OUTREACH with Cinda Locker
A prayer for the New Year
In this New Year, may we hold to the way of Jesus Christ. Let our hearts be open to caring for our brothers and sisters in Christ, our neighbors in our community, our state, our country, our world. Let us remember the teachings of Christ: to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Let us open our hearts so that we see those in need and become Christ’s hands and feet to feed the hungry, house the homeless, clothe the needy, heal the sick, and comfort the dying. In doing this, may we share the message of Jesus to all we are in contact with through our actions and deeds. May your New Year be filled with living and sharing the words and teachings of Jesus Christ. Amen
Church Wide Special Sundays Human Relations Sunday January 18, 2026
What are Special Sundays in the United Methodist Church? UMC.org The United Methodist Church sets aside several special Sundays each year to recognize specific ministries we support as a denomination. We celebrate and identify these as Special Sundays. The next two Special Sundays are Human Relations Day on January 18 and UMCOR Sunday on March 26. Human Relations Day supports community developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services, and youth offender rehabilitation programs. The goal of this Sunday is to strengthen United Methodist outreach in the US and Puerto Rico, encouraging social justice. UMCOR Sunday collects funds to cover operational costs, so that 100% of donations received in response to emergency appeals go directly to communities in need. As the year progresses, more Special Sundays will be highlighted in this column for Missions.
Are you looking for a way to get involved in your community? Let me tell you about the Family Services Program at Reed City Area Schools. The Mission of the program is to help families thrive by offering support, care, and resources, and by providing a safe place to connect and work on individualized goals to succeed. The program is part of the district's Student Support Team. This program is available to all families with students in the school district.
How can you help? There is a need for individuals with the ability to assist with specific workshops, including Budgeting and Finances, Job Readiness, Health and Wellness, Cooking and Nutrition, Parenting, and more. Everyone has a skill set they can share with others.
What are yours, and how can you share them?
Are you interested in finding out more about these opportunities?
Contact Heather at hpeffer@reedcityschools.org or 231-287-7128,
or Michella at msaxton@reedcityschools.org or 231-287-4312,
or Natasha at nbancroft@reedcityschools.org.
Mission Trip Planned
For those interested, there is a weeklong mission trip to Tijuana in the works for Saturday, April 25, 2026, returning on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The tentative schedule includes:
Saturday, April 25th – Travel from Grand Rapids to San Diego; rent a van to take us to Tijuana. Shop for groceries after we go through customs (there is a Costco in Tijuana!)
Sunday, April 26th – Attend a bilingual church with a staff member from Spectrum Ministries.
Monday, April 27th – Visit a Senior Home, bringing food and supplies, and interacting with residents through activities.
Tuesday, April 28th – Visit the City Dump to take food and visit with families living there.
Wednesday, April 29th – Spend the day with staff to either build a 10’x20’ home, add on to an existing home, or make home repairs.
Thursday, April 30th – Community Outreach Day – We will Spectrum Ministries regular scheduled outreach day in a neighborhood for a fun time, helping with crafts, games, food distribution, seasonal snacks, and other fun activities.
Friday, May 1st – Visit to an orphanage, taking food, interacting, and playing with the children. Pack up for departure on Saturday. Dinner outing to a local restaurant.
Saturday, May 2nd – Back through customs to the airport for the trip home in the morning.
The schedule is a sample of what the trip will involve. The cost of the trip will be approximately $1,750 per individual, depending on the cost of airfare, and includes amounts for projects, van rental, dorm fees, and food for meals we will prepare at the dorm for our group. An itemized list will be provided at our first organizational meeting.
The full cost will not be due all at once; it will be broken down into monthly payments. We are also planning fundraisers for the trip to help reduce the cost of the trip significantly. Also, the cost is based on 10, but if we have 12 going, it will be at least $300 less per person on that alone. Our goal is to have each participant pay half of the $1,750 and raise the remaining funds.
YOU WILL NEED A PASSPORT! If you do not have a passport, please apply for one now due to processing time. If you have a passport, please check your expiration date for renewal if needed; your passport must be valid with at least 6 months before expiration at the time of the trip.