Reaching Out to Others

If you’re looking for a true experience outside a worship service or study group, getting engaged in our outreach ministries is a great next step for you. The purpose of our outreach programs is to be the "hands of Christ."

We work to support the members of our community and beyond. The Journey United Methodist Church serves in our community through projects such as park clean up, working at the recycling center, and canned good drives for our Food Pantries.

Philippine Loaves and Fishes Breakfast Program

We at The Journey United Methodist Church, with God's help, aim to touch your heart and stretch your mind!  Join us now as we stretch our hands in generosity across the sea to the Philippines.

On January 1, 2010 The Journey will combine efforts with the elementary school in Digos City, Philippines, to provide a healthy breakfast every morning to 100 children in a school made up of 400 kids.  We will provide this food as a gift in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to allow these young people to have a healthy start to their school day and be more able to learn and grow as God has blessed them.  Many studies have shown that children who do not have adequate diets are not nearly as able to learn and grow.  We are committed to provide this sustenance to the young people of Digos City. 

For $2000, we the people of The Journey will change the lives of 100 young people in the name of Christ.  As Jesus blessed the small amount of loaves and fishes and miraculously fed 5000, God will bless the school in Digos City with the same outpouring of blessing as Jesus did on that day.  The food will be cooked and served by the combined efforts of the United Methodist Church in Digos City, the teachers of the school, and the Rotary Club in Digos City.  Many people will come together to change the lives of these young people in the coming year.

Each and every Sunday, The Journey family meets in the cafeteria of the middle school in Freeburg, Illinois.  How fitting it is that God expands our mission to feed school children in another part of the world as we meet in a school to worship.  God truly is good!  We can’t wait to see what God has in store for us in the coming year as we connect across the world with the people of Digos City.

If you would like to donate to this effort, please make donations payable to The Journey United Methodist Church, mark in the memo “Loaves and Fishes,”  and mail it to Union United Methodist Church, 721 East Main, Belleville, IL 62220.  For more information or questions, please contact Pastor Steve at sheitkamp@journeyumc.org.

Our Middle School Youth participate in a yearly Mission Trip that is wonderful for first timers. Our Senior High Youth participate in a week-long Mission Trip which requires painting skills and some simple carpentry skills.

July 3 – July 10, 2010
Senior High Youth Mission Trip to Walpole Island, Ontario, Canada.Our youth will work on this Native American reservation in Canada. Passports are required. For more information contact Pastor Holly at hwood@journeyumc.org.