Event mobilizes churches to Change the World

United Methodists Unite to Make a Difference

WICHITA, Kan. – Cleaning. Building. Painting. Repairing homes. Landscaping. Fundraising for worthy causes. Distributing food. Visiting shut-ins. Praying. Tutoring. Planting gardens. Serving meals. These are just a dozen of the many ways that thousands of United Methodists will team up to make a positive difference—locally and globally—during the second annual Change the World event on May 14-15, 2011.

More than 20 United Methodist churches in Kansas have registered events with the Change the World website, and many more plan activiites around the Change the World event.

During last year’s inaugural Change the World event, more than 100,000 people from over 1,000 churches hosted events and undertook projects to help others.

“We’ve already received registrations for nearly 1,500 events and projects in 14 different countries,” said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United Methodist Communications. “Some churches are building on existing ministries and others are initiating new events. Many churches are having multiple events. The variety of projects is amazing.”

From 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on May 14, RethinkChurch.org/changetheworld will broadcast live streaming interviews with participants from around the world, including Japan, Mozambique, Uganda, Germany, Ukraine, Philippines, and the U.S. The interviews will also be available on the Rethink Church You Tube channel so that churches can use the video clips during worship services and study settings.

Change the World was created by United Methodist Communications as part of an effort to “Rethink Church” by utilizing outreach events to make a positive difference in the world beyond the church doors. The event is based on a concept originated by the Rev. Mike Slaughter, author of Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus. Other partners in the event include the United Methodist Publishing House, the General Board of Discipleship (Worship Division), United Methodist Men, United Methodist Women, and the General Board of Global Ministries.

Kansas churches changing the world include:

Belleville UMC is painting rooms and planting flowers at the local senior center and baking cookies for a local nursing home.

Belvue UMC will be helping neighbors with yard work and cleaning up the park.

Cheney UMC will visit elderly and shut-ins, some at Golden Age Home.

Emmett UMC is going to install benches and paint at the community storm shelter.

Fairway Old Mission UMC will do local mission work, and the youth group will participate in a 24-hour famine in conjunction with World Vision.

Frontenac UMC will have an outreach event as part of the congregation’s “Any Given Sunday” initiative in which members go out into the community to do mission work.

Hillsboro UMC will do service projects in the community on May 14.

Holton Evangel UMC will conduct a food drive for the local food pantry May 8-15.

Junction City Church of our Savior UMC will have a special collection for Nothing But Nets, a campaign to provide bed nets to countries where malaria deaths are high. The congregation also will support the local food bank and shelter.

Kansas City United Methodist Ministries will clean the National Agriculture Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs and picnic in the Wyandotte County Park on May 14.

Lawrence Central UMC will have a “Can you spare a square?” campaign to provide toilet paper to those who are on food stamps and cannot afford this essential product on May 15.

Lindsborg Trinity UMC will fence the playground area to make it safer for those who use it on May 201and 21.

Manhattan First UMC will be cleaning up yards and doing some painting for shut-ins who cannot do the work themselves on May 22.

Overland Park Valley View UMC will repair three homes for adults with special needs, do yard and hosue work for church members, collecting books for medical missions, and do a neighborhood prayer walk and trash-pick up.

Paola UMC will have a “freecycling” event, where people can bring unwanted items to give away and people can come and get what they need on May 14.

Salina First UMC is building a home in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity.

Salina Trinity UMC will address hunger issues in a local trailer park on May 14.

Shawnee Monticello UMC will offer an opportunity to prepare food for a local food pantry.

St. Mary’s UMC will work at the park, help out a few elderly neighbors with yard work and assemble health kits and military care packages.

Tecumseh UMC will try to raise $1,000 to match existing funds for the United Methodist Committee on Relief, specifically for the Japan earthquake relief.

Wichita Aldersgate UMC will take part in the Society of Saint Andrew Hunger Ministry Weekend. A Hunger devotional will be distributed to the congregation, and members are encouraged to bring fresh produce to church May 14 for the Kansas Food Bank and United Methodist Open Door ministries. Food will be collected all month.

Several United Methodist churches began the celebration before the Change the World weekend.

Auburn UMC, Berryton UMC, and East Topeka UMC participated in Hands on Topeka, a city-wide park clean-up sponsored by the United Methodist Church and other community partners May 1.

Ellis UMC partnered with Fort Hays State University students and community members in the inaugural Ellis Community Clean-up April 16.

For more information about Change the World or to find an event near you, go to RethinkChurch.org/changetheworld.