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.
Educate a Girl/Change the World
Provides life-changing education around the world to lift up girls, their families and their communities.
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.
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.
Bridge Communities A transitional housing program focused on the achievement of self-sufficiency.
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 meal and Bible study.
Tutoring Helps elementary school students in Wheaton with basic math and English.
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.
World Relief Our "Good Neighbor" team helps families integrate into our
community.
Help Habitat for Humanity
Tuesday, Oct. 29-Friday, Nov. 1, Lafayette, Indiana
Once
again, “Gary’s Gang” has been invited to work with Habitat for Humanity to help
provide affordable housing for families in Lafayette, Indiana. Director Bob
Anderson anticipates that we will be working on three houses — two that will be
in the early stages of construction and one that should be “under roof” by
then. If you’d like to help one or more days, contact Lois Davisson
through the Church Office. Please also consider a financial donation.
Watch the video below to learn more about Habitat for Humanity and the work Gary Church does in Lafayette, Indiana.
Seeing and Celebrating
Throughout October, Gary Church members will learn about Indigenous Peoples’ history and culture through several opportunities for all ages. The programs are a collaboration of Gary’s Christian Education and the church’s Educate A Girl / Change the World mission.
- Creator Sang a Welcoming Song Kids’ Church Mission Study, Oct. 6-27.
- Seeing & Celebrating Adult Christian Education Series, Oct. 13 and 20.
- Midwest SOARRING Foundation’s Harvest Pow Wow, Oct.13, 12:30 p.m., DuPage County Fairgrounds, discounted tickets available before Oct. 5 here
- Indigenous People We Need to Know Middle School and High School Youth Study
- Moment in Mission: Welcome Dr. Dorene Wiese, A Leader for a New Chicago, Oct. 27 during 9 a.m. worship.
- All-Church Special Event featuring the Black Hawk Performance Company, Oct. 27,
10 a.m.
For more details, go to the Seeing and Celebrating page.
Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2-6 p.m., Activity Center or Commons
Each pint donated can save up to three lives. The need is constant, and every pint is precious. Register here. Walk-ins also welcome.
2025 dates: Feb. 5, May 7, Aug. 20 and Nov. 19.
Holiday
Cookie Walk
Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Commons
The
Holiday Cookie Walk is open to the public as well as to our church family. Joy
Circle hopes to raise funds to support several of our church mission projects
by providing 3-pound boxes of homemade cookies of your choice for $30 or a
smaller box for $18.
Joy Circle is recruiting bakers. If you have a talent for baking and wish to
support this fun project, contact Juanita Hobbs or Ida Whitcomb through
the Church Office.
Christmas Sharing needs you
Christmas Sharing is Saturday, Dec. 14 this year, and we will again work with six other churches across Wheaton to provide food, coats, toys and more to 750+ families in need across the District 200 community. We are again partnering with the Northern Illinois Food Bank and Toys for Tots.
We will need many volunteers as we distribute the food, toys and coats — similar to 2023. We are specifically looking for volunteers to manage the toy and coat distributions. If you can help, contact Dan Wible or Carla Lovett through the Church Office.
We will be accepting donations of new children's coats of all sizes soon. Now is a good time to shop fall sales. Look for an angel tree in the Commons with specific size needs.
Please reserve time on your December calendar for this community outreach as we "Open Wide Our Hearts" in a tangible way.
Stephen and Carla Lovett, Dan and Suzy Wible
Christmas Sharing 2024 Gary Church co-chairs
Purchase 2024 Christmas Sharing T-shirt
Choose from a variety of colors and styles in this online store. Order by Thursday, Oct. 31. The shirts will be available mid-November. A portion of each sale will benefit Christmas Sharing.
Outreach Senior Christmas Luncheon
Friday, Dec. 20
Gary Church is partnering with Outreach Community Center and First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton to host the annual Christmas luncheon for the Older Adults Program at Outreach Community Center. For many of these seniors, this annual event is the highlight of their holiday season, and for many, their only celebration.
This year’s luncheon will host approximately 150 seniors. Our guests will enjoy a traditional holiday ham dinner with all the trimmings, enjoy a holiday musical presentation by middle school students, and receive an individual gift.
Volunteers help with set up or clean up, making food and serving seniors at their tables. Be on the lookout for the sign-up sheets in the Commons in November. A $15 donation will provide one older adult a place at the table. Donate through garychurch.org/give or make checks out to Gary Church and note Outreach in the memo area. If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Holmes through the Church Office.
Donate to Heifer
Project International
A gift of farm animals helps families around the world become self-sufficient. Donate at garychurch.org/give.
This ministry provides free one-on-one help with homework and basic English and math to low income elementary students in the area. This year we are partnering with World Relief to help students in need. Consider offering an hour from your week to tutor children from our community. Although we try to keep tutors and students paired, 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.
Tutors and students meet on Tuesdays, 6-7 p.m. If you have questions, contact Jeff Bray through the Church Office. Register here.
Volunteer for Common Ground garden
Gary Church has plots #2 and #40 at Atten Park in Wheaton this year to harvest produce for Outreach and the People’s Resource Center. Can you help with planting, weeding, watering and harvesting? Contact Fred Wayland through the Church Office.
RTO meals need financial donations
Volunteers from Gary Church prepare and serve meals for Radical Time Out, a mission that ministers to former prisoners and their families. They need financial donations to purchase groceries. If you can help, go to garychurch.org/give.
Help World Relief
Helping some of our newest neighbors
World Relief is a refugee resettlement non-profit that started in Wheaton. Last year they brought over 900 refugees from around the world to the Chicago area. These legal immigrants have gone through a multi-year extensive process before being cleared to come to the United States. World Relief has a record of getting these families, most still learning English, in place in our community and bringing them to self-sufficiency in under six months.
To broaden Gary Church’s support of World Relief we are launching two efforts:
- Provide welcome kits to help World Relief set up an apartment for incoming families. Use this sign-up form to let us know you can provide items for welcome kits. Here's a list of needs. If you’d like to contribute financially, go to garychurch.org/give.
- Expand our Good Neighbor Team effort to ease families’ adjustment to life in our area. A group of 4–8 people help a family integrate into the community. If you are interested in learning more about Good Neighbor Teams, please contact Jeff Bray through the Church Office.
Please watch the e-news for more details about Gary
Church’s World Relief efforts. And, watch the video below.
Additional current needs
Items needed for DuPage PADS
DuPage PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) provides temporary shelter for the unhoused. Here's a list of their current needs. If you can help, donate items in the bin in the Commons.
Volunteer at the
People’s Resource Center
Wednesdays, 2:45–6
p.m., 201 S. Naperville Rd.
The PRC needs volunteers to help with food distribution. Volunteers will stock shelves, pack boxes of food, assist shoppers and direct traffic. Volunteers must be 13 years or older, able to lift a watermelon and comfortable remaining active during the shift. Fill out a volunteer application at peoplesrc.org/volunteer.
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.
Help people in the Holy Land
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is working with local partners in Israel and Gaza to provide help with everything from relocation and food to trauma counseling and telemedicine services. You can donate to UMCOR through garychurch.org/give.
Recycle Styrofoam
Sundays, Jan. 12, April 13, July 13, Oct. 12, 2025, 8:45–10:30 a.m., South Driveway
Can you
help one time or more for
collection or driving duties? If so, please contact Elaine McCluskey through
the Church Office.
If you miss the date, feel free to drop off Styrofoam at Dart Container
Corporation, 310 Evergreen Dr., North Aurora.
ESSE volunteer opportunity
Ecumenical Support Services for the Elderly (ESSE) provides adult day care options that promote the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of older adults and their families.
April 2025 is our next ESSE support month. Gary Church members can help support ESSE during the month of September by volunteering in activities such as:
- Playing music (ESSE has a piano on site)
- Assisting staff with games, arts and craft projects
- Reading
- Bringing your pet
- Showing slides/videos of your vacation trips
- Bringing younger children for a visit
- Providing 20 homemade treats
Contact the ESSE Wheaton/St. Paul Lutheran Church office at 630-260-3773 to schedule your activity. Thank you for your continued support of the ESSE mission.
Educate a Girl / Change the World 2024
Educate a Girl/Change the World provides life-changing education around the world.
We kindly request that you continue to support this powerful mission that lifts up the girls, their families and their communities.
Your past gifts have been impactful. For example, Luxene from Democratic Republic of the Congo looks forward to graduation from the United Methodist Africa University because of the generous scholarships you have funded over the past three years.
Our 2024 fundraising goal is $8,000, to be able to provide scholarships for girls of all ages including three new college students:
- Two grade school students in Kenya attending a Christian school
- Five middle and high school students in Cambodia through UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
- Four
college students in Chicago and Nashville, including a new medical student
Gary Church, thank you for serving in love and making a huge impact in the lives of these girls by helping them attain their educational goals and giving them hope for a bright future! Learn more in the video below, and contribute here.
