Volunteer Opportunities

After School Program
The After School Club has volunteer opportunities for helping children learn more about Jesus, sometimes teaching, sometimes learning along with the kids! Always having fun! Check out volunteer opportunities with our After School Program! Katie Jones is the Director, 641-792-4758.

Food Pantry
St Luke fulfills the particular request of the local Salvation Army Food Pantry monthly. Various food items, paper goods, cleaning supplies, and personal products are collected in a grocery cart at the church and delivered to Salvation Army monthly. Contact the church office at 641-792-5736 for more information.

L.I.P. Service (also known as Prayer Chain)
A group of women who believe in the power of prayer.  We gladly offer prayers of concern and thanksgiving at your request.  We are always happy to welcome new members.  If you feel called to become a member of this power packed group, let Pam or Pastor Audrey  know, or come to our meetings on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6:30 pm for devotions and prayer as well as receiving prayer requests through-out each month. Contact Pam Andrews at 641-792-9583 for more information.

Prayer Shawl Ministry
A prayer shawl is a soft, warm, shawl, which is given to persons who are ill, have suffered a loss, or are in the midst of a crisis or time of trial in their life.  As the prayer shawl is created, prayers are woven in each stitch by the person knitting or crocheting it.  Before the shawls is delivered, others join in praying a blessing for the recipient, asking for God to bless the shawl that the recipient might receive comfort and solace as they wear it and that it will encircle them in God's love, peace and grace.  The shawls are a reminder of God's love and St Luke's love for the recipient. If you would like to join the St. Luke UMC Prayer Shawl Ministry contact Betty Skaggs at 641-792-3189 or email her at louisskaggs@yahoo.com.   If you would like to buy four (for crochet) or five (for knit) 8 ounce skeins of yarn for prayer shawls it would be greatly appreciated.  Talk with Rhonda Van Engelenburg 641-792-1007 to donate and/or leave the skeins on the narthex coat rack.

Mitchellville Prison Ministry
Jesus said, when we visit those in prison, we are visiting Him.  We are in need of more persons, men and women, 18 and older, to help with Third Sunday evening worship there.  It is a most rewarding ministry and simple to do.  You choose which Sundays work for you and what you want to do!  The ICIW women are very appreciative.  If God is calling you to this exceptional ministry, please contact Jan Lewis, 641-792-3662 for more information.

Special music, both instrumental and vocal, is always welcome. For instance a Clarinet Choir plays occasionally during Worship; as does a Chime Choir. The Praise Team and Chancel Choir sing monthly. It’s a joy to hear musicians praise the Lord!

Mission Opportunities and Special Offerings: Mission opportunities abound at St Luke. Special Offerings of United Methodists around the world are received at St Luke. They include World Communion Sunday, One Great Hour of Sharing, Peace with Justice and others.
 
We have been able to pay our apportionments in full by year's end in the past.  Apportionments support the Iowa United Methodist Conference structure, The world-wide United Methodist Church, as well as provide administrative costs for mission projects and programs so that all monies designated to particular mission projects or programs is used directly for that mission.  
 
Each Spring and Fall we support United Methodist Builders by giving to United Methodist Churches in Iowa to help them remodel or build their facilities. 
 
Locally, we have pledged to be members of the Habitat for Humanity 2X4 Club.  Each person or family that donates at least $10.00 to Habitat, signs their name to the 2 x 4 wall stud in the entryway.  When it's time to build, the 2 X 4 is taken to the new house and included in a wall in the home. 
 
We support our own, such as Amy Spaur serving as a mission intern in Texas, with Justice for Our Neighbors, and Abby Clark participated in a Wartburg College work trip to help homeless in Colorado.  The youth, UMYF, raise funds while they have fun, so they can travel on a work trip each summer. In 2007, they worked on Habitat for Humanity houses in Benton Harbor, Michigan.   On July 30-August 3, 2008, youth travel to Minneapolis to work with the Urban Servants Agency and lodge at a nearby United Methodist Camp.  In July of 2009 nineteen youth and their adult leaders went to Wichita, Kansas, for a mission work trip, recreation and Worship.  They drew lots of attention with their matching "UMYF" t-shirts at Worship on Sunday morning where they heard the Kansas Bishop's wife speak about missions.

The Sunday School, with two adult classes that meets year-round, has a quarterly Mission Challenge.  For example, Challenges have supported former Pastors Jon and Leila Disburg at their mission churches in Anchorage, Alaska, and Heifer International for families-in-need to receive livestock to become self-supporting.  As well as Nothing But Nets where each $10 will provide an insecticide-treated bed net for a Nigeria, Africa, family, so malaria-infested mosquitoes are repelled during the night.  And Iowa Disaster Recovery from the tornadoes and floods.

Church World Service Kits: In the summer and autumn, items are collected for Church World Service Kits, i.e. August - school, September - health, October - sewing. These items are placed in appropriate bags and taken to the Iowa United Methodist Ingathering the first Saturday in November for distribution in the U.S. and around the world. Every February, a sea container is packed with gifts, including these Kits, to be shipped to Nigeria where Iowa United Methodists will arrive in June to unpack and deliver them.

Heifer Moolah helps others: WE can Help Rebuild Lives in China!  China's Sichuan province was hit May 12, 2008 by a devastating earthquake.  Thousands were killed and millions were left homeless.  It is estimated that the direct loss of animal husbandry in Sichuan totals more than $2 billion. 

As a large province, with agriculture and livestock production as its pillar industries, Sichuan is suffering enormously.  The vast majority of families in China are desperately poor, subsistence farmers who depend on their land and animals for survival.  Without replacement livestock, they face a grim future.

It took only a few minutes for their world to crumble.  It will take us only a few minutes to help them rebuild it.  Every cent given to Heifer will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $3 million.  Take this incredible Heifer matching opportunity by donating now and help rebuild lives in China.  You can write a check to St. Luke with Heifer in the memo line to double your donation!  Corinne Kleppe, Missions Chairperson.

Other opportunities: Volunteer opportunities also include serving as assistants for Worship, on boards and committees, building maintenance, and others as needs arise.

Rides on Sundays and Wednesdays? N.O.W. discussed the possibility of offering rides to Sunday School and Worship and the After School Club in a van.  Anyone have a van to volunteer?  Drivers?

Redeemable Cans/Bottles for Youth: Redeemable Cans & Bottles can be left in the wood crate at the North West corner of the parking lot for our next Youth Work Trip expenses and mission work.

Angel Food Ministries: Each month, orders are taken by Tamara Lloyd at St. Luke as part of the Angel Food Ministry.  $70 worth of good quality groceries can be purchased for $30.  Orders are taken by the third Monday of the month and delivery is the following Saturday from 9:30 - 10:30 am at First United Methodist Church.  Tamara is available after 8:00 am worship and before 10:30 am worship to take orders.  For more information go to www.angelfoodministries.org or to our sister church at www.newtonfirst.org.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Iowa: Looking for a way to give a gift that will last a lifetime?   Why not consider mentoring a child?  The Jasper County Office of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa is in  need of volunteers to mentor children in Jasper County.  It's as easy as showing your new Little Brother or Sister your favorite computer game or how to bake cookies.  We're flexible and offer you the opportunity to be a "Big" in many different ways.  "Bigs" and "Littles" get together in a variety of locations, at different times of the day, and share in a multitude of activities.  You can choose what works for you.  It's simple.  It's fun.  Be a kid again yourself for an hour or two a week -- and join the millions of volunteers who say "I get back so much more than I give."  Bowl for Kid's Sake is coming up with the Traditional Event on Sunday, April 11, 2010 from 1-3 pm and the Business Event (New this Year) on Monday, April 12, 2010 from 6 - 8 pm or 8:00 - 10:00 pm at Cardinal Lanes.  Sign up online at www.bowlforkidsiowa.kintera.org/jaspercounty or Bowlers can collect sponsors the traditional way, using pledge sponsor sheets.  To find out how, contact Kelli at 641-792-4077 or by email KVanManen@bbbsia.org or check out their website at www.bbbsia.org.

Sue Tufte is the Jasper County Outreach Coordinator for Domestic Violence Alternatives here in Newton.  Some of the needs they have are toilet paper, paper towels, powder laundry soap, tampons and pads, cleaning supplies (brooms, mops, floor cleaner, bathroom cleaner, dish soap, garbage bags), diaper wipes, lotion, cosmetics, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, fingernail clippers, toe nail clippers, alarm clocks, underwear for women (various sizes), socks for children and women, and umbrellas, just to name a few.

We appreciate you thinking of us and are thankful for whatever donation we receive.  We also try to assist women when leaving the abusive relationship or when leaving the shelter by giving her some household items to get started over with.  If anyone has some pots, pans, bowls, dishes, silverware, etc. those are welcomed also.  If you need any more information please feel free to contact me, Sue Tufte, at 641-791-3446 or suedvasac@yahoo.com.  Thank you for your support!