Small Groups:
Wayland UMC believes that people grow best spiritually and emotionally when they are in healthy Small Groups. We provide short term and long term Small Groups and continually train new leaders so that they can begin new Small Groups. Some of those groups will meet in the church (like the Wednesday morning at 10:30 Small Group led by Mrs. Karen Finch) and some will meet in homes or in restaurants. Please call Pastor Dan (585-694-6947 if you have any questions.
Prison Ministry:
At any given time the Wayland UMC is involved with two to ten persons who are incarcerated or persons transitioning from prison life to the community. We provide training and supervision for persons who send letters or accept phone calls from persons in jail or prison. We send small gifts of food or clothing to people in jails who do not have family support. We participate in “Angel Tree” – a national project of Prison Fellowship – to provide Christmas gifts to children of incarcerated individuals each year. We believe that prison ministry is all about relationships. Jesus commanded us in the gospel to visit prisoners and to consider loving people in prison to be equivalent to loving Jesus.
In As Much:
Due to confidentiality concerns, the In As Much program is administered by the pastor. However, the rest of the church also helps as needed. Sometimes the need is simple – like a tank of gas for someone in the community who wouldn’t be able to make it to work because they have had unexpected financial problems. We give out no money to people, but we pay rent, or provide a ramp, or fix broken windows, or give rides to the doctor or…well it can be almost any urgent need. All these things are done quietly and confidentially, but they close up all kinds of cracks in the social network of our community and beyond.
UMCOR:
The United Methodist Committee on Relief is the primary arm of ministry for the entire United Methodist denomination. There are storehouses and trained staff all over the world and they are always preparing for the next crisis. When there is a flood or a famine or an earthquake UMCOR goes to work. The basic structure of UMCOR is provided by “apportionments” from every United Methodist church in the world. Then, when there is a tragedy, the word is spread and donations are sought for that tragedy. Every dollar given to the tragedy is spent on relief and repair of that tragedy – not on advertising or central office staff salaries. United Methodist are usually very glad to give through UMCOR with the knowledge that their gift is going right to the people who they see in the headlines as suffering and in need.
VIM:
Volunteers in Ministry training and deployment is available for all able bodied volunteers. VIM goes into disaster areas and repairs whatever is destroyed. Our VIMs say, “We are not always the first ones on the scene, but we are the ones who stay until the job is done.” Many VIM’s are retired people. They are always supervised by experienced project leaders and the physical demands of the work are adjusted to the ability of the volunteer. VIM volunteers report that their work is a uniquely satisfying service of the Lord.
In Church Service:
There are many opportunities within the functioning of the church for ministry. Each Sunday we have people who lead the service. There are greeters. The choir can always use good voices. Some folks like providing the coffee hour while others serve by carefully counting and recording the offerings. Cleaning the church and keeping up the grounds happens through willing people stepping up. A developing ministry is our technical crew. Humility and willingness are the two main prerequisites for helping in one of these areas.
Children’s Ministry:
At the present, our only children’s ministry is “Junior Church.” Trained and screened volunteers offer to take children out of the sanctuary into our education area during the sermon time for Bible stories, Bible activities and some fun. Again, relationship is everything. It is hoped that, as the church continues to grow, we will be able to provide a full program for children and youth.