United Methodists seek to improve the quality of life and opportunities for all God’s people. Asbury supports this effort through active participation in a number of humanitarian works within our community and around the world.
- Disaster Response Team (DiRT)
- Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) MobilePack
- Mission Columbus
- Pit Stop
- Red Bird Mission
- Youth Workcamp Mission Trips
Disaster Response Team (DiRT)
This ministry grew out of Asbury’s long term commitment to be there for other people in times of disaster. Since our first “Mission to Mississippi” in 2006 to rebuild homes, lives and faith following Hurricane Katrina, Asbury has maintained a Disaster Response Team. It was solidified when Asbury served as the UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Disaster Response Headquarters during the Columbus, Indiana flood of 2008. Crews from this ministry have been deployed following the Tuscaloosa, Alabama tornadoes of 2011, and the Henryville/Holton, Indiana tornadoes of 2012.
Members of this response team must be certified by UMCOR, and receive appropriate training for serving in disaster areas.The physical work performed by this team has been as diverse as the needs of those affected, however, our core mission remains constant:
To provide a caring Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster.
DiRT History
- 2018: Hurricane Harvey, Beaumont, TX
- 2017: Hurricane Harvey, Beaumont, TX
- 2013: Tropical Storm Debbie, Live Oak, FL
- 2012: Henryville / Holton, IN Tornadoes
- 2011: Cumberland Flood / Tornadoes, Nashville, TN
- 2010: Cedar/Iowa River Flood, Oakville, IA
- 2009: Hurricanes Ike and Rita, Beaumont, TX
- 2008: Columbus Flood – UMCOR Disaster Relief HQ
- 2008: Hurricane Katrina, Gulfport and Biloxi, MS
- 2007: Hurricane Katrina, Gulfport and Biloxi, MS
- 2006: Hurricane Katrina, Gulfport and Biloxi, MS
Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) MobilePack
Thank you for helping make the 2019 Feed My Starving Children MobilePack event at Asbury a success! With your help we packed 163,296 meals during the event. This is enough food to feed 447 children for a year!!
Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: volunteers hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and the meals are shipped to food distribution partners in nearly 50 countries around the world. For more information about FMSC, click here.
How does a MobilePack work? FMSC brings raw ingredients, equipment, and trained staff. The funds and “people power” to produce meals come from volunteers within and around Columbus.
Food-packing takes place in two-hour shifts, with adults and children (Ages 5 and up) filling and sealing bags at work stations. Volunteers can sign up as individuals or register with families, friends, coworkers, athletic teams, etc.
Answers to other Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.
As a MobilePack host, Asbury UMC has committed to cover the costs of meals, but we cannot do it alone. We encourage area churches, businesses, schools, organizations and individuals to help us make this dream come true through prayer, monetary donations and physical support.
Asbury MobilePack Events
Asbury United Methodist Church has hosted 8 MobilePack Events. 1,380,240 meals have been packed by over 6,250 volunteers. This represents enough meals to feed 3,781 children for an entire year. We could not have accomplished our goals without the work and support of the many people, churches, and organizations in Columbus and the surrounding community. Thank you!
Team Sign-up and Fundraising
Participating as part of a team is a lot of fun. We encourage you to get your teams organized early so that when registration opens you can get everyone registered for the shift of your choosing. Team fund raising events are encouraged, too. It is estimated that each person packs one box. The cost of one box of meals is $50.00. Registration will be open to volunteer for the MobilePack about 4 weeks before the event.
Gifts
You can still make a donation to the Asbury Feed My Starving Children MobilePack in honor of your parents, children, grandchildren, friend, neighbor, co-worker or anyone else you want to bless at the FMSC site. You can also donate through Asbury’s online giving service.
In the Beginning
We first became aware of Feed My Starving Children in the fall of 2011 when a group from Asbury went to a Mobilepack event at another church in southern Indiana. From that first event, we were convinced this was something God was calling us to do. We realized we could change the lives of people around the world from right here in Columbus. (And we could do it without getting on a plane!) We also knew this was a great opportunity to work with other people to make this happen.
The first Mobilepack at Asbury took place in 2012, and we have not looked back. We have been blessed as people from many churches, service organizations, and local companies have supported these events with volunteer time and donations.
The History of Asbury MobilePack Events
Asbury United Methodist Church has completed 8 MobilePack Events. This is a list of what happened at each of our previous MobilePacks. We know we could not have accomplished our goals without the work and support of the many people, churches, and organizations in the Columbus and the surrounding community. Thank you!
| Year | Goal | Actual Meals Packed | Volunteers | Children Fed for 1 Year |
| 2012 | 123,000 | 125,064 | 600 | 342 |
| 2013 | 116,000 | 122,256 | 575 | 334 |
| 2014 | 150,000 | 163,296 | 780 | 447 |
| 2015 | 200,000 | 233,280 | 1080 | 639 |
| 2016 | 200,000 | 209,952 | 1000 | 575 |
| 2017 | 200,000 | 202,176 | 898 | 553 |
| 2018 | 155,000 | 160,920 | 750 | 440 |
| 2019 | 155,000 | 163,296 | 750 | 447 |
| Total | 1,380,240 | >6250 | 3,781 |
Mission Columbus
Mission Columbus is an on-going local ministry of Asbury United Methodist Church. We provide case work and home construction in the Columbus area. The repairs are completed by mixed ages of volunteers from Asbury and the community.
Mission Statement
Be living witnesses of God’s Love, Christ’s redemption and the Kingdom of Heaven through service and ministry associated with repair and construction of homes in Columbus, IN.
Operational Plan
Operational planning and strategic growth will be led by prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit. Asbury will assemble volunteer teams to provide home repair and construction assistance to homeowners living in the greater Columbus community, who due to their life situations cannot perform or afford to complete this work on their own. Embedded with the construction work will be spiritual care for the residents, their neighbors and the volunteer workers themselves.
Eligible Projects
Eligible projects for this ministry will be home repair with the objective to repair and restore a client’s dwelling to warm, dry and functional condition, or construction necessary to provide the resident with basic dignified housing.
- This ministry is not intended to be a provider of home improvement or remodeling to increase property value beyond its original “repaired” condition.
- Typical work performed will include, but not necessarily limited to painting, siding installation, roofing, deck and ramp construction, winterization, dry wall repair, handicap accessible modifications, fencing, landscaping & draining management, window & door replacement, restoration framing, etc.
- Funding for Mission Columbus projects is addressed in detail in the “FUNDING” section of this proposal. However, the general understanding should be … “if you can afford the materials, Asbury will provide the labor and tools to build it or install it”
Eligible Projects are classified into three types:
- Light
- Light – Simple, quick turn home repair … changing light bulbs, replacing toilets, caulking windows, painting a door, etc.
- Light Projects will be on an as needed, as available basis. Goal is to develop a couple standing “SWAT” teams to respond to these needs.
- Medium
- Medium – “Workcamp” 1 & 2 Team Projects…. Spread out over ~6 months
- Medium Projects will be pursued at a work load of 2-3 per year, targeting one work day per month and a couple of 2-3 day “blitz” events per year.
- Heavy
- Whole House Building Blitz…will not be pursued at this time.
Homeowner and Funding Information
- Case workers will appraise projects prior to starting work, assessing spiritual care, home repair & financial assistance needs of residents.
- Liability Waivers: No project shall start until the homeowner has signed a liability and workmanship guarantee waiver.
- Case workers, prior to starting work on any project, will determine the home owner’s ability to pay for their part of the project.
- Funding: The presumptive funding model for every project is that Homeowner will be responsible for cost of building materials, consumables, necessary permits, surveys and inspections. Asbury will provide skilled volunteer labor, donated tools, food for work teams, spiritual resources & materials, communication and publicity.When homeowners cannot cover all material costs, Asbury may assist with securing external funding from applicable community social services.
- Once available social service funding has been exhausted, Asbury DiRT funds may be available to make up difference in material costs.
- Case worker and construction manager will determine the amount of Asbury DiRT funding to be budgeted to each project. Based on identified funding through to the end of 2016, this ministry can sustain a cash flow rate of roughly $5000 / a 6 month period.
- All Mission Columbus funding commitments shall be planned to insure that the Youth Mission Trip can continue as in the past, including availability of scholarship money, so that any Youth who wishes to participate may do so
Volunteer Requirements
- All volunteers from age 14 to adult are welcomed.
- All volunteers must sign a liability waiver before working on any job site and have proof of health & accident insurance. The liability waiver for a minor must be signed by a parent or guardian and notarized. A Minor Consent to Treat Form must also be completed by a parent or guardian for all minors. All volunteers are required to read and sign the Code of Conduct form.
- Work teams will be made up of adult and youth (14 yrs / entering 9th grade) volunteers. The youth to adult ratio shall be no greater than 4:1. Adult volunteers must follow Asbury’s Child and Youth Protection Policy while working with volunteers under the age of 18.
- Trained members of the Disaster Response Team (known as “Red Shirts”) will be the construction managers. Red Shirts will provide skills training, work planning, prayers, tools, material logistics, and prayers.
Volunteer Forms
Pit Stop
Pit Stop started in 2007 serving lunch to the high school students in grades 10, 11, and 12 during their lunch break every Thursday from 11:00-12:30. For only $4, students may have up to 4 Soft Tacos with beef or chicken, grated cheese, lettuce, taco sauce, sour cream, Spicy Ranch dressing, Nacho cheese and chips, cookies, and drink.
This opportunity to invite youth to Asbury’s lower level youth area for lunch and Christian fellowship is possible because of the local high schools’ open campus lunch policy and our proximity to North High School.
Where did the name “Pit Stop” come from?
The youth enter the doors at the Pit area outside by the parking lot. AND……
Pray for your peers
Invite them to lunch
Tell them the Good News
The students lovingly call Pit Stop “TACO CHURCH”.
In 2007, we started with 24 students and 3 cooks. Now we have 300 students and at least 13 cooks.
The servers have devotion and pray before serving meals each Thursday.
The home baked cookies are a huge hit with the students and have become our signature feature.
Now we have over 40 cookie bakers scheduled throughout the school year baking 48 dozen cookies a week.
Over 30 people have sponsored students who can’t pay for their lunch or have made a donation.
If you would like to provide cookies or are available to help serve the food, please contact the church office at 812-372-4555.
Red Bird Mission
Red Bird Mission has been providing ministries in the Appalachian Mountains since 1921. Today the need remains critical in this isolated, rural distressed area. Chronic poverty, lack of jobs, poor housing, and rugged mountainous terrain provide obstacles to a fuller life for the residents of this area. Red Bird Mission strives to meet these needs through ministry in five areas: Education, Health and Wellness, Community Outreach, Economic Opportunity, and Community Housing Improvement.
Asbury supports this mission by annually sending a group volunteers in mission. This work camp strives to provide home repair for low-income community residents and maintenance for Mission buildings and grounds. Some examples of work projects are roof replacement, small room additions, painting, building porches or ramps, and grounds keeping.
The video from the 2019 Redbird Trip can be seen here.
More information may be found at the Red Bird Mission website.
Youth Workcamp Mission Trips
This is a ministry for involving youth and adults in a one week workcamp experience ministering to those in need. The need may be the result of poverty or a natural disaster. Some of the previous workcamps have been:
- 1994: Bolliver, TN – Group Ministry
- 1995: Fairmont, WV – Group Ministry
- 1996: Cherokee, NC – Group Ministry
- 1997: Windsor, VT – Group Ministry
- 1998: Orangeville, OT – Group Ministry
- 1999: Forest City, PA – Group Ministry
- 2000: Smithers, WV – Group Ministry
- 2001: Halifax, NC – Group Ministry
- 2002: Sault St. Marie, MI – Group Ministry
- 2003: Cookeville, TN – Group Ministry
- 2004: Farwell, MI – Group Ministry
- 2005: Marshfield, MA – Group Ministry
- 2006: Gulfport, MS – Hurricane Katrina “Operation Big House”
- 2007: Gulfport, MS – Hurricane Katrina “Live Out Loud”
- 2008: Gulfport, MS – Hurricane Katrina “Who? (do you want your GOD to be)”
- 2009: Beaumont, TX – Hurricane Ike & Rita “God’s Party”
- 2010: Oakville, IA Cedar/Iowa River Flood “Ready Yourselves”
- 2011: Nashville, TN Tornado & Cumberland River Flood “Not About Me”
- 2012: Tuscaloosa, AL – “Called 2 Be Sent”
- 2013: Live Oak, FL – “Called 2 Live”
- 2014: Scioto Co, OH – Reach Ministry
- 2015: Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Reach Ministry
- 2016: Nitro, WV – Group Ministry
- 2016: Cocke County, TN – Appalachia Service Project
- 2017: Rockport, OH – Group Ministry
- 2017: Whitley City, KY – Appalachia Service Project
- 2018: Knoxville, TN – Group Ministry
- 2018: Appalachia Service Project
- 2019: Appalachia Service Project
For more information about upcoming Youth Mission Trips, head to the Youth Connection Page.