Missions "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and will be repaid in full." Proverbs 19:17 The United Methodist Church Mission Purpose The United Methodist Church (UMC) Mission Committee purpose is to serve God by sharing our gifts, within our ability, to a needy world. Lord's Cupboard The community food pantry, The Lord's Cupboard, is directed by the Methodist Mission Committee. The Lord's Cupboard is open on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. This worthy project is ecumenical in that six area churches participate by giving financial donations and by contributing food items, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and paper products. The pantry serves residents of Alta and its rural area. United Methodist Council on Relief (UMCOR) The Methodist Mission Committee participates in the Thanksgiving Ingathering each year. The Ingathering is a way for local churches in the Iowa Conference to help alleviate hunger in Iowa and around the world. We put together various kits for UMCOR: Health Kits - to help disaster victims reclaim their dignity and self-respect. Serving Kits - provide clothing and income opportunities for men and women in vocational training and cooperative programs. School Kits - provide tools for education, which changes lives. Iowa-Nigeria Partnership We also put together kits for an Iowa-Nigeria Partnership: Dorm Kits - At the Junior Secondary School (Junior High) in Jalingo, boarding students receive the health kit as they settle into dorm living away from home. Layettes - For Nigerian women who come to the United Methodist clinic to deliver her baby. The baby is wrapped in a soft, clean layette from Iowa. Because of the popularity of the layettes, often they are divided to make two layettes out of one. Seamstress Kits - Women from the rural areas of Nigeria come to a Women's Leadership Training Center where they learn seamstress/tailoring skills and will have the benefit of having their own supplies. Basic Pastor's Library - Basic study books help Nigerian theological students as they take seminary training to become future United Methodist Church leaders. New books may be purchased at Cokesbury with a 20% discount by calling 515-278-1631. Used books must be in good condition. The Rainbow Covenant We use the Rainbow Covenant of the United Methodist Church as a guide to our mission giving. The Rainbow Covenant seeks to help churches develop an intentional approach to funding missions. Each color of the rainbow represents a different aspect of mission: Red - World Advance Special Projects Orange - National Advance Special Projects Yellow - UMCOR Advance Special Projects Green - World Hunger/Poverty Projects (WHP) Blue - Iowa Advance Special Projects Indigo - Parish Development Projects Purple - Special Sunday Offering Projects The special offerings that are taken throughout the year benefit/include: 1. Human Relations 2. One Great Hour of Sharing 3. Native American Awareness 4. Peace With Justice 5. Rural Life Sunday 6. Golden Cross 7. Christian Education 8. World Communion 9. United Methodist Student Day