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“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ – Matthew 25:40 NIV
Go Team members plan ways our Aldersgate Family can reach out and help people in our community and beyond. You can help in many ways – by praying, volunteering and/or donating. When everyone does a little, we can accomplish a lot. For more information contact Stacie DiGiacoma, Aldersgate Go Team.
The Good Samaritan Fund provides urgent/temporary assistance to individuals/families for such things as rent or utility bills. Donations mainly come from the congregation on Communion Sundays. Referral phone calls from people who urgently need assistance are received in the church office and documented for Friendship House where the applicants are screened. There is currently much need in our community. Look for specially marked donation baskets during Communion at both services.
Aldersgate’s ministry to bring comfort to families experiencing homelessness in the area continues. Together with a network of several other churches, we support Family Promise of New Castle County, which helps these families regain their independence by securing permanent housing and developing the tools for long-lasting sustainability.
Aldersgate’s role is to feed these families for a week, three to four times per year. We provide groceries to the Family Promise cottage for breakfast and lunch. Each night of our assigned week, we prepare and serve dinner at the campus, about twenty minutes from our church. Two or three dinner hosts cook (or buy) dinner off-site and join the Aldersgate coordinator around 6 p.m. as we sit down to eat with our guests. Dinner lasts about an hour. Flexibility is key. If you would like to serve, or have questions about how you can contribute, please reach out to Brian Merritt.
Aldersgate’s Little Free Pantry opened in the Spring of 2023, led by Brownie Troop 286. The mini pantry movement is a grassroots, crowdsourced solution for immediate and local needs. Mini pantries help neighbors feed neighbors and nourish neighborhoods. Donations of non-perishable food as well as personal hygiene items can be put into the pantry at any time. The Little Free Pantry is accessible on the entryway next to the church entrance on the Panera side of the building.
The red shopping carts outside the church office are available at all times to donate non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene items. Items in these carts are regularly donated to the Neighborhood House Food Pantry in Southbridge.
Members of our church have been feeding the hungry at Emmanuel Dining Room (EDR) on the sixteenth of the month for many years. Any combination of 3 to 4 people can prepare a meal. Persons from a group you are part of, like a Sunday School class, can prepare a meal. As a member of Aldersgate, you can invite non-Aldersgate folks such as friends, co-workers or family to help you with the meal. Participants must be at least 18 years of age. What an opportunity for witnessing!
Three to four people shop for, prepare and plate the meal in the Emmanuel Dining Room kitchen. Also, if within budget, some of the food can be ordered. We have a few standard menus and a protocol to help anyone who has not participated before. Gloves and hair cover are required and are provided at EDR. Guidance and support is available from previous participants. Aldersgate reimburses expenses. The time commitment on the day is from about 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This is truly a hands-on ministry! We are looking for volunteers throughout the year. Can you help? Contact Anne Murray if you have questions.
Volunteers are needed each month to distribute free food boxes provided by the Longwood Foundation’s HOPP ministry to anyone in need in our community. (HOPP stands for Harvest Outreach People Project.) We gather in the Aldersgate parking lot at 12:15 p.m. to set up and get organized, and then distribute boxes from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m.
Volunteers are needed to hold up signs at the curb on Concord Pike, direct the flow of cars to our distribution point as they come in, and place boxes into cars. Volunteers can also help pack the food into bags/boxes at Asbury UMC on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or from 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
This is a rewarding, hands-on ministry that directly serves our local community and also provides opportunity for fellowship. We enjoy each other’s company and have the chance to get to know each other a little bit better as we help our neighbors! This is also a great way to invite others to get involved with Aldersgate who are interested in serving the community – so feel free to invite a friend! Feel free to come by at 12:15 p.m. to help. All are welcome! Contact Rachel Domenick or the church office for more information.
We join with our brothers and sisters at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church for our annual Harvest Food Festival. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to help provide emergency food to families in need in our surrounding community.
Aldersgate collects financial donations as well as non-perishable food items.
Our donations provide support to several food pantries in the Wilmington area, including Neighborhood House, Sunday Breakfast Mission, St. Helena’s, St. Patrick’s Center, and Ezion-Mt. Carmel UMC.
You can also make an online financial donation by visiting http://aldersgatede.org/donate
The Christmas Joy Program provides gifts or gift cards to individuals through several local agencies to help make their Christmas more enjoyable. Participants are asked to select a specifically-requested item to buy or to purchase requested gift cards for the clients of these agencies.
For over 15 years, Aldersgate has held a large, well-organized rummage sale to serve our constituents and the community by enabling recycling of our treasures to new homes at inexpensive prices. Over 150 adults and youth work together on this common project, enhancing friendships and a sense of community.
The Sale is held once a year, always occurring on the Saturday after Easter. Preparation week begins the day before Easter and continues from Monday through Friday after Easter. Clean-up is done immediately after the sale on Saturday afternoon. Leftover items are donated to other non-profit organizations. Proceeds from the sale are given to the church after a tithe to a worthy non-profit, which changes annually.
Most of the work is done at the church during the sale preparation week and on sale day. Donations of baked goods to the bake sale would be made at home. Volunteers can work as much or as little as they wish. This is a great place to involve family and friends. For more information, contact Nancy Hough or the church office.
United Women in Faith (UWF) is a community of women who develop a creative, supportive fellowship and expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church. With a focus on women, children and youth, UWF pursues activities to act for justice and transform communities. Aldersgate has three active circle groups who usually meet monthly and an executive board. There are flexible opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship and volunteering. There are zoom links for some special programs. For more information, contact
Throughout the year, there are special collections in response to ongoing or one-time community needs.
UMCOR (United Methodist Commission on Relief)
UMCOR provides relief to refugees, immigrants, and/or rescue workers nationally and internationally and to those suffering from hunger, poverty or disasters. For over 60 years, the Aldersgate community has devoted a special hour of sharing for this program. The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is usually on the 4th Sunday of Lent. For additional information visit umcor.org.