Bethlehem United Methodist Church
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Reach, Teach and Love

United Methodist Men

 
The United Methodist Men meet on the third Tuesday of each month (except December) at 6 pm for dinner and an informational program. Usually there is a short business meeting. A nominal fee is charged to cover the costs of the meal. Programs are predominately mission oriented. The meeting place is in the Fellowship Hall. However, at least once a quarter we go out to a local restaurant to eat and have our meeting.
 
For early birds in the group, there is a breakfast fellowship that meets on the second Tuesday morning of each month at a local restaurant. No business, no officers, no speakers - just fellowship, prayer, and food.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In May 1999, the men began a Peanut Ministry to raise money for mission projects. Currently, there are 12 men who, on a rotational basis, share the responsibility for cooking, seasoning, bottling, and labeling peanuts, selling them throughout the community to raise money for missions. Cases of these notoriously delicious peanuts have been shipped throughout the states, overseas, and to our soldiers in harms way. Select "order form" if interested in ordering any peanuts.  
 
 
In 2005, the church helped finance the building of a Project House specifically to cook and store their peanut supplies. Once or twice a month, but more frequently during the holidays, the aroma of freshly cooked peanuts fills the air around the church, signifying the men are busy at their favorite mission fund raiser.
 
Since 1999 the men have raised over $100,000 which equates to over 83,000 jars sold. After paying for the peanut supplies, the remaining funds have gone to support local and national mission projects, as well as buying and equipping a Volunteers-in-Mission (VIM) trailer. This trailer is used for VIM trips to places such as Biloxi for support to Hurricane Katrina victims and support to Habitat for Humanity in Bedford and Franklin Counties, Christmas in Action, and the Bethlehem United Methodist Church (BUMC) Good Samaritan Program.
 
The BUMC Good Samaritan program is designed to help members of the congregation, as well as our neighbors, make routine repairs to their homes. These are repairs they are unable to accomplish on their own for whatever reason.