Latest UMVIM News
Michigan Youth serve with Solar Oven Partners and Storm Mountain Center
You can watch the mission video and hear from the young people here.
Our youth mission trip to South Dakota combined service, learning, and growing our faith. Throughout the week, our guiding question was “Where is God?” We challenged ourselves to look for God’s love not only in beautiful or easy places, but also in difficult truths and unexpected circumstances.
Service with Solar Oven Partners
Our primary service project was with Solar Oven Partners, where we worked in the reflector workshop housed at Open Hearts United Methodist Church Rapid City, SD. During the week, our youth and chaperones:
Built approximately 400 solar oven reflectors
Used more than 700 pounds of aluminum
Packed the panel kits into six large shipping crates
Painted the workshop and a long hallway
Completed yard work, including mowing, trimming and removing trees, and weeding
We also served at Storm Mountain Center, the United Methodist camp, where we stayed in the Black Hills. Our group painted the inside of a house being prepared for a new staff member.
Learning from the Lakota People
A significant part of our week was a day spent on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, current homeland of the Oglala Lakota Oyate Tribe, with Tatanka Rez Tourz. This tour company is committed to providing an in-depth, first-person experience of the reservation and sharing the history, culture, values, and stories of the Oglala Lakota people.
The experience challenged many of our assumptions. We learned about the history of the Lakota people, the loss of sacred lands, the devastating impact of boarding schools, including the role churches played in attempting to erase Lakota language and culture and in perpetuating generations of abuse and trauma, and living on the reservation today.
Learning of the genocide perpetuated against the Lakota people was difficult to hear, particularly since we identify deeply with the church. But the experience also introduced us to the resilience, hospitality, creativity, and determination of the Oglala Lakota Oyate Tribe. As part of our experience, we toured Oglala Lakota College, which works to strengthen the Lakota Nation through accessible education.
Our youth recognized a few lessons from this experience.
The importance of acknowledging historical harm.
The importance of recognizing the people who are rebuilding and strengthening their own communities today.
The importance of listening for ways to support these leaders in ways the leaders identify as helpful, rather than assuming we know what they need.
Growing our Faith
One of the passages that shaped our week came from John 13:34 in the First Nations Version. Rather than translating Jesus’ words as “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another,” the First Nations Version reads, “I am giving you a new road to walk.”
Loving others is not simply a one-time decision. It is a road we choose to walk, step by step, every day. Some parts of that road are smooth and joyful; others are difficult, winding, and uncomfortable.
Our young people experienced both.
They saw God’s love in the welcome and kindness of strangers, in the friendships within our group, and in people working hard to serve their communities. They also encountered difficult truths about our country's history and the church's role in causing harm.
Rather than turning away from those truths, they learned that faith invites us to acknowledge harm and trauma honestly while continuing to look for—and participate in—love, healing, justice, and reconciliation.
The week reminded us that God is not absent from difficult places. God is present wherever people choose love, resilience, compassion, truth, and hope. Our task is to recognize that love, nurture it, and become part of it. Love refuses to believe that harm gets the final word. That is faith.
UMVIM, SEJ Newsletter, Sept 2026
Click the image above to view the newsletter in its entirety.
New “Ways to Serve” Tool Available at UMVIM.org
Many consider UMVIM one of the best kept secrets of the United Methodist Church. Thousands of volunteers participate in mission journeys every year.
But what about those who don’t know what UMVIM is, and are just looking for the best place to serve, or those feeling overwhelmed by the number of options and need help?
A new “ways to serve” tool is now available at umvim.org which can help those unfamiliar with UMVIM and partner agencies find the best place to serve, whether that is with a team, or on an individual basis. It is a simplified way to navigate the many mission opportunities available from UMVIM and our ministry partners.
You can explore this new tool at umvim.org/waystoserveor by clicking here. You can also find a link in annoucement bar at the top of umvim.org for easy navigation.
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UMVIM, SEJ Financial Update from Matt
In January, I shared a financial update concerning UMVIM, SEJ and the many changes going on in the United Methodist Church. UMVIM, SEJ does not receive apportionment funds and relies on Annual Conferences, churches, and individual donors for it’s financial support.
While our financial sitation has been helped by several one-time gifts, the fact remains that UMVIM, SEJ needs sustainable funding in order to continue its ministry. We know that many Annual Conferences are still assessing their financial help after the wave of dissaffiliation several years ago.
UMVIM, SEJ is looking to churches to help continue this ministry with on-going financial support. In turn, UMVIM, SEJ is developing several new resoures for churches, including a new missional small group model. We will announce more details as work progresses.
If your church is interested in stepping up to help UMVIM, SEJ, please contact me at matt_lacey@umvim.org to explore possibilities.
-Matt
Rev. Matt Lacey, Exec. Director, UMVIM, SEJ
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UMCOR Grant Helps Churches Explore Solar Energy
Through a new pilot program led by Global Ministries Environmental Sustainability and UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response, churches who offer community-based services can now learn how to implement solar and/or battery storage so they can stay open when a disaster or power outage disrupts their normal operations.
Churches accepted for this new pilot program will receive comprehensive guidance in using these technologies, and some may be eligible for grants to purchase solar and battery systems.
Click here for more information.
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In Mission Together: Lithuania
In Mission Together Mission Trip to Lithuania – June 2026
First United Methodist Church Neenah, WI
Pilviskiai Methodist Church, Lithuania
Royal Oak First United Methodist Church, MI
Calgary Methodist Church, Brownsburg, IN
This past June, thirteen members of First United Methodist Church in Neenah, Wisconsin, traveled to Lithuania for a life-changing mission experience, renewing our longstanding relationship with Pilviškiai Methodist Church. We were joined by two members of Royal Oak United Methodist Church in Michigan, one member of Calvary United Methodist
Church in Indiana, and newly appointed General Board of Global Ministries missionaries, Pastor Joe Riddle and his family. One of the greatest blessings of this journey was the opportunity to share our 13-year In Mission Together partnership with these new friends and ministry partners introducing them to the people of Pilviškiai and the deep relationships that have been nurtured over the years. Watching our Lithuanian friends welcome them with genuine warmth and hospitality was a treasured reminder that faithful relationships continue to bear fruit— creating new friendships, strengthening our faith together, and expanding God's work across churches, generations, and nations.
Since 2013, our In Mission Together partnership has been rooted in faith, shared ministry, and lasting friendships rather than one-time projects. Together, we seek to strengthen one another by sharing our unique gifts, fostering empowerment rather than dependency, and nurturing the spiritual growth of both congregations. Our multi-generational team – ranging from energetic 8 and 10-year-olds to enthusiastic adults and retirees— returned home with the realization that the greatest accomplishments were not the projects we completed, but the ways God transformed our hearts through relationships, worship, and serving alongside our Lithuanian sisters and brothers.
Our days were filled from morning until night with meaningful work, worship, fellowship, and learning. Working side by side, each person contributed their unique gifts and talents as we painted the church sanctuary—up to its soaring, cathedral-like ceilings—refreshing a sacred space that has welcomed worshippers for the past 23 years. We laughed and learned together during Vacation Bible School, shared in Bible studies and worship services, went on a cultural field trip together, and enjoyed a memorable "Community Wellness Day " where we all experienced simple acts of care and kindness while creating jewelry, colorful glass vases, spa activities, and prayer stations.
One of the most encouraging moments of our trip was witnessing a spark of new ministry begin to take shape. During our visit, four local teenagers expressed a desire to start a youth group. One youth shared her love for the church where she grew up and her desire to reconnect, while another youth shared honestly about being bullied, questioning his faith, and searching for a place to turn. Their openness reminded us of the Church’s vital role as a place of belonging, hope, and spiritual growth. Their desire for connection became the foundation for a new youth ministry at Pilviškiai, which launched in August with the hope of welcoming more young people seeking faith, friendship, and community.
Beyond these activities, we immersed ourselves in Lithuania's rich history and culture. One of the most profound moments of our journey was learning about the Holocaust and the devastating impact of both Nazi and Soviet occupation on the Lithuanian people. We visited the Ninth Fort, a site where thousands of people were imprisoned and murdered during the Holocaust, as well as a Jewish mass grave site near Pilviškiai, where we paused to remember the thousands of innocent lives that were lost. Hearing the moving testimony of one of our Lithuanian friends, whose grandparents were deported to Siberia under Soviet rule, made this painful history deeply personal. She also shared about the present day, speaking openly about the fear of Russia and the very real possibility that Lithuania could once again face invasion. Her words reminded us that for many Lithuanians, the history we were learning is not simply something from the past—it continues to shape their lives, their sense of security, and their hopes for the future. Together, we prayed for those who perished, for the families and communities forever changed by violence and oppression, and for a future in which such hatred, oppression, and violence are never repeated. Learning this history gave us an even greater appreciation for the resilience, courage, and enduring faith of the Lithuanian people.
Amid these stories of hardship, we also witnessed remarkable hope. We experienced the joy and energy of the children at Vacation Bible School, celebrated the unity and cultural pride displayed at Lithuania’s traditional Song and Dance Festival, and watched with joy as two of our youth from Pilviškiai participated in the festival’s traditional dance. We were also blessed by the dedication of three young adults who returned to their home church to serve as translators, demonstrating their love for their church and their commitment to the next generation of ministry.
We are especially encouraged by one young woman who, after completing her military service, has sensed God’s call to ministry and is now helping lead Bible studies between our churches. Her willingness to serve is a beautiful sign of continued spiritual growth, connection, and hope within the Pilviškiai congregation.
The most profound gift of this experience was the deepening of relationships with one another. Each evening, we gathered to share our stories, reflect on our faith journeys, pray together, and lift our voices in song. Though we came from different countries and spoke different languages, our shared faith created a bond of love, trust, and unity that needed no translation. Throughout the week, we discovered that Lithuanians and Americans carry many of the same concerns: economic uncertainty, political challenges, health struggles, and the divisions affecting our world. Yet, beyond those concerns, we found a hope that is stronger than our fears—a hope rooted in Christ that connects us across cultures and generations.
We returned home reminded that true mission is not simply about what we do for one another, but about the ways God transforms us through the relationships we build together.
Jeanie Kurka Reimer
In Mission Together Partnership Coordinator | Lithuania & Latvia
General Board of Global Ministries
Alabama Rural Ministries [ARM] Celebrates Another Summer of Service
Alabama Rural Ministries, or ARM as it is sometimes known, celebrates another fruitful summer of making an impact in the lives of Alabamians. From ARM’s latest newsletter:
Summer is not winding down but it is transitioning with students starting back to school. Summer creates so many opportunities to share God’s goodness and Good News! Mission teams from seven churches joined us this summer in Tuskegee. They provided critical home repairs to three families diligently working to make homes warm, safe, and dry all the while extending Christ’s love. Youth teams also provided meaningful and engaging activities with elementary age children through an all-summer long children’s camp, SonShine Kids Day Camp. With the theme of Body Body, Paul’s letter to the Corinthians formed the backdrop to our devotions and conversations each day.
The mission teams provided extensive repairs for four families this summer. Groups rebuilt a roof and began the reshingling process. They tore out water damaged drywall in two rooms and removed water damaged carpet. At another home, eight windows were removed and new windows installed providing better insulation to the neighbor undergoing cancer treatments. Some teams rebuilt two new floors from structural framing to finish planks for one of our neighbors. At the end of the summer, our neighbors celebrated the ministry of the church body coming together to serve.
Meanwhile at SonShine Kids Day Camp, thirty-seven children attended camp for six weeks. The mission teams provided Bible stories, high-energy worship and music, arts &crafts, games, and just loads of summer fun. Each week, a visit to the pool refreshed us and capped off an amazing week. We loved seeing our children fall in love with the Bible, volunteer to pray, and get into fights trying to help each other (still some things to work on!).
We hope Jesus smiled as he saw his servants at work fulfilling his command to love God and love neighbor. We hope Paul gave a nod of approval as the body of Christ came together with many members doing their part. What an awesome summer of love!
Thanks to these mission teams who joined us this summer:
Trinity UMC Fort Walton Beach, FL
Dauphin Way UMC, Mobile AL
Madisonville UMC, Madisonville KY
Dothan FUMC, AL
Pensacola F UMC, FL
Centerpointe Community Church-Prattville, AL
Auburn UMC, AL
As we transition into the fall season, we look forward to serving with college students from Auburn and Tuskegee, local churches and businesses, and visiting churches from around the southeast spending a weekend with us. We invite you to pray with us as we love and serve our neighbor through home repairs and extend an arm of Christ’s love!
Updated Team Leader Handbook Now Available For Download
The 2026 edition of the UMVIM Team Leader Handbook is now available for download. 2 new resources have been added to the book: the team leader checkist and the team leader planning timeline. Other updates consisted of correcting errors, clarification, and use of inclusive language.
The hard copy of the 2026 edition will be available next month to purchase, but the electronic version can be purchased at the UMVIM.org shop by clicking here.
INDIANA TEAM SERVES WITH MISSION GUATEMALA
Our team spent an incredible week serving with Mission Guatemala, working alongside local staff and a youth group from Texas on a school kitchen construction project. Throughout the week, we helped with a variety of tasks that moved the project forward, from preparing materials and assisting with construction to supporting the ongoing efforts to create a safe and functional space where students can receive nutritious meals. Beyond the physical work, it was a meaningful opportunity to build relationships, learn from the community, and see firsthand the impact this kitchen will have on the lives of local children and families.
As we reflect on the week, we are grateful for all that was accomplished and for the many ways we saw God at work through the project and the people we met. We are especially thankful for the prayers, encouragement, and support from friends, family, and our church community back home. Your partnership made this trip possible and sustained us throughout the week. Thank you for walking alongside us and helping make a lasting difference in the lives of those served through Mission Guatemala.
A MISSION JOURNEY TO ALASKA
Our team was composed of members from Chapel Hill UMC, Christ UMC, Convis UMC, Marshall UMC, and Second Missionary Baptist Church – all Battle Creek, area churches. This was the first mission trip for about half of the team. On the first evening that all members were in attendance, the Community UMC church community welcomed our team and provided a pot-luck dinner with traditional foods from the area. Salmon spreads, King crab legs, and local berries (blueberries and salmon berries) were enjoyed. Some members of the team even tried the whale (muktuk) that was shared!
Our team was housed at Community UMC in Nome. Imagine, one bathroom with 14 people! Fortunately, the senior center run by the Nome Community Center (a National Mission Institution of United Women in Faith) offered the use of their shower for the team. While there, we performed a great deal of construction and plumbing work at the church and connected spaces, held Vacation Bible School for the community for three nights, cleaned the church playground to make it safer for those that spent time there (at any moment during 24 hours of daylight!), and assisted in organizing items at Community UMC building and at its resale shop. The resale shop supports the community and is run through the Community UMC.
Prior to our arrival in Nome, the mission member churches pulled together to provide items for layettes. These items were knitted, crocheted, sewn or purchased by members of the church community in Battle Creek and delivered to Community UMC and the Norton Sound Regional Hospital in Nome, Alaska. These items will be distributed throughout the year to provide for the newborns in Nome and neighboring villages.
Our large construction project was not completed as much as we would have hoped. The Community UMC is very grateful for what we were able to accomplish and allows opportunities for other mission teams or another team in the future from the Battle Creek area to complete. Some of the things we accomplished were building two new full bathrooms, moving a vanity into an existing shower room, making a true utility room with a utility sink and washer/dryer combination unit. This included all the electrical and plumbing needed for these spaces to support the items installed. Our team learned of the challenges in doing such large projects in remote areas. There were no stores such as Lowes, Home Depot, Menard’s, or big box stores to go to for supplies. There were two local suppliers that we made many trips to for items that were needed. Our team adapted as needed based on the availability or unavailability of items. Completing these projects was a tremendous and much needed change to an existing apartment and the church community space.
Our team held Vacation Bible School (VBS) for the community – opened to all that desired to attend. We provided a meal at the beginning of each evening for ALL in attendance – parents, family members, supporters, and children. During VBS, many of the family members stayed and participated or talked with members of the team and shared their journey to Nome or their lives as a generational Nome community member. These interactions provided for the community to share what they were proud of and, in some cases, share their concerns and needs of the people of Nome, individually and as a group.
Mornings were a time of reflection and space for some of the team members. There were early risers that walked around Nome – probably every street and area that was in town, and those that chose to go to the edge of the Bering Sea and enjoy the peace while searching for sea glass and listening to the waves at high tide. Being together, with God as our guide, allowed us to feel His presence and prepared us for the day ahead. These moments were impactful and will be deeply missed.
Our team worked well together in preparing our breakfast and dinner. The location, stores, availability of perishable items, and space to store those items required planning. Grocery shopping for the next day was required each evening, setting up for breakfast was required, dinner was cooked each night, and the dishwasher was run at least once per day - usually twice! There were those that planned and prepared most of the evening meals and cleaned up from those meals. Their work allowed our team to enjoy wonderful meals and great fellowship after long hours of mission work. Each evening, after VBS, clean-up from the meal, and construction work, devotions were held along with a team member that would journal the daily happenings. This allowed our team to reflect on all that was happening and how this journey was impacting us individually.
The team interacted each weekday with the Elders and members of the Nome community by sharing prayers and lunch at the XYZ Senior Center. This was a source of great spiritual connection for our team members. Immersing the team with members of the indigenous community, being present, and listening to their stories and history. The team was able to witness hymns being played on instruments and sung in Iñupiaq, an official Alaskan Native language. The language is beautiful and this sharing allowed our team to be immersed in culture and language in ways that had not been experienced by most. This experience brought many of our members to tears. This was a true Alaskan cultural experience that the members of the Nome community shared while welcoming us to their metaphorical “living rooms.”
A moment that changed perspective for many of the team members occurred midweek. As our lead pastor for the journey, Rev. Julie Elmore, had previously served in Nome. Rev. Julie has a relationship with the current pastor at Community UMC, and she was asked to perform a funeral service for two members of the pastor’s family while in town. Our entire team attended the funeral service as a show of support and respect. The service was very different from what is witnessed in Battle Creek, or even the lower 48. During the service, Iñupiaq and English was spoken. The funeral service was very moving and felt by all team members who witnessed the grief of the family. Before burial, as one of the deceased was a military veteran, one of our team members offered to perform Military Honors for the family. Our team member and our local liaison, also a veteran, performed Military Honors for the decedent. This act of kindness brought a connection to the family and community that was unexpected and well received.
A word that was brought up often during the journey was “awe.” I believe that all members were awed by the beauty, kindness, way of life, and all-around experiences while in Nome. We witnessed the way of life in a small village that has no road to access the entire state, requiring barges and airplanes to bring their supplies for food, building supplies, medical supplies, vehicles, and any other needs for the community. Prices were much higher, time was much slower, and the sun never set…not really.
A MICHIGAN TEAM SERVED IN PUERTO RICO
The Ann Arbor First UMC Youth Group sent 11 youth and 5 adults to Camp Corson, Jayuya, Puerto Rico from June 20-27, 2026. We went to Puerto Rico with the goal of being good neighbors. In our evening devotions we studied Bible passages about loving God, our selves, our friends, and our neighbors. We practiced this daily with the people we met, whether at camp, in Jayuya, or at the COSSAO clinic. Rosangelica Acevedo was our gracious host and friend.
To symbolize how we were “spreading the neighborhood of God” we each wore bracelets with a 3D printed representation of the rose window in our sanctuary and beads representing each day of our devotions. When we met someone who became a neighbor, we gave them a bracelet like ours. Everyone at camp, most of the folks at COSSAO, and a few random folks now have lasting symbols of our friendship.
Our task at Camp Corson was to plant up to 400 coffee trees. The previous trees had been damaged in Hurricane Maria, and the beans can be a great source of income for the camp. Our team and the camp staff planted and watered 360 trees in 3 days and were only kept from the final 40 because their locations had not yet been marked. We also did some landscaping, gardening, painting, and maintenance at the camp. At COSSAO we reorganized their food pantry and storage area and distributed food to clients who came for medical assistance.
When not working we explored Jayuya and a nearby waterfall, played games, and spent the last few hours enjoying Old San Juan before returning home.
UMVIM, SEJ News for June 2026
June’s UMVIM, SEJ Newsletter features a personal note from Matt, anniversary t-shirts for sale, and a program for young adult mission team leaders!
Wisconsin team served with Reelfoot Rural Ministry
Here’s a story from a Wisconsin team that served with Reelfoot Rural Ministry on October 2025.
Illinois Great Rivers partners with Mary Johnston Hospital
Mary Johnson Hospital - Healing Together
"Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord." — James 5:14 (NRSVUE)
Ministry Engagement at Mary Johnston Hospital
In December 2024, we visited Mary Johnston Hospital in Tondo, Manila, at the invitation of the hospital leadership to support its healing ministry. During the visit, we delivered a lecture to Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) students, participated in a feeding program for underprivileged children, and helped support the renovation of a hospital room for children with cancer. These activities contributed to the hospital’s mission of holistic care by addressing the community's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Partnership and the Wesley Room Renovation
A highlight of the visit was the launch of the “Wesley Room” project, which involved renovating a patient room dedicated to caring for children with cancer. The renovation was supported by generous donations from Bradley Wesley United Methodist Church and Saint Mark United Methodist Church, Kankakee, to the Philippines Partnership Advance Specials of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference (IGRC). Both churches made monthly financial contributions to the Philippines Partnership Advance Specials until the renovation is complete, demonstrating the United Methodist Church’s connectional mission and commitment to spreading Christ’s healing ministry across communities and nations.
Fundraising Support for the Renovation
In addition to monthly support, Bradley Wesley United Methodist Church held a fundraising event on April 27, 2025, to advance the renovation project at Mary Johnston Hospital. This effort demonstrated the congregation’s commitment to global mission and partnership, helping ensure that the hospital can continue its ministry of healing for patients in need.
Continuing the Ministry of Healing
Founded in 1906 through the missionary efforts of Dr. Rebecca Parrish, Mary Johnston Hospital remains the only United Methodist Church hospital in the Philippines. Located in the densely populated community of Tondo, the hospital continues to serve individuals and families facing both medical and financial hardships. Through the dedication of healthcare workers, chaplains, and mission partners, the hospital embodies the biblical call in James 5 to pray for the sick and care for those in need. The Wesley Room now stands as a symbol of the shared commitment of the churches of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference to bring healing, hope, and compassion to vulnerable communities.
UMVIM, SEJ News for May 2026: Remembering Dr. Hal Crosswell, Project Openings, and more!
UMVIM, SEJ Remembers Dr. Hal Crosswell and his ministry in Haiti, projects requesting Summer mission teams, and more!
