Our church is involved in local, regional and international mission ministries focusing on homelessness, hunger, disabilities, mental health, domestic violence and many other needs. Contact George or Bonnie Isovitsch at 724-822-4749 for more information.

• Blood Drives: Occasionally held at the Church in the Fellowship Hall.
• Backpack Pals: Provides disadvantaged children with meals that they can prepare themselves at home.
• Coastal Pregnancy Center: Educates, supports and empowers women facing unplanned pregnancies.
• Open Door Community Shelter: Provides safe and stable housing for homeless women and their children.
• Ruth’s House: Empowers victims of domestic abuse.
• Rise Against Hunger: Global movement to end hunger.
• Zion Shelter: Men’s homeless shelter and kitchen.
• House of Hope, Nicaragua/Bolivia: Offers new beginnings for women and girls who are leaving the world of trafficking and prostitution.
• Saturday Night Jamboree: Monthly dinner party for all mentally and physically challenged residents in the area.
• Purpose of God: Empowers and expands opportunities for all children. This includes disadvantaged at-risk youth, adults and their families through outreach programs.
• John Cotton Tayloe School: Supports the school through their motto “Through every student, every class and every day”
• Safe Harbor Helpline: 24/7 help for homeless and unsheltered people in Beaufort County.
• Food for Folks: Makes meal deliveries on Wednesday mornings.
• Eagle’s Wing: The community food bank service and food collection site. It is open on Tuesdays.
• Caring Christian Carpenters: For more information, contact Richard Jones at 252-320-0055.
• YoungLives is a YoungLife ministry for teen moms.  It includes mentoring, helping with parenting and providing baby items through the Clothes Room at the Church.  If you are interested in helping, contact Sheila Tanner at 252-943-9292.
• Bereavement Team: Provide a meal to a church family when an immediate family member has passed. The teams rotate serving families throughout the year.
• Hospitality Team: Help serve meals on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m., September through May.

First Methodist Church Missions Mini-Seed-Grants Eligibility and Process

The purpose of the “mini seed grants” initiative at First Methodist Church Washington is to help identify and support locally driven efforts in Beaufort County that work to propagate the good news of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our mission to fill our community with efforts that express an unwavering love for God through our love of neighbors. This effort seeks to help those with God inspired ideas to plant good seeds in great soil.

Eligibility

In order to receive funds through First Methodist Church Washington, an applicant must be able to demonstrate a feasible plan of action (mission) , a purpose (why?), and a vision (outcome) for their idea, and give an account of how the funds they are seeking will be used.

The funds that will be given have been raised by our church through fundraising by the help of citizens of Beaufort county, therefore any submitted plan must endeavor to spend these resources for the benefit of the local community. The final decision as to whether or not grant money will be granted rests with the Church Council of First Methodist Church Washington.

Eligibility for these funds requires the applicant must be associated with a church or a religiously associated non-profit organization. Local for-profit or not-for-profit businesses may apply, but special requirements will need to be in place to ensure that the awarded grant is not used in ways that supply profits for those organizations. Funds will NOT be dispersed to individuals but to these established organizations. If an individual wishes to apply and does not have a qualified supporting organization, First Methodist Church Washington may consider being the qualified sponsor when a relationship with the church has first been established. (The nature of this type of relationship will be clarified through the application process.)

Process

1. Submit completed online application.
2. A representative from the Mission Team will establish contact with the applicant.
   • Through this relationship you will be invited to present your plan to the mission team in person.
   • After consultation the mission team will offer advice, seek further work or clarification of plans, or outright accept the proposal.
   • The mission team may accept the whole amount being requested or a modified sum. The mission team may choose to disperse funds in increments or as a lump sum. The Mission Committee will then seek the consent of the Church Council to make funds available.
3. After the funds are dispersed in full, the applicant will report back to the Mission Committee within six months showing how the funds were used. (This does not have to be in-person. A written report will suffice, though your original representative). However, the applicant may wish to schedule an in-person time to report back to the mission team, to share good news or raise further awareness of what they have learned in starting their project.

Available Funds

These funds are classified as “mini grants.” Therefore, the maximum awarded grant will be $2500. It may be dispersed in increments or as a lump sum. The grants will not be renewed for the same project. And only one application per 3 year period per organization will be accepted.