Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton, IL supports a variety of local, regional, and international organizations, enabling individuals to live their faith through prayer, hands-on work, financial support, donations of needed items, companionship, presence, and/or systemic change. In addition to these missions, many of which arose from the interests and passions of our congregation, we support other causes of the United Methodist Church that allow us to combine our offerings with those of other United Methodists, nationally and globally, to enact change around the world.
Christopher and Michelle Hays, Mission to Colombia
Provides transformational theological education to Latin American pastors and theologians.
Feed My Starving Children
Provides low-cost, nutritional meals to hungry children throughout the world.
Fundaniños Guatemala Mission and Teaching Fund
Provides support of Fundaniños Orphanage near Guatemala City.
Habitat for Humanity Builds houses in partnership with low income families.
Help for Haiti
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is responding to the earthquake disaster in Haiti. For more information on how you can help, visit umcmission.org.
Heifer Project International
Offers families a way to become self-sufficient through the gift of farm animals.
Red Bird Mission School, Kentucky
The only K-12 Christian school in this area of Appalachia provides high quality education regardless of students’ ability to pay.
South Sudan Voices of Hope
Efforts to provide humanitarian support for this war-torn region.
Educate a Girl / Change the World: Gary Church Makes a Difference
The crisis of girls' education continues as 129 million school-age girls worldwide are not attending school. Less than half of girls who start primary school do not enter secondary. Their fate is child marriage, a life of household duties, or worse yet, human trafficking. Recent impacts such as in Afghanistan, where the Taliban now forbids girls' education after sixth grade, and Ukraine, where scores of girls (and boys) are missing school due to the violence, have added to the global crisis. Yet, indisputable data shows that when girls attend school, everyone wins. Multifaceted gains occur in family health, women’s wages, and community welfare and entire countries improve economically.
The good news is that Gary Church is making a difference by supporting impactful educational programs in the U.S. and around the world. Now in its third year, the Educate A Girl Mission is supporting the education of 10 girls and young women from vulnerable communities. The generous donations and other contributions for EAG in 2023 has enabled scholarships for two primary grade Kenyan girls at the Kinyago Dandora School in Nairobi, five Cambodian teenagers via UMCOR Project 3020791, a UIC student in Chicago through MyBlockMyHoodMyCity, a college student at Africa University, a Methodist school located in Zimbabwe, and we provided a new scholarship to a Native American young woman attending Columbia College in Chicago. Watch for updates on these girls and we welcome contributions to this mission online or by sending a check to the Church Office with "Educate a Girl" in the memo.
Bridge Communities A transitional housing program focused on the achievement of self-sufficiency.
Central DuPage Pastoral Counseling Center Affordable, professional, pastoral counseling and educational services to the community.
Christmas Sharing A community-wide program of outreach to families and individuals in need.
CROP Walk Raises funds to support hunger needs locally and internationally.
ESSE (Ecumenical Support Services for the Elderly) Provides on-site daycare and meals to seniors.
JUST of DuPage A ministry to the incarcerated men and women at DuPage County Jail.
Midwest Shelter for Homeless Vets
This non-profit agency, located in Wheaton at 433 S. Carlton Ave., Wheaton, provides housing, supportive services, and community outreach to help homeless and at-risk veterans and their families achieve self-sufficiency. An easy way to help them is to shop their Amazon wishlist. Items you purchase will be delivered to MSHV.
NIL Justice for our Neighbors (JFON) A ministry that welcomes immigrants by providing free or low-cost, expert immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
Outreach Community Ministries Provides mental health and social services for children, families, and seniors.
PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) Area churches provide hot meals and overnight shelter for the homeless.
PRC (People’s Resource Center) Serves thousands of DuPage County families each month, with a food pantry, clothing bank, and educational programs.
Radical Time Out Ministers to former prisoners and their families with a weekly meal and Bible study.
United Voices for Children A coalition of congregations, agencies, groups, and individuals in the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church that speaks and acts on behalf of children, youth, and families in need.
Volunteer for Christmas Sharing
Tuesday, Dec. 5, Friday, Dec. 8, Saturday, Dec. 9, various times
Christmas Sharing started at Gary Church 54 years ago to provide joy for District 200 families in need. This year, it’ll be a drive-thru at St. John Lutheran Church for gift cards, food and sundry items, plus in-person guest shopping at Gary Church for children’s coats and toys. Volunteer for sorting, set up, driving, loading cars, directing cars, clean up and more here.
Learn more about Christmas Sharing
Donate to Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans
We’re collecting leftover candy, toiletries, household cleaners, games and more for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Click here for the full list. Drop off donations in the bin in the Commons.
Sign up for November Blood Drive
Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2-6 p.m., Activity Center
Each pint donated can save up to three lives. The need is constant, and every pint is precious. Sign up here. Walk-ins also welcome. Mark your calendar for 2024 Blood Drives: Wednesdays, Feb. 7, May 8, Aug. 21, Nov. 20.
Tutors needed
Tuesdays,
6–7 p.m., Gamon Hall
Beginning this fall, Gary Church will be offering a weekly tutoring program to local elementary school children, and we invite your participation! For many years, Aldersgate UMC offered this program to children from Lincoln Elementary in south Wheaton. In the fall of 2022, Gary Church helped Aldersgate relaunch this program after a pandemic hiatus. Together, we provided tutoring for over 20 children during the 2022-23 school year. Following our merger last May, we are thrilled to be continuing this impactful ministry for the 2023-24 year at Gary Church. But we need your help!
We are looking for tutors to help us meet the growing need in Wheaton. Tutors range from high school students to retirees, and no special skill set is needed. The goal of the ministry is to provide one-on-one homework help to local students in grades 2 through 5. Many of the students who sign up for this program come from immigrant and refugee families resettled in the area. So, in addition to homework help, tutors work with students to improve their basic reading and math skills. The most important goal, however, is to show these children that another person cares about them and their learning.
With
the pandemic years of remote schooling, students across the country have fallen
behind, especially low-income children. That makes the need for this ministry
even greater. Consider offering an hour from your week to help children from
our community. Although we try to keep tutors and students paired throughout
the school year, we understand that you cannot be there every week. The
children are a joy and glad to get your attention. There is some preparatory
training required and we have some experienced educators to provide support as
needed. Please contact Jeff Bray through the Church Office if you have questions. Sign up to volunteer here.
Additional current needs
Updated needs for DuPage PADS
DuPage PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) provides temporary shelter
for the unhoused. They currently need personal care and baby care items, plus shelf-stable
single-serving food items, snack packs (especially gluten free) and single-serving
drinks for students’ backpacks. They can also use disinfecting and cleaning
supplies as well as paper goods. If you can help, donate items in the bin in
the Commons.
PRC needs food and personal care items
The People’s Resource Center continues to see increased visits to its food pantries. Some of the items needed are rice, dry pasta, peanut butter, and personal care items like diapers in sizes 5-7, bar soap and toothpaste. Tuna and soups are always welcome. Due to overwhelming donations of clothing, the PRC is taking a break from accepting clothes for now. Thank you to all for your donations! If you have food to donate, please feel free to leave it in the bin in the Commons.
Educate a Girl / Change the World: Gary Church Makes a Difference
The crisis of girls' education continues as 129 million school-age girls worldwide are not attending school. Less than half of girls who start primary school do not enter secondary. Their fate is child marriage, a life of household duties, or worse yet, human trafficking. Recent impacts such as in Afghanistan, where the Taliban now forbids girls' education after sixth grade, and Ukraine, where scores of girls (and boys) are missing school due to the violence, have added to the global crisis. Yet, indisputable data shows that when girls attend school, everyone wins. Multifaceted gains occur in family health, women’s wages, and community welfare and entire countries improve economically.
The good news is that Gary Church is making a difference by supporting impactful educational programs in the U.S. and around the world. Now in its third year, the Educate A Girl Mission is supporting the education of 10 girls and young women from vulnerable communities. The generous donations and other contributions for EAG in 2023 has enabled scholarships for two primary grade Kenyan girls at the Kinyago Dandora School in Nairobi, five Cambodian teenagers via UMCOR Project 3020791, a UIC student in Chicago through MyBlockMyHoodMyCity, a college student at Africa University, a Methodist school located in Zimbabwe, and we provided a new scholarship to a Native American young woman attending Columbia College in Chicago. Watch for updates on these girls and we welcome contributions to this mission online or by sending a check to the Church Office with "Educate a Girl" in the memo.
Recycle Styrofoam
The recycling
collection Sundays in 2024 will be Jan. 7, April 14, July 14, and Oct. 6. Can you
help continue to care for God's creation by helping one time or more for
collection or driving duties? If so, please contact Elaine McCluskey through
the Church Office.
If you miss the dates, feel free to drop off Styrofoam at Dart Container
Corporation, 310 Evergreen Dr., North Aurora.