Missions
One of the primary driving forces in our Christian lives to which we give great attention at KUMC is our call to serve others and express to them through our actions the loving grace that God has offered to us through Jesus Christ. KUMC provides various opportunities for members to serve not only in local areas, through working with Feed My Lambs and Society of St. Stephen and helping with Houston home repair organization Rebuilding Together Houston, but also by sending out foreign and domestic mission teams each year. We also provide financial and prayer support for a number of missionaries and mission organizations throughout the world. Our task is to reach out to others with hearts and hands to provide hope and healing for all of God’s people. Church members are encouraged to participate in outreach and missions, and to share Christ’s love with the world.

Call Rev. Judy Tefteller for information on the opportunities below.

Feed My Lambs One of the most exciting ongoing areas of service in our congregation is the Feed My Lambs program. Initially designed to feed children in the Porter/New Caney area a sack lunch in the summer, it has now expanded to a year-round program where senior adults and families with children are given lunches and groceries. During the summer months the sack lunch program operates out of The Mission located in New Caney and the White Oak Apartments on Ford Road four days a week. During the school year needy residents of the White Oak Apartments are fed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Several local area churches and philanthropic organizations provide the volunteer help and financial assistance to purchase food supplies. Contact Toni Hauser for more information or to volunteer to work. All family members are invited to participate.

Local Missions Projects Local mission projects help people in need right here in our community. They can include completing home repairs for Rebuilding Together Houston (RTH) or assisting in minor home repairs for members who are unable to do the repairs for themselves. Painting, replacing siding and flooring, to building wheelchair ramps are just a few of the projects. RTH projects are usually in the fall and early spring. Contact Randy Crum to find out how you can help. Youth are strongly encouraged to participate in these programs alongside adults.

Society of St. Stephen (SOSS) Located conveniently across the street from KUMC on Crystal Springs Drive, Society of St. Stephen is a 501c3 community outreach assistance ministry serving persons living in the Humble, New Caney, and Splendora school districts. Each week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9 a.m. to 11:30 am families are given help with food, clothing and limited financial assistance. In it's 26th year, this 100% volunteer organization provides hope to over 400+ individuals each week. SOSS has three special projects every year – a Back-to-School drive for school supplies, backpacks and vouchers for new shoes; Thanksgiving food Baskets; and Christmas food Baskets and gifts for children. You can help us be the hands, feet and heart of Christ by 1) donating gently-used clothing, linens, small household items, food and baby food/ formaula and supplies; 2) volunteering to work in one of the various components of SOSS- office, pantry, clothes or on one of our special projects during the year and/or 3) giving a financial contribution that will be used to purchase food or help pay utility bills. For more information, please contact Lynn Harper at pharper5@embarqmail.com or 281-359-5535. SOSS Office Phone 281-358-7722 Office Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9:00am to 11:30am

Methodist Children's Home in Waco METHODIST CHILDREN’S HOME in Waco provides custodial care for children and family counseling. At the home children live in “family” units with house parents to supervise. The home seeks to provide the best in counseling, educational help and especially help for the families of the children. Twenty or more persons from the Home to attend UMARMY with our camps each year. You can become a beacon of light in the life of a child by sponsoring them in the home for a year or for UMARMY.

Blood Drives At KUMC we try to help with the continual need for life-giving blood in the Houston area by hosting three blood drives per year. Help is always needed to work with the coordinator to enlist persons to donate blood and also to assist the donors during the drive by signing in, distributing snacks, etc.

UMARMY UMARMY (United Methodist Action Reach-Out Mission by Youth) is an opportunity for youth and adults to experience Christian growth through mission, worship and fellowship. Participants combine their strengths to meet home repair and maintenance needs of those unable to help themselves. It is for students who have completed at least one year of High School. Our church sends 300+ persons to 3 camps each year. We include students from the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco in one of the camps. You can support this ministry through volunteering or through financial assistance. Contact Paul Amos to get involved in this ministry.

Mexico Mission Trips MISSION TO MEXICO is our outreach to small colonias and villages in the state of Tamaulipas. We provide medical, dental, eyeglasses and construction at local church sites over a 2 day period. We have treated as many as 300 persons in the two days. Trips are taken the third weekend in March (during Spring Break) and the second weekend of November. Families with children age 10 and up are welcome to participate. Contact Rev. Judy Tefteller for information. Links Click to view 2006 pictures.

Other International Missions We support numerous missionaries, many of whom were raised right here at KUMC and have now stepped out to serve Christ in international missions. They are: Lowell and Claudia Wertz -- We have supported their Joy in the Harvest mission in Kigoma, Tanzania, for many years. They provide aid to the refugee camps, educational opportunities for the people and transport for medical care. Our church built the first Methodist church in the capital of Tanzania, Dar es Salamm. A team of doctors and nurses held clinics in Kigoma in the spring of 2006. Another medical trip is planned in 2008. Laura Statsir and Ashley Ward -- two of our young adults who grew up in KUMC and are now serving in mission through Young Life. Laura is in the Dominican Republic working at a youth camp program for 3 years and Ashley is in Czechozovakia working with youth in bible studies. Jennifer and Kyle Fraser -- who are working in Argentina on a university campus to provide bible studies for students through Campus Crusade for Christ. Jennifer grew up in KUMC. Beth Bray -- who grew up in KUMC is serving in the state hospital in Romania, working with orphaned infants and toddlers. Her hope is to spread the “good news” as she works with the children and the staff of the hospital. Willie Berman -- the missionary in Mexico arranges all our trips. Our church supports Willie and collaborates through him with the Iglesia Metodista, the Methodist Church in Mexico to bring needed medical and dental clinics and to build houses and churches in villages. Moldova Orphanage -- we support several trips taken by Kingwood residents to several orphanages in this very poor country. We have collected money for backpacks and bedding for these children and have purchased needed medicines and vitamins for the yearly trips to the orphanage. La Casa de Mi Padre --an orphange in El Salvador. It is operated by the daughter of one of our members. Our hope is to take a trip to help build a new orphanage as they have purchased land outside of the city of San Salvador where they are currently located.

Pharr Community Outreach Project The Pharr Community Outreach Project, based in Pharr, Texas, is a wonderful faith-based organization that provides job training, literacy programs, home repair and youth programs for the poor of the Rio Grande Valley. They have classes in sewing and computers. Activities are provided for children and youth throughout the week. They operate a Gift Shop in which they sell items donated from our congregation. You can support this ministry by providing sewing items, household items, art supplies and books. Contact Martha Fleming to get involved in this ministry.

Prison Ministry Through Restorative Justice we minister to those in prisons. We provide weekly Bible studies in both men's and women's prisons. Many of our congregation are involved in the Kairos prison ministry, which provides a spiritual weekend for prisoners. Contact Doug Chapman or Cheryl Patrick to see how you can get involved. Links Find Out More about Our Prison Ministry

Golden Cross Golden Cross was established in 1921 to help persons and families of the churches in our conference who have large medical bills. By cooperating with doctors and medical facilities, Golden Cross is able to get doctors and institutions to discount their services. Your support provides assistance in cutting those costs for needy families. For more information contact Dora Lenz at 713-521-9383.

Family Time Family Time offers family and individual counseling as well as free crisis intervention, counseling, support groups, and legal advocacy to all victims of crime including family violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. Located in downtown Humble this organization provides professional counseling at affordable rates for non-victim issues and a shelter for battered women and their children. You can help by volunteering, by financial donations or by donating gently used items to the Family Time Thrift Shop located in Porter. For information contact them at 281-446-2615.

Other Local Mission Programs OTHER LOCAL MISSION PROGRAMS include financial assistance for: Chaplain Milt May who serves the Atascocita Boot Camp for youth offenders; the Star of Hope Mission in downtown Houston which reaches out to the homeless; Shalom Zone, a ministry of the United Methodist Church providing community services through churches in low-income areas; the Methodist Retirement Community which provides housing for senior adults; grants for families for our School for Little Children; and we provide a Red Cross Shelter. Contact Rev. Judy Tefteller for more information on how you can be involved in any of these programs.