The role of the Social Justice and Missions Team at Hamline Church is to identify areas where we can make a difference, raise awareness of social justice issues, and follow through with our gifts of energy, service and money. This committee is an umbrella group that helps members of our congregation serve in ways that matter to them. We work with local organizations by providing helping hands and coordinating gift-giving. On the national and international level, we help the church raise money for special projects and support wider UMC mission efforts. The following are just a few of the ways we are working to make a difference:
Feeding Families
LOAVES AND FISHES AT DOROTHY DAY
For over 20 years, Hamline Church has helped prepare and serve nutritious meals to homeless individuals and families. We serve a Sunday evening meal 6 times per year (on the 3rd Sunday of even numbered months.
FOOD SHELF & MINNESOTA FOOD SHARE
Hamline Church is one of several area faith communities that partners with Keystone Community Services to meet basic needs in our local community. We collect non-perishable food items and cash donations for the Keystone food bank the first Sunday of the month. In addition to our ongoing support of area food shelves, every year we participate in a state wide month-long drive to help restock the food shelves in Minnesota. Each Sunday in March, we ask church members and attendees to bring food items or cash donations to help meet our target of 2000 dollars or pounds of food. Keystone - Info Sheet for Faith Community Partners (PDF)
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN
Every year, our congregation organizes large, multi-generational groups to pack food for Feed My Starving Children. Hamline Church kids and families serve alongside retirees and grandparents in this joyful family event.
Making a Difference
MCCURDY MINISTRIES
Member Pat Alexander has been serving in New Mexico as a long-term Volunteer in Mission for the United Methodist Church since November 2011. From November to February each year, Pat has been working at McCurdy Ministries and McCurdy School in Espanola, New Mexico.
RECONCILING MINISTRIES NETWORK
Hamline Church is a Reconciling Congregation. This committee is the primary link to the Reconciling Ministries network with its connection to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. Each June we participate in the Pride Festival.
SCHOOL TOOLS
The School Tools drive is an effort of Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul, and helps provide children with valuable (and expensive) school supplies. We gather supplies during July and bless them in mid-August.
SPECIAL AND SHORT TERM PROJECTS
Many opportunities exist for participating in local, national, and international short-term mission and disaster relief projects. We've participated in the Crop Walk, gathered kitchen supplies and school supplies for the Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul and assisted with Project home, which provides temporary stays for homeless families. We have gathered donations for relief projects through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and provided volunteers at UMCOR Sager Brown, a relief supply depot in Louisiana.