Servants on Mission at Opportunity House
You don’t have to go far away from home to be on Mission. West Lawn supports a large number of local ministries right here in our community.
Adopt a Soldier
Mission: To send emails, cards, and/or care packages to show support for our troops.
Audio Visual
Mission: To enhance the worship experience and get God’s word out through audio-visual aids. Great “behind the scenes” activity for anyone who enjoys work in production.
Beautiful News
Mission: Beautiful News Ministries is our new worship service held on one Saturday evening each month at 6:00 pm in the Community Center. The services combines contemporary and more traditional music and audio-visual elements, the sacrament of communion, guest musicians and speakers, as well as, lay speakers and our own pastoral staff within a casual environment. Beautiful News Ministries is open to all.
Bread Ministry
Mission: The Bread Ministry offers up a symbol of warmth and spiritual nourishment in the form of fresh bread, delivered to the homes of our first-time
guests.
Caring Community
Mission: To provide encouragement, a loving presence and a link to Christ’s body to those who are no longer able to gather at the church because of physical difficulties through a dedicated group of people who visit regularly in nursing and retirement facilities, as well as homes.
Child Evangelism Fellowship (outreach partnership)
Mission: Child Evangelism Fellowship is an organization interested in reaching the children of Reading and Berks County with the gospel message. Programs include Good News Club, Summer Day Camp, and Playground Ministries. The ministry also trains volunteers in leading the various programs.
Christian Women Singles Fellowship (over 55)
Mission: To provide a Christian atmosphere for single women over 55 to share in a Bible reading or story, play table games, and enjoy light refreshments. Meetings are the third Monday of each month from 12:30 to 3:00 pm in our HE brews Cafe. (bring your own lunch)
Circle of Friends
Mission: To provide Christian fellowship through social events and outings with others of like needs and interests, to build rich friendships, to strengthen home life, and serve our church and community. Any adult is welcome. Events are once a month, usually the second Saturday evening.
Community Groups
Mission: To grow small communities of individuals that encourage discipleship and life transformation through Christ. A Community Group is made up of a small group of people (3-14), who come together to build authentic relationships through encouragement, guidance, accountability and prayer so that all members experience life transformation through Christ. To join one of West Lawn’s many Community Groups, or start a new group, click here to print and fill out a Connection Card. Then, return the card to the Church Office or place it in an offering plate during one of our services. For more information, contact Kelly Rismiller at 610-678-5611, kelly@westlawnumc.org
Creation Care
Mission: “Encouraging a culture of Caring for God’s Creation at church and at home.”
Drama Worship Ministry
Mission: To enhance our worship experience through drama and communicate God’s message in alternative ways.
Family Promise (outreach partnership)
Mission: Family Promise is a national organization whose goal is to alleviate homelessness by fostering the development of Networks that provide shelter, meals, and assistance for homeless families. Part of the Berks County network, our church will provide overnight housing and an evening meal to homeless families for four weeks during the year. This is one ministry where families have an opportunity to minister to families who are experiencing difficult times.
Fellowship Time
Mission: To provide a way for members and visitors to meet and greet one another, enjoy a time of companionship and friendship among brothers and sisters in God’s church (with snacks, soft drinks and coffee, of course!) Fellowship time is held between each Sunday worship service in the HE brews Cafe.
Flower Committee
Mission: To help beautify our sanctuary with flowers each week. Additional coordinators are always needed.
Funeral Luncheon Team
Mission: To help families feel loved during a difficult time by helping prepare luncheons or providing baked goods.
Griefshare – Grief Recovery Support
Mission: To create a safe, loving, Christian environment for people to come together who are grieving from the loss of a loved one. We journey through the grieving process with a 13-week Biblically-based video series, discussion group and workbook to help begin the healing process.
Habitat for Humanity (outreach partnership)
Mission: Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical ministry that renovates old homes, or builds new ones, then sells them at zero profit to low-income families. Habitat offers a long-term solution to a real housing problem and helps the motivated poor to break out of poverty and purchase a home with dignity.
Healing Prayer Ministry
Mission: To offer God’s healing to those suffering in body or spirit after the 11:00 am Sunday service the first Sunday of each month.
Hospital Visitation Ministry
Mission: To give compassionate care and help to lift the spirits of those who are in the hospital. We offer comfort and hope by communicating with compassion: attention, acknowledgment, affection, and acceptance. We simply are present, listen, and pray with them in Christian love.
Keeping the Connection
Mission: To keep in contact with post high-school students by sending “care packages” to encourage them while away at college or work, to provide the young adult with strength to continue their faith walk while away.
Kitchen Ministry
Mission: The kitchen ministry of West Lawn United Methodist Church is a Christ-centered group of volunteers that offer their time and talents to provide an environment that advances the ministries of the church. By providing a quality meal at a fair price we seek to create a loving Christian atmosphere that feeds both the body and the soul within our church family and beyond, ministering to those in need.
Library Services
Mission: To provide a valuable Christian education resource through a variety of books and videos that provide information and inspiration-signed out through the honor system.
Links Players Fellowship
Mission: Links Players is an international association of Christian golfers dedicated to using the game of golf as a focal point for Christian fellowship. The group here at WLUMC began in 1995.
Little Acts of Love
Little Acts of Love is an outreach ministry of West Lawn United Methodist Church. Through volunteer youth and their leaders, community clean up and home repairs are completed for the elderly, disabled and low income homeowners at no cost. All materials are purchased through the donations of local businesses, churches and the groups attending. For more information, contact Alice Moyer or Tom Wertz at littleactsoflove@gmail.com, or click here for their Facebook page.
Meals for New Parents
Mission: To help families with newborns by preparing dinners for several evening after mother and baby return from the hospital. New parents have been so grateful, allowing these families more focused time to care for each other during this exciting yet stressful life transition.
Men at the Grill
Mission: To provide an opportunity for men to share their unique perspective and experiences together, in support of their Christian walk and build each other up with Bible study and fellowship in order to build faith and serve God.
Music Ministries
Mission: The music ministry is comprised of many choral and instrumental groups, which offer all an opportunity to share the Good News in music with the congregation and the community.
Neighborhood Mission Team
Mission: To provide home repair /“Handyman” services to our community neighbors. We offer our God- given talents willingly, to help the elderly, handicapped, infirmed, and financially stressed who do not have the resources to make necessary repairs on their own.
Newsletter/Bulletin Support
Mission: To provide an atmosphere of Christian fellowship while helping our staff fold, collate, stuff envelopes or otherwise help with the dissemination of church communications such as the weekly bulletin, Crossroads newsletter, special mailings, etc.
Nursery Services
Mission: To care for the young children of our members and visitors as they attend worship. At 8:00 am and 11:00 am each Sunday their is care for infants through kindergarten. At 9:30 am, there is infant care and Sunday School for 1 and 2 year olds.
Opportunity House (outreach partnership)
Mission: To provide multiple services that improve the quality of life for children, families and adults who face various obstacles to independence, and to support their efforts to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency and well being. Opportunity House is sponsored by the United Way and the Berks Chamber. WLUMC prepares meals at the church, delivers, and serves them to the shelter twice a month.
Post-Hospitalization Meals
Mission: To help families care for each other when members come home from the hospital with meals prepared and delivered to their homes.
Prayer Chain
Mission: Prayer Chain began in 1984 and uses a group of dedicated volunteers to lift up in prayer those who are ill, home-bound, have special needs; the needs of the church as a whole, our community and nation. Confidentiality is a must and privacy is respected.
Prison Ministry
Mission: To minister to women and men in prison here in Berks County, offering hope to those willing to reach out and discover the transforming power of God and, through Angel Tree Christmas Project, serve children whose mother or father is incarcerated, on parole, or trying to get back on track. Members of our congregation provide clothing and other Christmas gift items for each child, then other servant/members sort and deliver them to each family.
Safe Haven Lighthouse
Mission: To offer diverse activities and resources that encourage individual and group involvement with children in an enjoyable, safe, and relaxed Christian atmosphere. After-school program is from 3:00-5:30 pm every Wednesday with various activities with a Christian emphasis for K-6th graders. The program is staffed by WLUMC servants who have a love of children and a desire to serve the Lord by using their talents and gifts in this capacity.
Single and Parenting – Seminar
Mission: To bring help, encouragement and hope to single parents as they seek to guide their children into adulthood. (Beginning in January 2012)
Soup Kitchen (outreach partnership)
Mission: To bring nourishment and hope to our homeless community in Berks County. Servants from WLUMC staff the soup kitchen in Reading the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, serving as many as 140 hungry clients over the lunch hour.
Stephen Ministry
Mission: Stephen Ministers listen, explore feelings, pray, share Christ’s love, and maintain confidentiality to plant hope in a person who is struggling with one of life’s many difficulties.
Ushers
Mission: Ushers welcome and assist all those who enter the sanctuary by greeting them, handing out bulletins and assisting them with seating. They also take the offering at 8:00 am and 11:00 am Sunday morning services.
Van Ministry
Mission: To provide transportation to and from School, Worship, Safe Haven Lighthouse, and church related events. A two-session new driver certification class is offered at no cost for those wishing to participate in this ministry.
Walk to Emmaus
The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. The aim of Emmaus is to inspire, challenge and equip local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, workplaces and communities. It is also an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in a new way as he is revealed to you through other believers.If you are interested in going on the three-day Emmaus experience, please contact Gathering Leader, Greg Hart at 610-678-0396 or email jghart@ptd.net. For more information, visit: http://www.upperroom.org/emmaus/.
Welcoming
Mission: The Welcoming Team takes to heart the first part of our mission statement, INVITE, and makes guests feel like the belong through a handshake, conversation, open door, phone call, and answers to questions.
West Lawn United Methodist Women
Mission: WLUMW offers four circles of Christian fellowship and growth. The Craft Circle meets the second Thursday of each month to learn a new craft, share lunch and enjoy each others company. The Prayer Breakfast meets the second Monday each month,
with inspirational speakers and musical programs. The Needlework Circle meets to sew, knit and crochet for worthy causes. The Evening Circle meets the Third Monday at member’s homes.
West Lawn Wednesday
Mission: To provide a respite of love and light in the middle of the week by feeding the body at dinner and the soul with classes, worship and activities afterward. Kitchen Ministry, Disciple Classes, and Youth Groups round out the offerings.
Women at the Well
Mission: To bring women of all ages and backgrounds, married or not, together to lift each other up through the “living water” of the Holy Spirit as they share insights, experiences, struggles and strengths.
Women’s Book Club
Mission: To provide a forum for women to advance their Christian education in a facilitated group environment and discussion. This group meets once a month.
Worship Committee
Mission: The Worship Committee oversees and reviews details of the church’s worship services.
