Make a Difference

South Oakland Shelter

During the week of January 22, 2012 we will be host to South Oakland Shelter guests. Volunteers to greet, cook, drive, host and support these guests are most welcome. Contact the church office at 248-399-3698 or secretary@berkley1stumc.org for more info.

Coats for Kids

We have started a Coat Closet to help provide warm coats and boots for kids in Berkley who need them. We continue to solicit donations of new winter coats, snow pants and boots. If you would like to contribute without doing the shopping yourself, we would be happy to shop for you. Just place an envelope marked Coats for Kids in the offering plate or turn it in to the church office. If you know someone who needs a coat, boots, or snow pants please call the church office or email coatcloset@berkley1stumc.org and let us know.

Food for Life Shelf

The need to help the hungry is right here in South Oakland County. At Berkley First, we collect food items each week to support St. John's Open Hands food pantry. They are open on Mondays and Saturdays. All recipients are registered and must prove Oakland County residency. Last year over 10,000 people were fed from this site.

Suggested donation for this month is FRUIT JUICE. Donations can be placed on the Food for Life shelf in the Narthex.

Questions regarding the Open Hands program and or the Food for Life shelf can be directed to Mary Alice Stucky or Pat Reeves at 248-399-3698.

Baldwin Center Clothing Closet

Used clothes are collected and taken to Baldwin Center in Pontiac for their clothing closet. If you can help deliver the clothing please call the church office at 248-399-3698. To find out more about Baldwin Center visit their website at www.baldwincenter.org.

Scott Center Lunches

Four times a year members go to Scott Center in Detroit to make and serve lunch. 20,000 meals per week are served to homebound seniors, homeless, adults with mental illnesses and the Detroit Police Department. This is all part of Cass Community Social Services. They provide shelter for HIV/AIDS homeless men, transitional housing for men, women and children, and a homeless drop-in center. Medical, mental health and vocational services are available. The slogan for CASS is "Fighting poverty, creating opportunity".

Help is needed to serve lunch at the Scott Center. Contact the church office for more information (248-399-3698).

Annual Coffee House Fest

The Berkley Clergy Association presents an annual Coffee House Praise Fest each year.

This annual event featuring praise bands from Berkley Community Church, Berkley First UMC, Cana Lutheran, Good Shepherd Lutheran, Greenfield Presbyterian, and Our Lady of La Salette Catholic Church as well as a community children's and youth choir, supports the Welcome Inn Homeless Shelter.

You will not want to miss this great evening. Join us and help support our homeless brothers and sisters.

Change the World Weekend: May 14-15, 2011

Change the World is a global movement of United Methodists doing what they can to help improve lives and the community. Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15 are designated as this year's Change the World weekend. there are many opportunities where YOU can help Chang the World.

On Saturday, join our Southeast Oakland Cooperative Parishes in our Community Garden projects. Volunteers are needed at Beverly Hills UMC to possibly build a split rail fence for a large community garden area. More help is needed at Madison Heights UMC to turn over soil and prepare the gardens for planting. Plans are underway to donate the produce from these gardens to local food programs.

Work sites will start at approximately 9:30am. Bring friends and family to get involved! Check http://se-oakland-cooperative.info for more information on the community garden projects.

CROP Walk

The 20th Annual Berkley CROP Walk will be held Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 2pm.

This year the CROP Walk will begin and end at Greenfield Presbyterian Church.

There will be a 10K and a 1 Mile walk. If you would like to participate please contact the church office. (secretary@berkley1stumc.org)

CROP supports Church World Services for the benefit of local hunger agencies (South Oakland Shelter and South Oakland Citizens for the Homeless) and international relief and development. They work world wide to teach soil and water conservation, farming methods and borehole wells to obtain clean water for villages. They also respond to disasters, providing shelter, food, water, recovery kits and counseling. To find out more visit their website at www.churchworldservice.org.

Berkley Christmas

With the economy being what it is, the Mission team at Berkley First felt that we would try to make Christmas a little easier for two local families. A bulletin board ornaments containing the name of the requested gifts and the cost of those items is available. If you'd like to help take an ornament off the bulletin board and put your name on the other portion of the ornament. There will be a box available to collect these gifts. Gifts will be wrapped at the church for distribution.

In addition, please help us to purchase a Christmas dinner for each family. Donations for dinner can be made out to Berkley First UMC with the memo "Donation for Christmas dinner".

Thanksgiving In-Gathering: November 14, 2010

Our annual gathering of non-perishable food items for Baldwin's annual Thanksgiving baskets takes place Sunday, November 14, 2010. All food items will be delivered during the week of the 14th.

Habitat for Humanity

Work together with other churches to help build a Habitat for Humanity house. The major tasks for the day should be inside painting. Details on worker sign-up will be posted on the Cooperative website (http://se-oakland-cooperative.info/).