Community Outreach Team
The Mission of the Community Outreach Ministry is to assist families and individuals in need and living within the boundaries of the Cicero-North Syracuse school district. There are so many ways to assist in this essential ministry…here are some of our activities:
The most recent activity undertaken by the Community Outreach Ministry is our Blessing Box. Stocked with non-perishable food items and toiletries, the Blessing Box is a creative way to help others who struggle with hunger and providing basics for their families. Anyone can leave items (a blessing to be able to do so) and anyone can take what they need (blessed to have a place to meet a portion of their need). The Blessing Box is located just off the back parking lot between the church and office entrances. Tell friends, family and neighbors so they may donate or use the box as needed.
In the fall, school supplies are distributed to students through our community food banks, including St. Margaret’s, St. Rose’s and Faith Lutheran’s food pantries in Mattydale, North Syracuse and Cicero respectively, as well as through the Canteen and contacts at North Syracuse Junior High School. Food and clothing is provided for children in emergency situations via contacts within the school district as our budget allows, as well as food for needy families prior to school breaks when children don’t have access to free breakfast and lunch at school, a project with which the Cicero-North Syracuse Optimist Club generously assists. Christmas finds us providing warm clothing and groceries to families in need, and our annual Hat & Mitten tree donations are distributed through the local food banks.
We provide a free monthly hot meal at the Salina Civic Center and the Canteen Teen Center that is open to whomever chooses to attend. Our “Love’s Laundry” team visits the Mattydale Colonial Laundromat a few times a year to assist folks with quarters, soap, folding and friendly conversation, an unexpected and very appreciated outreach by families burdened with the cost of simply doing laundry. An on-going project is providing paper products and toiletries to the Faith Lutheran food pantry, as these items can’t be purchased with public assistance funds, and we were happy to respond to the need identified by our neighboring church.
Our elderly and veterans are also assisted by this Ministry. Homemade holiday cards are distributed to Meals on Wheels recipients and veterans through the Mattydale VFW, and we were heartened to hear that in many cases, ours was the only card they received. The semi-annual Honor Flights for Veterans at Hancock Airport find a team of Outreach members waving posters and flags to honor our community heroes.
The Outreach Ministry has also taken on the responsibility of our annual “Be the Church” event that organizes our interested congregation into groups that go out into the community to undertake special projects ranging from building a ramp for a handicapped individual and weeding at the local senior center to taking their pets to area nursing homes for the residents to enjoy or delivering beds to children who would otherwise be sleeping on the floor. Rather than devoting one day to this event, going forward, the Outreach Ministry will be planning smaller events throughout the year to spread the “be the church” message with acts of kindness for members of our community.
MISSION CENTRAL has opened across from Coppertop in on Rt. 11 in North Syracuse. Formerly Cradle & Beyond which was housed in the North Syracuse Methodist Church prior to the church’s closing, this is your spot for very reasonably priced used clothing, housewares and an assortment of items. Mission Central also accepts all donations of gently used items. Their current hours are Saturday 10-2, Tuesday 4-7, and Wed/Thurs 10-4.
All of the projects undertaken by this Ministry depend on fundraising (sale of Gertrude Hawk candy at Easter, Panera Bread night, bake sale, inclusion in major church fundraising initiatives) and donations of money, goods and time from our generous church community.
The core group spearheading this Ministry, led by Diane Illagua, is small and devoted and ALWAYS in need of more help and new ideas. Please contact Diane directly or through the church office for more information on how you can join us in any of our on-going projects or to become part of the committee who meets the first Thursday of each month at 6 at CUMC. Our meetings are brief and to the point, so please consider joining this very critical, yet gratifying, ministry.
