MISSIONS AND OUTREACH
PROVIDING FOR THE PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL, AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS AROUND THE GLOBE.
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Love in Action
~ locally, nationally, internationally ~
We support local, national, and international programs, and we support youth and adult involvement in mission trips within our church community.
OUR MISSIONS FOCUS PRIMARILY - BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY -
ON THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS
Local
Westfield Food Pantry
Grotonwood/Oceanwood
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International
Mexican Medical Ministries
National
Salvation Army
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United Methodist
Committee on Relief
OUTREACH
Wyben Union Church has been involved in a variety of outreach efforts, a sample of which include welcome totes for new neighbors, prayer shawls, Wyben Family Fun Day, Operations Christmas Child, Walk for Hunger, "Souper Bowl" food drive, Warm-up America, coat drive, Christmas cookie exchange for shut-ins and detained youth, and camp scholarships. The congregation is quick to respond to requests for help in the form of household items, clothing, or monetary contributions to help the homeless, victims of house fires or natural disasters, etc.
Joyful Stitchers
A group of women from the church - and some from the surrounding area - meet several times a month to knit or crochet in fellowship for a variety of projects. Those projects include:
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Prayer Shawls - One of Wyben's mission projects is the heartfelt prayer shawl ministry in which shawls are prayerfully and lovingly made by our Joyful Stitchers. These shawls are available to our church community to take to someone undergoing a medical procedures, during an illness or recovery, dealing with a bereavement, after the birth of a child, etc. The shawl maker begins with prayers and blessings for the recipient. The intentions are continued throughout the creation of the shawl. Upon completion, a final blessing is offered before the shawl is sent on its way. Some recipients have continued the kindness by making a shawl and passing it onto someone in need. Thus, the blessing ripples from person-to-person, with both the giver and receiver feeling the unconditional embrace of a sheltering God! "Shawls...made for centuries universal and embracing, symbolic of an inclusive, unconditionally loving, God. They wrap, enfold, comfort, cover, give solace, mother, hug, shelter and beautify. Those who have received these shawls have been uplifted and affirmed, as if given wings to fly above their troubles..." ~ Janet Severi Bristow, co-founder of the Prayer Shawl Ministry
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Warm Up America - A national nonprofit that, since 1991, has provided hand knitted and crocheted blankets, clothing and accessories made by volunteers across the country and donated to people in need. Wyben's Joyful Stitchers meet to stitch 7"x9" rectangles that are sent to WUA where they are assembled into larger blankets and subsequently donated across the country.
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Soap S.A.C.K.S - In September of 2017, S.A.C.K. (Supporting A Community with Kindness), began as a grassroots effort to connect people from all over the world while crocheting/knitting soap sacks and then donating them (with a bar of soap in each one) to homeless shelters, food pantries, veteran clinics, relief efforts and social service agencies. Most often, Wyben Church S.A.C.K.s are donated to Westfield agencies for distribution.
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New stitchers are welcome to join the group!