CARING FOR OTHERS – MISSION, OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY
St. Matthew’s welcomes all who are seeking an opportunity to grow in Christ, and to serve others at home and in the world at large. We reach out nationally and globally through mission, service, and advocacy for justice, equity, and peace on behalf of the poor, oppressed, and needy everywhere.
Caring for Creation
If you are passionate about caring for the creation, and want to get in touch with others at St. Matthew’s with similar passion, please reach out to the office. We hope you will enjoy this slideshow created by Beth DiCocco, NEUMC Director of Communications, for St. Matthew’s. We are a Congregation committed to Caring for Creation. Thank you, Lord, for our beautiful Earth. Blessings and with exceptional gratitude, Susan Evans and the members of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church. Click here for ideas and links on how you might help care for God’s wonderful creations.
Dignity Matters
We support Dignity Matters, a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization dedicated to addressing period poverty by providing free menstrual products, bras, and underwear to women, girls, and transgender men who are homeless or disadvantaged. Their mission is to help individuals stay healthy, regain self-confidence, and live with basic dignity.
Emergency Relief
As the humanitarian relief and development arm of The United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Committee on Relief – UMCOR – assists United Methodists and churches to become involved globally in direct ministry to persons in need. UMCOR comes alongside those who suffer from natural or human-caused disasters nationally and globally – famine, hurricane, war, flood, fire or other events—to alleviate suffering and serve as a source of help and hope for the vulnerable. UMCOR provides relief, response and long-term recovery grants when events overwhelm a community’s ability to recover on their own. UMCOR provides technical support and training for partners to address emerging and ongoing issues related to disaster relief, recovery, and long-term health and development. Additionally, UMCOR supports migrants through legal and humanitarian support, as well as through global advocacy. Because of the church’s administrative support, fully 100% of every penny donated to UMCOR goes directly to the designated cause. St. Matthew’s supports UMCOR with money and relief kits.
Through our annual Fuel Jar campaign, we’ve provided money to help people in the Acton, Boxboro and Maynard areas with bills such as utility and rent.
Ending Hunger
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s leaders to end hunger at home and abroad. St. Matthew’s is in a covenant relationship with Bread, which means we support their work by learning about hunger worldwide, praying for those experiencing hunger and those working to end it, communicating with our Senators and Representatives, and providing monetary support. Bread for The World’s website is http://www.bread.org
We continue to support local food pantries (Acton Food Pantry, Open Table and Loaves and Fishes) with our monthly First Sunday is Food Sunday program.
Festival of Sharing
Annually on the first Saturday in December at Saint Matthews United Methodist Church, 435 Central St, Acton, MA. Here is your opportunity to do GOOD by supporting charitable organizations that work locally, nationally, and across the globe. 100% of all donations go directly to these groups; Saint Matthew’s doesn’t keep any of the funds. The festival hosts many organizations, as well as the famous Saint Matthew’s “cookie walk” with live musical entertainment throughout the festival. Come and share your holiday generosity with these worthwhile organizations! Please click here for the 2024 list of organizations.
Heifer International
We support Heifer International. Offering local solutions with global impact. Heifer partners with smallholder farmers – especially women farmers – to improve their families’ food security and increase their incomes to move out of poverty. They offer tools, training and resources that help farmers work together to build profitable, sustainable business with strong market linkages. https://www.heifer.org
Immigration
We have supported immigrants and immigrant rights activities through New England Justice for Our Neighbors (New England JFON), the International Institute of New England (IINE), and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA). Along with 6 other area churches, we belong to the Interfaith Partnership for Refugee Resettlement (IPRR), through which we support refugee families resettling in the Lowell area.
Homelessness
We support Boston Share Network, a coalition of volunteers, shelters and agencies who work together to assess the needs of the homeless and poor, respond to those needs, and bridge the gap between homelessness and a life of hope.
International Care Initiatives, including at risk children and youth
For years we have supported Belinda Forbes missionary work as a Dentist in Nicaragua. Click HERE to read about her work. In addition we support Slum Child Foundation in Kenya; Wezesha Kupaa in Tanzania: https://wezeshakupaa.org/; and Bendición de Dios in Guatemala.
Prison Outreach
We again filled WELCOMEBACKpacks with essentials for folks leaving prison for Concord Prison Outreach program.
Special Sunday Offerings
We support the United Methodist Church’s eight special Sunday offerings. These are: Human Relations Day, One Great Hour of Sharing, Native American Ministries Sunday, Peace with Justice Sunday, World Communion Sunday, United Methodist Student Day, Scouting Sunday, and Heritage Sunday.
United Methodist Mission Shares
St. Matthew’s fulfills its United Methodist Mission Share contributions, doing our part to financially support the three fundamental areas of World Missions, New England Missions, and Ministry Support. https://www.neumc.org/missionshares