Metro's 99th Anniversary Celebration!

We are excited to announce the details of Metro's upcoming 99th Anniversary Celebration!

Join us on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at University United Methodist Church, as we celebrate the ways that Metro Ministries has been making connections and building bridges this year.

The celebration will begin at 3:30 pm with food, fellowship and music by Simply United. Then around 4:00, we will have opening remarks and words from some of our 2022 grant recipients. We are also planning a few opportunities to join in song. After a break for dessert, Rev. Dr. Aleze Fulbright will deliver the keynote message.

We encourage and welcome honor and memorial gifts to Metro Ministries, and we will name all those recognized. We will wrap up the evening by announcing the Missioner of the Year awards - from your nominations and votes - and will then close with prayer and song.

Online registration is open, with paper invitations being mailed in the next few days. Feel free to register either online or via the mail. Just be sure to register by November 4!

Individual tickets are $40/person. We are also seeking event sponsors at $750, $500 and $250 levels. Sponsors will be recognized during the event.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Children Matter Most Highlights

Folks from across the Indiana Conference gathered this past Saturday at Grace UMC in Franklin, to focus on children and how we can individually and collectively address food insecurity, advocate for nonviolence and seek partnerships with our local schools. 

Rev. Angelo Mante, who is appointed to First Wayne Street UMC and is also the executive director of Alive Community Outreach, set the tone for the day by telling us about the Peacemaker Academy initiative of Alive and how students in Ft. Wayne area schools are standing up to violence and threats by normalizing and celebrating days without violence in the schools.  After prayer and worship with music led by Amy Cox, breakout sessions were available in the morning and afternoon for participants to choose from. The sessions included:

• Interrupting the School to Prison Pipeline
• Foster Care and Adoption
• Hands of Hope, a Family Advocacy Ministry
• Supporting Families with Infants and Young Children through WIC
• Children Matter Most, Sundays and Beyond
• Safe Families
• Growing Your Mindset with Project Transformation
• Small Steps Make a Big Impact
• Grant Proposal Writing Basics

Additionally, booth exhibitors were present from:

• Indiana United Methodist Children's Home
• Impact 2818 Indiana Camp and Retreat Centers
• Hands of Hope
• Metro Ministries
• Project Transformation Indiana
• Safe Families for Children Central Indiana
• WIC

We will be highlighting some of these presentations and organizations in future newsletters, as well as sharing resources on Metro's Resources Hub.

Metro thanks the Children Matter Most team of the Indiana Conference for a day of learning and collaborating and for reminding us of our responsibility to keep children safe and feeling welcome, especially when so many have faced much hardship these past few years.

Metro's 2023 Spring Grant Cycle:

Workshop Sessions Scheduled!

Metro is pleased to launch the 2023 Spring Grants Program by announcing our 2022 Grant Writing Workshop. As in past years, interested applicants must attend a workshop session to be eligible to apply for a Spring 2023 grant from Metro Ministries. Two sessions are available: Thursday, October 27, 6:00 - 7:30 pm or Friday, October 28, 2:00 - 3:30 pm. Workshop registration is available HERE. The content will be the same at both sessions, so please register for one session only. Both sessions will be held at St. Andrew UMC at 2560 Villa Avenue, Indianapolis.

Note that draft submissions this year are due December 1, so now is the time to consider how a Metro Ministries grant can help your program or project in 2023.

Please review the Request for Proposal, which contains grant criteria and this cycle's timeline. We also ask that workshop attendees have a basic idea of the program or project to be funded prior to workshop attendance. Please reach out to Tina McAninch if you would like to brainstorm on project ideas prior to workshop attendance.

If you are interested in applying during this grant cycle but are unable to attend either workshop session, please contact Tina McAninch by October 10, 2022 so that a makeup session can be scheduled.

Now Accepting Missioner of the Year Nominations

As we head into the last quarter of 2022 in a few days, we are beginning to reflect on the highlights of God's Work through individuals, groups, churches and organizations across the Central District. For many years, Metro Ministries has been recognizing individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding missional work, through our Missioner of the Year awards presented at the Annual Celebration. We are excited to seek this year's nominees!

We need your help in identifying individuals and churches/groups/organizations that are going above and beyond the missional call. We invite you to nominate an individual and/or a collective from within the Central District for this year's Missioner of the Year. We will be accepting nominations through October 18th and will then send out a ballot  with summary information about each nominee.

We invite you to complete the Online Nomination Form, or if you prefer, complete this PDF form and email to metrodirector1923@gmail.com, or mail to Metro Ministries, Inc., 2560 Villa Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46203. Nominations must be received by October 18 to be included on the ballot.

Nominations should be based on the following criteria:

• Goes beyond the church walls to join WITH people where they are
• Builds relationships based on love, empathy and respect.
• Steps outside one's comfort zone to walk alongside individuals and/or communities that may look, sound, live or believe differently.
• Engages in risk-taking mission and service, without consideration for whether or not individuals served will enter one's own church doors or any church doors.
• Continually bears the light of Christ, through words and actions.

Who do you know that exemplifies the above criteria? Please share the nomination form and link with others. Flood us with nominations!

Peace with Justice Grant from INUMC'S Diversity, Mission and Justice Ministries

The Peace with Justice grant is designed to help a local United Methodist church, district, or other affiliated organization or ecumenical group support their peace and justice program or project that is relevant to changing systemic issues of injustice.

The Peace with Justice Grant is not intended for charity ministries, but for ministries that seek to change or address the root problems. Examples include advocacy projects, raising awareness about issues of injustice, prison/jail ministries, gambling concerns, etc.

Applications are due October 15. To apply, visit inumc.org/peacewithjustice.

Potato Drop at Carmel St. Mark's UMC

Partnering with Society of St. Andrew, St. Mark's is offering FREE potatoes to those in need. Any food agency, pantry, church, kitchen or individual needing potatoes is invited to pick up potatoes.

Food agencies/pantries are asked to reserve potatoes by contacting St. Mark's Missions Coordinator, Stephanie Cohen, at scohen@stmarkscarmel.org or 317-846-4912 ext 215, with the agency name and the number of potatoes your agency would like to reserve. Be sure to also provide contact person and cell phone number of the driver who will be picking up. Potatoes must be picked up on October 8.

Individuals or families do not need to make reservation, simply come through the line to receive bag(s) of potatoes.

Click HERE to download a PDF flyer for distribution.

Meet and Greet with Metro's Board Members

Have you considered joining Metro's Board of Directors? If you are curious and would like to learn more, we are offering a Meet and Greet with several of Metro's current board members. This will be held  Monday, October 10, 2022, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm, at St. Andrew UMC, 2560 Villa Ave., Indianapolis 46203.

If you would like to attend, please register HERE so that we know how many folks to expect. This will be an opportunity to gather informally and learn more about serving with Metro Ministries. 

As we prepare to celebrate Metro's 100th anniversary in 2023, we are seeking folks to help with financial and operational oversight, to help us grow our fundraising efforts to expand the impact of our grants program, to help guide our vision for our next century  and to help us build new and enhance existing relationships with churches and community organizations.

If you are unable to attend but are still interested, please reach out to Tina McAninch via email or phone, metrodirector1923@gmail.com or (317) 452-4786. 

Brightwood Community Center College Information Sessions

Attention Parents & Teachers! Brightwood Community Center is hosting College Information Sessions for current high school students. Current college students will be on hand to share about their college experiences.

On Wednesday, October 19, 2022 from 4 - 5pm, juniors and seniors are welcome to attend to hear from the college students as well as get help applying to college and applying for scholarships.

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022 from 4 - 5pm, freshmen and sophomores are invited to explore careers and to take career assessments, to look at college and scholarship opportunities as well as talking with current college students.

These are FREE events, and food will be provided!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

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Servants at Work (SAWs)

Multiple Dates 

Volunteering with SAWs is an opportunity to help change someone's life. SAWs is a faith-based nonprofit that builds outdoor ramps for persons living with permanent disabilities in low-income households.

SAWs has multiple ramp building opportunities available this summer. Most opportunities range from 4 to 6 hours and do not require specific skill sets. There are builds planned throughout Central Indiana and beyond. Visit the Volunteer Signup page to view currently available opportunities. You will need to create a username and password if you have not volunteered with SAWs before, or sign in with your previously created sign in information.

__________

Society of St. Andrew Indiana Gleaning Opportunities

All volunteers must sign a waiver. These are family-friendly events open to children of all ages. Those who are interested should sign up for email notifications by creating a profile HERE. Folks will then receive emails of upcoming gleaning opportunities.

Gleaning in Johnson County October 12!

This is a gleaning opportunity in Greenwood, to glean sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, tomatoes and corn! Pantry volunteers are highly encouraged to come out! Pantries that send volunteers are given top priority for distribution. 

All volunteers must sign a waiver. These are family-friendly events open to children of all ages. Sign up HERE.

Apple Gleaning in Sheridan!

Apple gleaning in nearby Sheridan on Friday mornings 9 - 11am, beginning September 23 through October. Pantry volunteers are highly encouraged to come out! Pantries that send volunteers are given top priority for distribution. Sign up HERE. 

Farmers Markets

There are two ongoing opportunities in Indianapolis throughout this Farmer's Market season: on Wednesdays at 1pm at Original Farmers Market at City Market downtown, and on Saturdays at noon at Garfield Park Farmers Market. Email notifications will not be sent for these recurring opportunities; however volunteers are asked to sign up for the date(s) wanted. 

Chili Cook-off Fundraiser

at Southport UMC

On Saturday, October 22, Southport UMC is hosting a Chili Cook-off! This event is open to the community, and chili samples will be free. SUMC is recruiting individuals, families, groups and organizations to both make chili and to raise financial support for their respective "team.". The entry form is available HERE. Proceeds from this FUNdraiser will be shared between SUMC's debt elimination effort and the winning team's charity of choice.

Have Something to Share?

Do you have an event, volunteer need or job posting you would like included in Metro's weekly e-newsletter? Send us an email at metrodirector1923@gmail.com with the details. We will need to receive by Tuesday morning for inclusion in the current week's newsletter.