Indy Hunger Network

Partnership Opportunity

A few weeks ago, we featured Indy Hunger Network as part of Metro's "Celebrate Transformation" series during Lent. They exist to make Central Indiana systems that feed the hungry more efficient and effective.Today, we want to share a potential opportunity for churches and organizations to collaborate directly with Indy Hunger Network.

Since 2015, Indy Hunger Network has been a provider of Cooking Matters classes, offering free cooking and nutrition education courses. Cooking Matters is a national program that works in communities across the country to help individuals, parents and caregivers develop their skills when shopping for and cooking healthy foods on a budget.

Participants learn to prepare and eat healthy foods on a budget as a result of their participation in the classes. Indy Hunger Network has offered over 150 courses to date and began virtual programming via Zoom in 2020 to reach a broader audience, including Marion County and surrounding counties.  Since the risks of in-person gatherings have decreased, Indy Hunger Network is beginning to offer classes in person again, mostly in Marion County. 

This year, they are expanding their reach without increasing their overhead by launching the Cooking Matters Satellite Partnership program. Indy Hunger Network has recentely received funding to cover the bulk of the costs of food and materials. They are actively seeking organizations and churches outside of Marion County that have the capability to be trained on conducting these classes and have the capacity to do so in their local communities. When Metro Ministries heard about this opportunity, we knew we had to share it with you, our Central Indiana congregations.

We have created this SURVEY to both inform on and gather your potential interest in being a satellite host. While they are currently seeking host sites outside of Marion County, we encourage everyone to complete this survey. Indy Hunger Network is looking to host sites for participant recruitment and class facilitation. Class sizes are to be fairly small, between 6 and 15 participants, and volunteer needs are low, no more than 3 volunteers for each class. Having onsite or nearby food pantries make great opportunities to recruit volunteers. If hosting and facilitating cooking classes at your church, at little to no financial cost to you, is at all appealing, please take just a few minutes to complete this survey. Feel free to share the link with others as well.

We ask that survey responses be submitted by next Thursday, May 26. We will then compile survey results and share with Indy Hunger Network staff. 

Indy Hunger Network is working to expand their reach beyond Marion County, into Central Indiana and across the entire state. Your sharing and completing this survey will help in these efforts, while offering a new opportunity to connect with your community.

This Week's Metro Memory

For this week's Metro Memory, we have this photo of several folks. How many people do you recognize in this photo? We need your help on this one, as there are a few ladies that we do not recognize. Do you know the occasion and the location? Please share your answers HERE!

Last week's photo was of two elders and Metro supporters, the late Rev. Dr. Dick Hamilton and Rev. Dr. Joe Bottorff.

Thank you to Lisa Hamilton, for your response, "Dick Hamilton was my dad!". Lisa said that her dad loved his United Methodist connections through his retirement. Thank you and congratulations to Elizabeth Harmon for recognizing both Dick Hamilton and Joe Bottorff. Elizabeth shared that "Joe and I were classmates at Hanover College".  

The occasion of this photo was Metro's Annual Celebration in 2015, and we believe the location was Southport UMC. We hope you are enjoying these Metro Memories and encourage you to play along with this week's Who and Where? You must recognize at least one person, right?

Annual Conference 2023

Annual Conference 2023 is just around the corner. Registration online is open through May 24, 2023.

This year's Conference is June 8 - 10, 2023 at Ball State University, Emens Auditorium, 1800 Riverside Ave. in Muncie.

You can find all the information you need and register by clicking HERE.  Those interested in attended who are not registered by May 23 will need to register on-site

Upcoming Events

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Global Leadership Summit at Grace UMC

Franklin Grace UMC will serve once again as a host-site for the Global Leadership Summit on August 3 and 4.. These high-powered two-days of teaching and learning will offer the opportunity to learn from a wide-variety of people from the church, education, business, and government. To learn more and to attend the Grace UMC site, go to www.globalleadership.org/global-leadership-summit and register. Or, if you have any questions, please call Grace UMC for assistance at 317-736-7962 and ask for Pastor Jenothy Irvine. Bring a team! Grace United Methodist Church is located one-mile west of I-65 on SR 44 in Franklin, Indiana. The event will take place in the Schrader Youth Center on the second floor (Door C1).

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Central District's The Great ReConnection

When: August 19, 2023, 10am - 3pm

Where: Christ UMC, 8540 S. Hwy 31, Indianapolis

More details coming soon!

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Metro Ministries, Inc.'s 100th Anniversary!

Get ready to celebrate the Past, the Present and the Future with us! 

Volunteer Opportunities

With summer just around the corner, Project Transformation Indiana is seeking volunteers for their Summer 2023 program to read with kids one or more morning, from 10am - 12pm, between June 5 and July 20. Volunteer groups are also needed to provide dinner for 8 interns on one or more Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday evenings between May 12 and July 25.

This year's program will be hosted by North UMC Monday - Thursday, May 31 - July 20, from 9 am - 3 pm.  Dinners will be served at 6pm Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings at University Heights UMC.

Society of St. Andrew Indiana is gearing up for gleaning at local Farmers Markets!

Gleaning volunteers are needed weekly at these Indianapolis area locations:

• Original Farmers Market – Wednesdays 1pm – 2pm, downtown Indianapolis
• Garfield Park Farmers Market – Saturdays 12pm – 1pm, south Indianapolis

It only takes about an hour, and is easy and fun.  At the end of the market, volunteers ask vendors if they have anything to donate.  If so, the donations are collected, weighed and recorded, and then delivered to a designated food pantry.  That’s it!

If you are in an organization that could commit to glean one of the markets for several weeks this summer, please email in-glean@endhunger.org. Please check the calendar and sign up. Click here to see the calendar and sign up!

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NeighborLink Indy has begun their season of supporting neighbors by providing volunteer teams to complete various external house and yard projects for Indianapolis homeowners who cannot get these projects completed on their own. To view available projects and sign up, visit www.nlindy.org/volunteering. The available projects list how many volunteers are needed for each project. Individuals or small groups may sign up or a larger group (more than 12) can request a project with a minimum of three months notice. 

Church & Ministries

Job Opportunities

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Part-time Choir Director

Avon UMC is seeking a part-time Choir Director. To express interest and to gain further details regarding this position, contact Kerry Locke at jlocke4@indy.rr.com.

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East 10th Children & Youth Center

East Tenth United Methodist Children & Youth Center is now hiring Full-Time Early Childhood Educators! We are an Early Head Start Child Care Partner and a Level 4 Paths to Quality Provider on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis seeking passionate and energetic educators with strong communication skills to join our team. They are also seeking Summer Camp Counselors. Apply online at www.east10th.org/careers.

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Christ UMC:

Director of Family and Children's Ministries and Witness

A Regular Full-time Exempt ministry position for a person gifted and equipped to direct/lead  educational ministries for all ages as well as guiding Witness Ministries giving attention to  developing and strengthening evangelistic efforts for the sharing of personal and  congregational stories of Christian experience, faith, and service. This person should evidence  Christian maturity and competence in resourcing and equipping the educational ministries of  the church for discipleship and mission (Ephesians 4:15-16). Job descriptioni and application link are HERE.

Facility Custodian

A position with direct and shared responsibility for the general cleaning and light maintenance of the church interior and the CUMC Preschool, apply HERE.

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