwear for men, women and children. We also need children’s books.
Save those toiletry items. If you travel over the holidays or during January, please save your toiletry items that you receive at hotels. We are collecting them to make bags for Vanderbilt Trauma unit. Many families receive calls at all hours of the day or night and come to Vanderbilt with just what they have on their backs. We can provide these families with the toiletries items they need to get them by during a very stressful time. Look for boxes in Fellowship Hall that are marked “Vandy Trauma Unit”. We will put the packages together during February.

Cindy Kibbe is coordinating the Angel Tree this year. In addition to foster children we will also have names of elderly people that are either shut-ins or in the nursing home.

In January 2011 the Missions Team decided to renovate a duplex at Wherry Housing so we can start a Jump Start House It will provide a home to someone that needs a place to live on a short term basis. We are hoping that the United Methodist Men’s group will be rejuvenated by this ministry and partner with us in remodeling the home.

As Doug Haynes testified, we have a true need in this community for a Jump Start House. We believe that God put the person in Doug’s path to confirm to us that we are doing His work by starting a Jump Start House.

As the Missions Team moves forward we are asking the congregation to step out of their comfort zone and help with this ministry. We will need carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and general workers to help. All assistance will be needed and is appreciated. Doug Haynes and Ken Tibbits are chairing this endeavor.

Funding is needed for this project. We will be looking at getting fundraisers approved. If you want to go above and beyond your tithe and feel lead by Jesus to financially support this ministry, please make a check out to the church and designate it for “Missions – Jump Start House”.

We are also attempting to put new windows in an apartment out there for a person that is in missions on a continuing basis. If you can help this project financially, you can designate a check to “Missions – Windows”.

A member was recently told about two children that were sleeping on pallets in their apartment. The member told me that this cannot continue especially when many of us are sleeping on $2,000 mattresses!!!!

Please pray for our ministries and be ready to volunteer when the call comes out.