Share your stories

Send the story of collecting Cleaning kits to [email protected]

#vaumc #collectingtogether #everybucketcounts #UMCOR

Trinity, Richmond (Three Notch’d District)

By the Rev. Hung Su Lim, Associate Pastor
As Trinity kicked off the fall, the whole congregation gathered to share faith and celebrate the mission. Even before the conference call on cleaning kit collection, United Women in Faith initiated a mission project to collect the cleaning kits. As we learned about the Hurricane and the call from UMCOR requesting cleaning buckets, we extended the invitation to collect cleaning kits to the congregation. Trinity is grateful for assembling 41 buckets and joining in prayer for the hurricane victims and those helping them.

Ebenezer, Stafford (Mission Rivers District)

Ebenezer Church in Stafford County has donated 50 cleaning buckets and 50 hygiene kits towards the goal of 4,677 set by the VA Conference. The United Methodist Men of Ebenezer led the effort to collect supplies, donations, and shop to fill the buckets. Many families gathered on Saturday, Nov. 5 to fellowship, organize, and get the job done. Ebenezer Missions and Outreach funding was pleased to support this effort on behalf of all the families in our congregation who wish to help those affected by this year’s catastrophic flooding and other natural disasters.   

Grace, Newport News (Coastal Virginia District)

By Gloria Moore, Co-chair Mission Committee Grace UMC. Newport News VA
With so many nonprofit events going on during the month of Oct including the Breast Cancer Walks, Alzheimer’s Walk, CROP Walks and one of the church’s favorite “Operation Christmas Child” pack a shoe box, we decided to do something a bit different for our church. We asked members to sponsor kits or half kits by simply donating the cost to buy the items needed to assemble the kit. No shopping was required. We had enough money donated to assemble 11 kits.

Northern Virginia District Bucket Delivery

The Rev. Larry Thompson, Northern Virginia District Director of Operations, and his son, dropped off 1,000 cleaning kits collected by NoVA District churches. Thank you NoVA District for responding to the call! Special thanks to all who helped unload the kits!

#vaumc #collectingtogether #everybucketcounts #UMCOR

Bethlehem UMC, Rocky Mount (Mountain View District)

From the Rev. Jason Bryan, Pastor: “It started with a prayer for just one bucket and faith there would be more than that. It ended with a promise of three and then a collection that allowed for a total of 12 complete buckets! The church quickly raised over $700, materials were gathered and on a Sunday after worship, a group gathered to assemble the buckets. My folks were moved deeply by the scenes from recent hurricane activity and reflected on what they would want were they to be in that situation. I am so thankful for their generosity and faith in God’s providence”   

Zion (Seaford) UMC (Mission Rivers District)

Zion UMC in Seaford, on the Mission Rivers District, held a mission Sunday in September where the congregation helped put together 100 buckets. 

Christ (Norfolk) UMC (Coastal Virginia District)

Christ UMC Norfolk is happy to contribute nine cleaning buckets for the urgent appeal from UMCOR.

Wesley (Vienna) UMC (Northern Virginia District)

Wesley UMC in Vienna is considered by some to be a small church. Small congregations are known to be mighty in their actions. And Wesley is no exception. When the call came out to help those in need, the great people of Wesley responded. Financial donations more than doubled our expectations. We were able to put together more buckets than planned! Almost the whole congregation, including children and youth, stayed after worship to help put together 30 UMCOR Cleaning Buckets. We even had one senior adult with some mobility issues who thought to bring a stroller so she could put her bucket in the stroller and push it along to fill it. The buckets were delivered the next day to Andrew Chapel UMC. We had a great time filling our buckets and talking about how wonderful it is to be part of a connectional system. We thought about the importance of ‘our hands’ filling the buckets while ‘their hands’ would receive them and how wonderful it would feel to know that others cared. Our prayers are for those who are still in recovery mode, and we hope they know how much they are loved by God. 

Cherrydale UMC (Northern Virginia District)

Cherrydale UMC put together 20 flood buckets on Sunday and collected money for more. 

Wood’s UMC (Living Waters District)

This picture was taken on October 4, 2022 at Wood’s UMC in South Chesterfield, VA. We are members of the Living Waters District. The occasion was Charge Conference presided over by the Rev. James Cary, District Superintendent.

Good Shepherd UMC (Northern Virginia District)

Thank you to our youth, Women’s Bible study, Sunday School classes, individuals, and families who supported our Cleaning Bucket collection. 23 buckets were transported today to begin their journey to UMCOR.

Galilee UMC (Northern Virginia District)

Below is the picture Galilee UMC shared with its congregation last week thanking them for their support. The church set out to build 10 buckets, but collected enough to create 26! The associate pastor, the Rev. Steve Hall, led the effort to gather all the supplies and the youth assembled them.

Trinity-Chesterfield (Three Notch’d District)

When the request came to build buckets for disaster response, I asked our youth to champion the mission, suggesting a goal of 20 buckets. They laughed at me and set a bold goal of 50 completed kits. On October 30, Trinity-Chesterfield assembled 60 cleaning buckets and will send a donation to UMCOR to cover the cost of 18 more!  We gathered on Sunday to celebrate how we serve in October, beginning with all ages & sizes assembling 60 disaster cleaning buckets. Our pumpkin patch grossed over $20,000, with all proceeds going to community and regional missions. We worshiped, shared faith stories, presented kids with their first Bibles, and of course, shared a meal as a community of faith. Trinity UMC – loving, giving, serving.

>

Sydenstricker UMC (Northern Virginia District)

Helping hands of all sizes gathered at Sydenstricker UMC to build 24 flood buckets.

Valley Ridge District Churches

First UMC, Salem is preparing to pack 100 buckets on Sunday, Oct 30; Fincastle UMC packed six buckets and collected over $700; the Eagle Rock Charge has eight buckets ready to be blessed on Sunday, Oct. 30, Churchville Cooperative Parish assembled eight kits! Large, small, and medium size churches are stepping up in a BIG way for the UMCOR bucket mission.

Ivy Creek UMC (Three Notch’d District)

Crenshaw UMC (Living Waters District)

By Sue Mayo, Mission Team Leader
The youth at Crenshaw United Methodist Church in Blackstone were anxious to assemble flood buckets to help families throughout the U.S. that have been affected by all the floods. They assembled six buckets. They were blessed during worship and picked up by our District Superintendent Jay Carey of the Living Water District at Charge Conference.

Grace UMC (Parksley) (Coastal Virginia District)

By the Rev. Bill McClung, Pastor
When the Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church asks churches to make four clean-up buckets to help replenish an overdrawn supply. Grace UMC – Parksley, VA steps up and makes seven. So thankful for their missional heart! Praying for those who will benefit from these kits. Big things happening in Parksley, Virginia!

Leesburg UMC (Shenandoah River District)

By the Rev. Jim Wishmyer, Pastor

When our Ministry Leadership Team first discussed our response to the Flood Bucket appeal, one person said, “I think we can do more than four.”

Another said, “We should be able to do 10… I hope.”

Then I said, “Let’s believe God for 30!” So we did.

I said we’ll supply the buckets – which we did from our Missions Fund.

On Sunday, October 2, we had all 30 buckets in our fellowship hall and simply challenged our church families to each take one. And so they did. Some took one, others took two, some took four. One older member raised their hand in worship and asked, “Can we donate the funds for several buckets, because we cannot get out and do the shopping?” “Of course!”

He then promised to pay for four. Others of our older members did the same. When all was “said and done” along with some of our older members committing to pay for the cleaning supplies, all 30 were either taken or paid for, with commitments for eight more. Then our preschool committed to do three or four.

I shared this in an email with our Missions Team in the middle of the week and said, “I should have said, ‘Let’s believe God for 50!’”

One member quickly responded with, “Why not! Let’s do 50!” We all agreed because “God [truly] is able to do far more than we can ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20)!

He went out and purchased 20 more buckets with lids.

After our second Sunday (Oct 9), we have almost all 50 accounted for!

I forgot to mention, another member stepped up to pay the $3 for each bucket we donate.

By the way, we prepared special stickers (no religious symbols per instructions; “May have advertising”) that we have placed on the outside bottom of the buckets (see below).

I believe the key to all of this was: we purchased buckets from our mission fund, prayed, and then invited families to do one (or more).

Now we just need to deliver them… 

To God be the glory!

Mineral UMC (Three Notch’d District)

Mineral UMC in Mineral, Va.  Part of the Mineral-Mount Pleasant Charge. Collected 18 buckets!! On its way to the district’s collection site! 

McKinley UMC (Mission River District)

Gary Riley Lay Supply Pastor blessing the cleaning kits that McKinley UMC will be donating to UMCOR.  One kit is from the Sunday School class and the other two are from the congregation

First United Methodist Church (Hopewell)

Carol and Thurman Elmore delivered our first Cleaning Buckets to the Living Waters District Office from First UMC (Hopewell). Every bucket makes a difference!