Idea Bank
Program for bereaved families provides 12 days of hope and anticipation with small gifts reminding them that people are thinking of them and caring for them during the difficult holiday season.
Members of the 21st Time Sunday school class for adults decided they wanted a class based not on study but on action. From this desire, class members decided to take their Wesleyan heritage serious and take on the issue of poverty.
One day 'camp' for 1st-8th graders held at the church - did 5 different hands-on mission projects that touched over 500 people.
To raise the money to fix a large pothole in the church parking lot, the members decorated the pothole with rubber ducks, boats, etc. and placed a large pot in the hole for "Fill the Pothole Sunday." Donations totaling more than $2,500 filled the pot.
We had a "Be Our Guest" Sunday the end of August for a kick-off for fall.
A community Sunday school Christmas program for all the
children in the community. The Windom UMC decided to try a new approach for a children’s
Sunday school Christmas program. Since few children currently attend the small church, it was decided
to host a community Sunday school program and invite all the children in town who would like to participate.
Branching off the idea of Pink Flamingo "flocking", the youth group used a live goat. People could pay $10 to have the goat removed from their yard, $20 to send it to someone else's yard, and $50 for a guarantee that the goat would never return - even if someone paid to send it to them again.
Packages with snacks, personal hygiene items, etc... were prepared by the youth group for the soldiers. Also included in the package were personal letters from the youth, and magnets telling the soldiers that the youth group is praying for them.
Money was raised and supplies purchased for needy school children in the community. The youth partnered with the Salvation Army in order to help a larger number of children.
Youth divide into groups and go caroling to teachers, coaches, etc...
Each group must find another youth that didn't go caroling originally and bring them back to the church, where they had their Christmas party.
Notebooks were put together for youth with the lessons, relevant scriptures, and important information. The notebooks could be left at the church or taken home by each youth.
Ads with worship times for Advent and Lent were run for six weeks on local cable channels. Pictures of the church were also ran along with the ads. Ads could also be run for Christmas and Easter services.
A spoof of "The Newly Wed Game" was planned, along with a pot luck supper, to bring members of the church and community together.
Lap top robes are made by members of the congregation for members of the community in hospice or nursing homes. As the lap robes are tied a special prayer is said for the recipient.
Parent's of children in Sunday School, that are not in a Sunday School class themselves, meet for coffee and conversation while they wait on their chilren.
Volunteers dress as clowns, choose a clown name, divide in to groups and go out and entertain. These Hallelujah Clowns visit places such as nursing homes, parades, and have done skits for church services and VBS.
Teddy Bears are purchased and delivered to the homes of the elderly and shut-ins. Donated Teddy Bears were brought to the church in advance, held, prayed over, and joined families in pews. A special tag is attached to the bears before they are delivered.
To honor residents and members that had moved away to retirement and nursing homes. Invitations are sent out to members that have moved and ones that are still in the community. Members of the congregation donate the supplies for the event. Momentos are given to remember the day by.
Started as an effort to keep elderly citizens remain in their homes for as long as possible.
Members of the church volunteer to help elderly in the community by doing things such as taking them to doctor's appointments, getting medicine, groceries, helping people in their homes, and more...
One day a month is designated for Lay visits in teams of two, to homebound and nursing home residents.
