“I tell you the truth, whatever you did  for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” ~ Matthew 25:40

Soon after Jesus’ resurrection he appeared to his disciples.  He offered the gift of peace, commissioned them to share his love and gave the gift of God’s Spirit.  Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  And with that he breathed on them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Outreach efforts are not only wonderful opportunities for fellowship, they are also vital to an effective church.  As followers of Christ, you and I are sent out in ministry and mission.  We are to share God’s great love through word and deed.  As a congregation, we seek to do that as we learn about and care for those who experience:
  • Homelessness and Housing Needs.
  • Hunger – Locally and Worldwide.
  • Health issues – including Malaria and other preventable and treatable diseases.
  • Disasters.
 
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​MISSION OUTREACH SUNDAY is offered three times a year.  It is a day on which worship is shortened to thirty minutes and following worship we are deployed to hands-on mission within our church and into our local community.  Often we: 
  • Prepare a meal for the hungry at Embry Rucker Shelter,
  • Make cards and other small mementos for homebound members,
  • Clean-up the roadside on Georgetown Pike,
  • The Chancel Choir sings at a local care home,
  • Visits are made to homebound members and friends, or
  • Mission Education is offered, and
  • At the completion of mission projects, a simple meal is shared.
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Cornerstones, formerly Reston Interfaith, is an organization that is located in nearby Reston, VA.  Their mission is to provide support to the local community by offering housing, childcare, food, and financial assistance to those in need.  We support Cornerstones in many ways throughout the year: 
  • Thanksgiving Food Boxes are provided by church members for families in need. Boxes are filled with non-perishable food items and a gift card to buy turkey or ham.  Each year we deliver approximately 20 boxes to Cornerstones which distributes the Thanksgiving meals to needy families in northern Virginia.  
  • Diaper Drive:  Each spring our church and preschool collect diapers, formula and baby wipes to be distributed by Cornerstones through their Healthy Families Program.
  • Embry Rucker Community Shelter is part of Cornerstones and provides temporary and emergency housing in Reston, VA.  On an ongoing basis, we collect food, linens, toiletries, and children’s books for the shelter.  Several times throughout the year, the congregation joins together to make bagged lunches or snack bags for the residents during Mission/Outreach Sundays.
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Wesley Housing provides affordable housing and supportive services for children, adults, seniors, and the disabled.  There is a Samaritan Fund offering that runs from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day each year.  This collection supports seniors living in the Wesley Housing facilities in the Virginia Conference.
 
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Art for Humanity is an all-volunteer charity whose mission is to help the poor of Honduras help themselves.  Art for Humanity collects donations of new or gently used shoes, towels, sheets and other household goods and give them to poor families. We support their work by collecting new and used items for needy families in Honduras. 
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One Great Hour of Sharing is a special offering taken each year to support the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).  The purpose of this offering is to cover UMCOR’s “cost of doing business” so that 100% of any other gift made to UMCOR can go directly to the project or cause of interest.

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​During Advent and Lent, we participate in the Society of St. Andrew's devotional program and collect monetary donations that support the Society of St. Andrew in feeding spiritual and physical hungers through their various programs:  Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project, Seep Potato Project and Harvest of Hope.  
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Grate Patrol for the Salvation Army
Twice each year GFUMC participates in the Salvation Army’s Grate Patrol that delivers meals to the homeless and impoverished.
  • The District of Columbia Grate Patrol provides 100 bagged meals and youth/adult volunteers help deliver them in the Salvation Army’s van.
  • The Loudoun County Grate Patrol provides 250 bagged meals, which are picked up by the Salvation Army Canteen.
MEET OUR MISSIONARIES
Great Falls United Methodist Church supports missionaries through annual financial donations.