Missions

First UMC McAlester is involved in a number of mission efforts throughout the year:

Local missions in the McAlester community
"Be the Church" Sunday - 2nd Sunday of August
State-wide missions
National mission trips
International mission trips
Angel Tree
Gifts for our soldiers overseas

Mission Efforts - 2012

2012 is the "Year of Missions" at McAlester First UMC.

January - Mission Focus on Israel/Palestine

February - Mission Focus: Local Missions

February 3-4 - Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic, SE Expo Center, McAlester

March 2-3 - Mission Retreat to Camp Egan, Tahlequah, OK

March 4 - Be the Church Sunday projects, 1-4 pm

April 14 - Golf Fore Missions tournament, noon @ McAlester Country Club

April 28 - One-Day Mission to Tushka, OK

June/July - Summer Mission Trip to Joplin, MO

August - Be the Church Sunday projects, 8-11 am

Fall & Winter events t.b.a.

Mission Efforts - 2011

In April 2011 members of McAlester First UMC sprung into action to respond to the damage from a devestating tornado that ripped through nearby Tushka, Oklahoma.

During the summer of 2011, three members of McAlester First UMC traveled with Volunteers in Mission (VIM) for two weeks of service in Israel/Palestine. Work included landscaping at Bethlehem Bible College and painting at the Community School in Ibileen.

In August more than 100 members participated in our third annual "Be the Church Sunday. "

Mission Efforts - 2010

In June, McAlester FUMC hosted 150 adults and youth from the Central Texas Conference who performed service projects around the community and in surrounding towns. They cleaned yards, built ramps for seniors, worked with the men's shelter, and performed odd jobs for people in need.

On August 8, 2010 we participated in our second annual "Be the Church" Sunday. Once again more than 100 members came out to participate in projects around the community. This year's focus was the new Men's Shelter in McAlester. One team painted the restrooms there, while another team painted bookcases at our Wesley campus, while another team assembled over 60 toiletry kits, and still another team moved the entire kitchen from Wesley to the shelter. Other teams picked-up trash at Mike Deak Park, sorted clothes at Shared Blessings, fixed handicap ramps, wrote care cards, and started a prayer shawl ministry. All-in-all it was a great day of Kingdom work! Check out the Photo Album here.

In November, 15 youth and 5 adults headed south to Bryan, Texas to assemble PETs (personal energy transportation units)--hardy hand-crank trikes--for people in Third World countries who have mobility issues due to the loss of their legs to illness or war. Check out the Photo Album here.

Mission Efforts - 2009

In March 2009, 39 youth and adults went to New Orleans for a week of missions in the Ninth Ward, the site of extensive flooding and damage during Hurricane Katrina. Our team cleaned-up abandoned lots, removed trash and debris from yards, demolished outbuildings beyond repair, and helped to move a woman back into her home for the first time since the flooding.

In August 2009, more than 100 members participated in "Be the Church Sunday" when, on a Sunday morning, we cancelled our early service and Sunday school to go out into the community to perform acts of Christian service. 250+ fire hydrants were painted around town, clothes were sorted at Shared Blessings, trash was picked up in city parks, cards were written to shut-ins, sewing kits were assembled, and school supplies were collected and packed into handcrafted school bags. It was an amazing day of service!

In November the church helped build a home for a needy family through a program called "Help Build Hope." We constructed the frame of the home during the morning and early afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 7 in the parking lot of our Wesley Campus. Afterwards it was taken to Stroud, OK where another team will reassemble it in 2010 and furnish it for a family in need.

If you'd like more information about First UMC McAlester's mission outreach, please contact the church office at 918-423-6136.