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Tuesday Morning Coffee: On the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 9:30 until 10:30 am at First Mennonite Church, the neighborhood surrounding our church, and attendees of neighboring churches gather for a time of fellowship, coffee and continental breakfast treats. Chamberlayne Heights United Methodist (CHUMC) Tutoring: This after-school tutoring program for students from Chamberlayne Elementary School is held on Thursday evenings from 6 to 7 pm. Sessions usually begin by November 1st and conclude at the end of April. Volunteers from First Mennonite and CHUMC are assigned a child and help with homework and developing good study skills. CARITAS (Churches Around Richmond Involved to Assure Shelter): First Mennonite provides shelter for homeless persons for one week during the winter months. Our guests are bused to the church each evening and are picked up after an early breakfast. Dinner is served and a brown bag lunch is given to each guest before departing in the morning. Volunteers prepare meals and 2 stay overnight to be available for the CARITAS staff person. Our church has supported this project for about twenty years. Labor 4 Your Neighbor: This program gives church members the opportunity to serve residents in our church neighborhood who need help with small repair jobs, painting, lawn or garden work, etc. It is usually held on a Saturday in the fall during leaf raking season. LAMB'S Basket Food Collection and Angel Tree Gifts: LAMB'S Basket aims to provide food to needy families in Henrico County. First Mennonite supports this food pantry by collecting non-perishable foods once monthly throughout the year, and each Sunday in November prior to Thanksgiving. During December an Angel Tree is set up at the church, allowing FMC congregants the opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts for families without the necessary resources to provide presents for their Christmas celebration. Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS): MDS is the disaster relief agency of the worldwide Mennonite church. Following natural disasters, volunteer efforts are coordinated through this agency to provide help with rebuilding homes and communities. First Mennonite participates and provides support to the Eastern Virginia MDS unit by contributing money and providing volunteers when these opportunities arise within Virginia and elsewhere in the United States. Martin's Day Camp: This camp is sponsored by area Methodist churches and is held for three days during the summer at a family farm in rural Hanover County. Young children from the congregation attend and enjoy fishing in a pond, tractor rides to the river, Bible stories, and crafts; teens and adults serve as volunteer helpers. First Mennonite Church helps to support this camp. North Chamberlayne Civic Association: First Mennonite is a dues paying member of the civic association that serves the neighborhood around our church. Attending their meetings connects us to the neighbors and provides an awareness of needs in and concerns facing our church community. National Neighborhood Night Out: In 2011 our congregation participated in this program for the first time. The program was held on the parking lot of our church. We were one of thirteen sites for residents of Chamberlayne Farms to gather and meet their neighbors. Snacks and games for the children were provided. The program was also attended by Henrico County Police, fire officials and county administrators. Mission Trip to Haiti with neighboring congregations: Chamberlayne Baptist Church has been sending teams to Haiti for several years and has an established relationship with a school there. Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, we were offered the opportunity to send interested people from our congregation. An FMC congregant joined the team in 2011 to help with rebuilding efforts. Another trip is being organized for 2012 Grace Covenant Community School: This private school offers preschool and after school programs to local families with young children. In addition to opening our building to house these programs, First Mennonite has offered support with scholarship funds, volunteers, and treats for special events and holidays. A joint Christmas program is held each year featuring children from the preschool and our congregation. See Grace Covenant Community School Stop Hunger Now: Members of our congregation have cooperated with Chamberlayne United Methodist Church to help with packaging non-perishable nutritional meals for distribution to countries around the world experiencing famine. Sunday Morning Guests: First Mennonite makes a special effort to welcome Sunday morning visitors. A designated Greeter meets guests at the door and offers a "Welcome" brochure containing information about our congregation, as well as the greater Mennonite church. After the service , first time visitors are given a small loaf of homemade bread. Most Sundays, a household within the congregation hosts visitors and selected members of our church for lunch. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC): MCC is the relief and development arm of the greater Mennonite church. Congregations are made aware of need for material aid worldwide through this agency. First Mennonite has responded by donating supplies for school kits, health kits, and relief kits. Comforters are pieced and knotted and donated as well. |