“Living Water” International

Living Water exists to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities in developing countries around the world to acquire desperately needed clean water, and to experience the “living water” –the gospel of Jesus Christ.

RUMC supports Living Water by funding wells and providing mission teams which drill wells, teach hygiene, and share the gospel of Jesus in countries where clean, safe drinking water is not available.


The Open Shelter

The Open Shelter brings hope to homeless men, women, and families. They provide clothing, food assistance, financial management services, and assist with finding adequate housing.

How can I help?  The RUMC congregation provides assistance to the Open Shelter through our donation box located in the Narthex, and also by assisting with some meals and lunches.
Bring any of these items to church:

  • White tube socks (the number one needed item)
  • New underwear
  • New or gently used clothing
  • Blankets, sheets, towels
  • Personal hygiene items

Appalachia Service Project (ASP)

Each summer a team of 25-30 youth and adults journeys to Appalachia and helps make homes for needy families warmer, safer and drier, and shares in Christian fellowship.

Through annual flower sales and ‘Shareholders’ sales we raise over $10,000 each year to cover the cost of supplies and the trip. Although we only participate in the summer, ASP repairs homes year round in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Virginia.

What can I do? To participate in the trip or learn about helping with fund raising and other activities, please call the church office.
To learn more about ASP, visit their website at www.asphome.org.


NNEMAP Food Pantry

The Near Northside Emergency Materials Assistance Program (NNEMAP, pronounced knee-map) located at 1066 North High depends entirely on area churches and caring individuals for support, no government funding is accepted. RUMC has been in partnership with the pantry since 1969.  The pantry serves residents of the near north side of Columbus, including the Weinland Park area. Many families have at least one working member or have some income.
What can I do?

  • Food donations throughout the year.  Items needed on a regular basis are:
    • canned meats and complete boxed meals
    • sugar and flour
    • soups (not chicken noodle)
    • macaroni and cheese or rice
    • cans of vegetables and fruit
    • cereals
    • puddings, Jell-o, peanut butter, jelly
    • pre-sweetened drink mixes
    • baby food in jars (not dinners), baby cereal, baby juice and diapers
    • toilet paper, dry laundry detergent, bar soap
    • brown paper grocery bags
  • Grooming kit items in late fall
  • Lenten Project 5000 that provides a family of four food and supplies
  • Monetary donations
  • Prayers for the client families

Items are collected in a box in the Narthex and are taken weekly to the Pantry.


RUMC Cares

For information about RUMC Cares, a program to assist our church families with moderate, temporary and/or emergency financial needs, contact Pastor David.


Vinton County CARE Ministry

CARE, in MacArthur in southeastern Ohio, provides many essential services to people throughout Vinton County.

How can I help?

Each year we make, bake, and sell the Riverside Men’s Famous Sticky Buns for Christmas mornings. Donations from the sale of Sticky Buns are sent to Vinton County CARE.

With your donations in the fall, we provide gift cards for Thanksgiving dinner.


Habitat for Humanity

In partnership with eight other churches, we help build homes through Greater Columbus Habitat for Humanity. The Habitat program provides affordable housing for people with the assistance of the family who will live in the home and with the time and commitment of many volunteers.

What can I do?  Every Thursday and Saturday we are part of a crew–both skilled and unskilled–working on our Habitat house. Volunteers can choose what days and how many hours they will work. You can help in these areas:

  • Apply your skills in carpentry, roofing, siding, painting, dry walling, finishing and trim work.
  • Family support assistance.
  • Cleaning
  • Assisting at the Habitat offices or the central warehouse.

Each Spring we hold our famous Auction and Luncheon to meet our financial commitment. You can help in these ways:

  • donate new items or a service you’ll provide
  • ask a business you frequent for a donation
  • help set up items for preview display days and silent bidding
  • help with displays the day of the auction
  • assist the day of the auction
  • assist with luncheon preparation and/or cleanup

 Riverside Hospital Sewing Guild

The members of the Guild make many items for patients at Riverside Hospital, including: hats for premature babies, hats for ‘Hugs for Cancer’ patients, burp pads, bags for walkers, lap robes, as well as booklets and aprons for patients dealing with Alzheimers.


Weinland Park Elementary School and Weinland Park Community

Over the past few years, RUMC has intentionally developed a relationship with the inner-city community of Weinland Park, located southeast of the OSU campus and with the Weinland Park Elementary School.
Currently, our main thrust is to provide tutoring and assistance, in a variety of forms, including supplies, to children and teachers at the Weinland Park Elementary School.
In addition, RUMC has partnered with Robert Caldwell and his urban ministry to support a number of initiatives. These include

  • Mentoring students at Weinland Park Elementary, adults and families involvement in community events
  • Helping with current ministries to transform this community.

 


Kairos

“…I was in prison and you visited me.”
— Matthew 25: 36

Kairos is an outreach of the Emmaus Community and is a ministry to residents of Ohio’s correctional institutes to build spiritually-based communities within prison environments.
How can I help?

  • Pray
  • Contribute financially
  • Bake cookies—we need dozens for a weekend!

How can I be on a team? Take part in an Emmaus or Chrysalis weekend.