“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”  Deuteronomy 15:10

Members of Lebanon First UMC are active in both church-based and community-based ministries. Our members believe that their faith reaches all aspects of their lives and prepares them for Christian outreach and witness 24/7/365.

Ministries include: King’s Closet, Food Pantry, Focus on the Children, Community & Thanksgiving dinners, Helping Hands, Meals-On-Wheels, Angel Tree, and participation in community events (Lebanon Kids Summer Program, Fireman’s Picnic Fall Festival, and more). Read more below...

King’s Closet. Located at 507 W. St. Louis St, just two doors east of the church, the King’s Closet is a thrift store that offers men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and a great variety of household items. Donations are sorted and categorized by dedicated volunteers and are offered for sale on the first Friday after the 3^rd of each month from 10 am to 2 pm. Proceeds from King’s Closet fund a number of other ministries in the community. Cle Betts organizes the King’s Closet ministry.

Food Pantry.  Lebanon First participates in a food pantry ministry operated out of St. Paul United Church of Christ. Shirley Hubbard is our contact for this ministry.

Focus on the Children.  This ministry looks for ways to be of help to children in our community. In the fall, the church collects school supplies to be distributed to children in the Lebanon School District. For more about this ministry and other outreach for children, contact Shirley Hubbard.

Community and Thanksgiving dinners. The Lebanon First UMC Outreach Team sponsors community dinners periodically. Contact Amy Blasdel or Shirley Hubbard for more information.

Helping Hands – Helping Neighbors. This group of dedicated volunteers takes on projects that will benefit neighborhoods in Lebanon. In Fall 2011, they will tackle a playground project in McAllister Park. The group’s Annual Dinner-Auction serves as their fundraising activity. To find out more and to help, contact Carol Bennett.

Meals-On-Wheels. Several members of Lebanon First help deliver Meals-On-Wheels to seniors in the area. Volunteer through the Lebanon Nutrition Center, 618-537-6748.

Angel Tree. Every Christmas season, members of Lebanon First are invited to bring items to the church to help individual families celebrate the holidays.

Missionary Support. The members of Lebanon First UMC have traditionally supported one or more missionaries of the General Board of Global Ministries.

Community Participation. Lebanon First UMC participates in community events sponsored through the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce. The church had a float in the Fireman’s Picnic parade at the end of July, and will have a “Bread for Life” booth at the Fall Festival in October.

In recent years, members of Lebanon First have also been instrumental in organizing and implementing several ministries which have become community-wide, including Lebanon Kids Inc. and Christian HomeCare Services.