Local & Global Commission

 Local and Global is responsible for ordering the Christmas Poinsettias and Easter Lilies and Spring Flowers for the sanctuary. 

Backpacks for Kids:

 The Backpack Program at Weld Family Food Bank provides food for children who are at risk for hunger over the weekend. Free lunches are provided for students in Weld County. However, on Saturday and Sunday those meals are inaccessible which makes these kids even more vulnerable to hunger. The Food Bank works with school counselors and teachers throughout the county to identify students who need food over the weekend. Volunteers fill the packs with child friendly food including shelf stable milk, juice, a high protein meal, and three or four snacks. The backpacks are then dropped off at schools and the children take them home every Friday. Currently, the Backpack Program operates at schools in Greeley, Evans, Windsor, Fort Lupton, Milliken, Hudson, Lochbuie, Keenesburg, Platteville, Gilcrest, Dacono, Frederick, Firestone, and LaSalle. 

Food Drives:

Our church holds two food drives for the Weld Food Bank each year, one in April and the other in October. We collect nonperishable food items and financial donations for the Food Bank. 

First United Methodist Church of Greeley has been part of the Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity affiliate since the beginning. In fact, the organizational meetings for Greeley-Weld Habitat were held in our church. Our support for Habitat continues at its newest development, Hope Springs.

Over the years, FUMC has participated in home construction, fund-raising, providing meals for volunteers, financial contributions and other outreach. Our most visible (and warmest) donations to Habitat are the colorful quilts made by the Sewing for Service group. Every child in the Habitat family is presented with a new quilt when their forever home is dedicated. In 2024, 27 quilts were given to children in nine families. So far in 2025, 14 quilts have been presented to children in six families.

During 2025 FUMC will be joining with other religious groups in the InterFaith Build Project, helping a family construct their ‘forever’ home.

We assemble sacks which include food, socks from our December Hat, Mitten and Sock Tree and hygiene kits. The hygiene bags include a washcloth, soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste and a comb. The bags are put in our Blessing Box located outside the doors on the east side of the sanctuary. During cold weather we add a blanket. The bags are also for staff to give out when people in need contact church staff for assistance. The items in these bags are donated by our generous church members. 

Our Local and Global Commission has sponsored KIDS HOPE program for many years. It matches an at-risk kid with a mentor. You meet with one child for one hour a week at Pete Mirich Elementary School in LaSalle. The training for Kids Hope is done on line now so you can train at your own convenience. The principal has asked if our church could provide more mentors. Many church members have been or are mentors: Donna Hettinger, Lee Hewitt, Kim Hilmes, Beth Hyde, Suzi Jones, Linda Kautz, RuthMary Lyons & Laurie Poeschel. The mentor gains as much from the relationship as does the child. If you are interested in making a difference in a child’s life, call the office 353-5522.

You can change a child’s life just by being a friend and that’s no small change.

 Our church members serve a meal each month at the shelter. We have also donated blankets, coats and towels for their clientele. 

Kairos is an interdenominational, worldwide ministry that brings the love of God and the light of Christ into prisons. An army of volunteers rally to become the hands and feet of Christ for inmates who come seeking a new way of life.

Their Vision: A community spiritually freed from the effects of imprisonment, reaching all impacted by incarceration, through the love, hope and faith found in Jesus Christ. Their Mission

Statement: The mission of Kairos Prison Ministry is to share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women and youth, as well as their families, to become loving and productive citizens of their communities. How you can help: Prayer (greatest need), serve on a team, attend a closing, sponsor an inmate or donate new bibles. For more information, please contact RuthMary Lyons at 970-405-0263 or rm80620@hotmail.com “

Each year at Christmas, tags with suggested gifts are attached to a tree for needy children. Members take a tag and help provide a gift or two for a child’s Christmas. Adopting these little “angels” is an expanding Christmas tradition that makes the season brighter for both the gift giver and receiver. 

 This tree is also up during December. We collect hats, mittens and socks and add them to the hygiene kits we make for the Blessing Box, which is filled with food and hygiene kits weekly.