Richmond District
Missions
Richmond District United Methodist Churches working together for their communities
#rvaUMCmissions
Celebrate the amazing ways Richmond District UMCs and the communities they serve are blessing one another during this pandemic.
Current Task Force Priorities
News
Highland Support Project: Covid Update
Highland Support Project pivots to help local communities while grounded during corona virus pandemic.
Are You Hungry?
Friend of Pace, Bill Pike, encourages Methodists to take action to address food needs in the Richmond area during the pandemic.
Calendar
about
Join us on Zoom every first and third Wednesday at 12 noon
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3796423694
or Call: (312) 626-6799 Meeting ID: 379 642 3694
See calendar here.
The United Methodist Church Richmond District Mission Board created a COVID Mission Task Force in the summer of 2020 to assess the missional needs of the greater-Richmond community in this particularly challenging time. The goal of the task force is to provide support for current missional work of our local churches and be the catalyst for new initiatives throughout the district as appropriate. So far, over 30 churches and 100 individuals have been directly involved.
Status
After months of reflection and conversation with Richmond District clergy and missional leaders, the Task Force decided to focus it's efforts on two areas through January 2021:
1) Support Food Ministries: There is a groundswell of need. The Task Force is highlighting ministries led by United Methodist Churches who have shared their pressing needs. Opportunities include: volunteering, food collection, mask collection, and card making. If you or your church are already supporting a food ministry outside of the one's listed, please continue to do so. This should be a guide for those looking for new opportunities.
2) Support Volunteers: Hundreds of volunteers have been working at an exhausting pace for months as they address the growing need and the reduction of volunteers able to participate due to COVID. The Task Force, in collaboration with VCU Social Work interns partnering with The Pace Center, are providing opportunities for volunteers to come together to reflect on their impact and share how they are feeling. The Task Force is also celebrating the work of the Volunteers, including this video.
Coming Soon:
Pace's Social Work Interns are working on an inventory of resources that can be shared across the district. This includes a listing of churches and their missions as well as best-practices for areas that regularly came up in the meeting. Examples: going deeper with food distribution missions, connecting with older adults, and supporting families of children who are doing remote learning.
Meetings
Through January 2021, the Task Force will meet as a whole twice a month.
When: First and Third Wednesdays at 12:00 noon.
How: Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3796423694
or Call: (312) 626-6799 Meeting ID: 379 642 3694
See calendar here.
Geographic Teams
As the Task Force formed and interest in the work grew, four geographic teams were formed to focus on mission specific to their contexts. The Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, and Richmond City Teams met several times. Some have begun the long-process of addressing the root causes in their areas. For example, the Chesterfield Team is partnering with Highland Support Project, to develop women's circles in Chesterfield. Eventually, there will be opportunities for churches to support these efforts.
By October 2020, each geographic team began to report the same overarching concerns: increased demand for food ministries and exhaustion from volunteers. The Task Force decided to focus its efforts on these two areas through January 2021. Information about these focus areas can be found here. Information about the work of each of the Geographic Teams can be found here.
Central Themes from Across Geographic Teams
Throughout these meetings, similar passions have come forward. The below document will be updated weekly as we seek to find ways to collaborate with one another.
Getting Involved
Join in one of the semi-monthly meetings via zoom.
Can't make a meeting but interested in learning more?
Make sure to sign up for the rvaUMCmission List Serve:
How to subscribe: Email a BLANK email to the following address: rvaUMCmissions+subscribe@groups.io
How to unsubscribe: Email a BLANK email to the following address: rvaUMCmissions+unsubscribe@groups.io
How to find out more commands: Email a BLANK email to:rvaUMCmissions+help@groups.io
Can't figure it out? Email Katie B. Gooch (director@thepacecenter).
team notes
Richmond Team
Group's Focus: Recognized a need for a deeper social-emotional and spiritual connection among those the churches are already serving (the economically vulnerable and those experiencing food insecurity) and students who are learning remotely (churches on the call didn't have great relationships with this population yet, but have good connections with churches that do).