Ongoing Ministries We Support with Our Presence

The BackPack Program

A program of America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia. The mission of the BackPack Program is to help alleviate child hunger by addressing the lack of food resources on weekends and holidays for children who are at-risk for hunger through the provision of groceries for them to prepare and consume at home. Isle of Hope UMC volunteers pack nutritious, child-friendly foods in plastic bags which are placed in the children’s backpack at school on Friday afternoons. This ensures that the children, enrolled at Isle of Hope Elementary School have something to eat until they return for breakfast at school on Monday morning. If you would like to volunteer or have questions please call Marjo Zelinsky at 355-8527.

Kairos

A Christian, lay-led, ecumenical, volunteer international prison ministry, in which volunteers bring Christ’s love and forgiveness to incarcerated individuals and their families. Kairos volunteers go into prisons in teams  of 30-40 to pray, share Christ’s love and forgiveness, share meals and fellowship with the inmates on a one to one basis. The first visit is a three day event in which the team teaches a short course on Christianity. Subsequent visits are montly half day reunions with the prisoners over a 12 month period.  If you are interested in serving with Kairos, would like to sponsor an incarcertaed resident for a Kairos weekend or have questions please contact Fred Daniel at 658-2452.

Jail Ministries of Georgia

The Coastal Jail Ministries of Georgia, Inc. was organized to provide a locally based Christian mission and ministry to the Chatham County Detention Center. Inmates who choose to be a part of the ministry live in separate dormitories and receive intensive counseling/mentoring by the chaplains and participate in Bible study and worship.

Volunteers are needed to grade Bible study tests for inmates involved in this prison ministry. A grading score is provided and you may pick up and return the tests at the church and do the grading in the comfort of your own home. Volunteers also grade bible study tests every Wednesday evening from 5:15-6:00PM in the Conference room. Personal instruction is provided.  Volunteers are also needed to teach Bible study to the inmates in the detention center. If you would like to volunteer, please call Julie or Dina at 355.8527.

Inner City Night Shelter

124 Arnold St. Savannah GA 31401                             Phone: 232.4673

Inner City Night Shelter provides emergency shelter for homeless men. They also provide a hot meal to men, women and children every night.

Isle of Hope UMC sends volunteers to serve dinner on the second Sunday of each month from 4:30-6:00 PM. We also provide 20 gallons of soup and 150 sandwiches. Sign up in your Sunday school class or call Martha Nesbit at 355.5049.

Interfaith Hospitality Network

The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Coastal Georgia is an independent, non-profit organization that works to alleviate family homelessness by providing shelter, meals and intensive support through the faith community of Savannah and Coastal Georgia. Each host congregation furnishes overnight lodging and meals for three families for one week, every three to four months on a rotating schedule.

Isle of Hope UMC will host families in the Green House during the following weeks in 2010: February 28-March 7, July 4-11, and October 24-31. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up, prepare and/or serve meals, play with the children, serve as evening and overnight hosts, and clean-up. This is a great way for families to volunteer together! Call Felicia McManamy at 691.1744 to volunteer.

L.O.V.E. Mentors

Volunteers who are trained by L.O.V.E. Mentors (Local Outreach Volunteer Educators) mentor/tutor students at Isle of Hope Elementary School.  A weekly commitment to a child who needs a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult is the only qualification. Thirty minutes at a time of your choosing twice per week between the hours of 9:30AM to 3PM could be a life-changing gift for a child. Please call Betsy Hines at 354.8957 for more information or to sign up.

The Living Vine

535 E. 54th Street  Savannah, GA 31405                      Phone: 352.9998

The Living Vine is a Christian maternity home that ministers to women in crisis pregnancies by offering a safe and loving home environment. Along with providing the basic needs this organization also offers counseling, educational opportunities and biblical instruction through their extensive program.

Isle of Hope UMC supports this ministry through our “Baby Bottle Fundraiser”. Pick up a baby bottle at the church office and return it with your spare change to support the Vine. Volunteers are also needed at their Blessingdales Thrift Store to sort and shelve items and for ongoing maintenance and grounds keeping. This is a great opportunity for families and groups to work together. Call the Living Vine or Julie or Dina to volunteer.

Meals on Wheels

3025 Bull Street                                                                    Phone: 236-0363

Each client enrolled in the Meals on Wheels program receives a hot, noontime meal that provides one third of the daily nutritional requirements, as well as personal contact to homebound seniors.

Isle of Hope UMC volunteers are responsible for delivering Meals on Wheels midday to elderly residents in the Southside area Mondays-Fridays. The meals are picked up at the church between 11:00AM-1:00PM. The delivery route usually takes about 1-1 1/2 hours to complete.  If you are interested in serving, please call Lynn Kritter at 354.1260.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

“Friends ‘n Needles”

Prayer Shawls are knitted or crocheted for people in need of comfort, solace, encouragement or celebration. Knitters pray for the recipient while they are making the shawls. Baby blankets, knit hats and chemo turbans are other items that can be prayerfully made. This is a ministry that you can participate in as part of a group or individually when convenient for you. The Prayer Shawl group, Friends ‘n Needles, meets the second Thursday of every month at 11:00 AM in the Seeker’s classroom. Please call Marilyn Wood at 355.7618 for more information.

Ronald McDonald House

4710 Waters Ave. Savannah, GA 31404                      Phone: 356.5520

Ronald McDonald House Charities began in 1974 with the purchase of their first house. Now there are 300 nationwide, including Savannah. Their mission is to provide families with seriously ill or injured children a way to stay together in proximity to their treatment hospital and be comfortable and cared for during their stay. This is done with little to no cost to the family.

Isle of Hope UMC supports this organization by collecting aluminum tabs from soft drink cans. Drop off your tabs in the RMH house on the shelf outside the office. RMH also utilizes volunteers to prepare meals and make cookies for the families at the house. For more information, please call Julie or Dina at 355.8527.

We Care Meals

Our church pays for a hot lunch (prepared by Memorial) for family members of patients in the Intensive Care Units at Memorial Health University Health Center. IOHUMC volunteers are there the first Tuesday of every month from 10:45AM- 12:15PM to help serve the meal to the family members and to provide support and compassion in Jesus’ name. Please email Joy Gainer at jgainer12@comcast.net if you are interested in serving.

Wesley Community Centers

1601 Drayton Street  Savannah GA 31401                   Phone: 236.4226

Wesley Community Centers of Savannah, Inc. is celebrating 60 years of service to women, children, and families in this community. Wesley’s Early Childhood Education and Development Center serves children ages 1-4 and is Nationally Accredited through NAEYC.  Wesley also operates and manages The Lady Bamford Center for Early Childhood Development.  Wesley also has several other programs including Crisis Intervention, Quilting classes, Adult Education classes, Computer classes, and a Summer Youth Arts Program, which all operate out of the Wesley Women’s Center.

The Isle of Hope UMC church family collects non-perishable food items and paper bags the first Sunday of every month for Wesley. We also collect Campbell’s soup labels to help Wesley receive items needed in the child care center.

For more information, please call Julie or Dina at 355.8527.

The Christ Child’s Nest

During a Faith In Practice medical mission trip in 1999, team members became aware of an orphanage in Guatemala with many needs. In December 2001, our church began a program where church members may financially “sponsor” a child at the orphanage on a monthly basis or with a one-time gift. You may also collect spare change in our “milk cartons” available in the church office.  If you would like to know more or would like to give a gift to The Christ Child’s Nest, call Julie Vann.

Upcoming Activities

Heifer International’s Read to Feed Program- Thanks to all who took part in the Read to Feed program this summer. It is time for participants to turn in their sponsor sheets and donations to the church office. Please make checks payable to Isle of Hope UMC and mark them “Read to Feed”. We will recognize all participants during Wednesday Night Supper on September 15th. Call Julie or Dina if you have questions

Heifer International, www.heifer.org

Ashlee Kraft Memorial Golf Tournament- Monday, October 4th with lunch at noon and shotgun start at 1:00PM. Please click here for Golf Tournament registration or to be a hole/cart sponsor.

Day On the Island
Please mark your calendars for Oct. 15 for Day on the Island, a special bi-annual event in the life of our church. Once again, we have beautiful homes for the tour, our hot chicken salad luncheon, silent auction, scrumptious Sugar & Spice shop, Friends N’ Needles knitting shop & a new addition- a recycled Christmas shop, in addition to church items for sale and tours of the sanctuary. This traditional fundraiser for our church has always been a wonderful time for Christian fellowship. All funds raised will be used to support missions and other outreach ministries of our community and church. All of our UMW circles are currently hard at work on individual responsibilities but it takes many hands to have a successful DOI. If you are not already involved, we welcome your participation (men, too) and will find the perfect spot for you to help.
ISA 58:10-11 “…If you spread yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed…The Lord will guide you always…you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer for any ministry please contact Julie Vann at jvann@iohumc.com or Dina Young at dyoung@iohumc.com.