Save the date!
The Wrap and Fill event will be held in the Family Life Center on Saturday Nov. 8. We will need volunteers to help set up, wrap gifts/fill bags, and inventory afterwards. Stop by the missions table in the Gathering Place after worship services or navigate to our Signup Genius to get signed up!

Mission of the Month: 
Bags of Hope Indiana

Bags of Hope Indiana, founded in 2018 by Ryan and Krysti Widau, is dedicated to bringing hope to children in foster care throughout the state. Our mission focuses on creating personalized duffel bags, each embroidered with the child's name and filled with comforting items such as blankets, stuffed animals, books, toiletries, and toys. By the end of the 2024 season, we had proudly served over 3,000 kids and aim to support more than 600 again this year.

We invite you to help us make single-layer tie blankets with materials and instructions available at our Giving Tree located next to the Welcome Center throughout the month of October. We have received nearly 100 blankets thus far from members this year, and still need several more than 200 to be able to support our goal of 600! Pick up a bag (with a printed sheet of instructions) near the welcome desk when you are at church. You may also choose to pick up an instruction sheet or print your own from this link: https://carmelumc.org/mt-content/uploads/2023/09/blanket-instructions.pdf and purchase your own fleece fabric to make blankets, which helps our mission the most! 

Completed blankets can be dropped off at Sunday worship or during church office hours through the week. We ask for all blankets to be returned by October 30.

For those interested in supporting us through our Amazon wish list or becoming more involved, please reach out to Krysti Widau at bagsofhope.in@gmail.com.  Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of these children!

Click the images above to visit the SERVE WEEK website and sign up for many different things that week. 

      The CUMC Food Pantry serves about 400 families each month. We partner with local churches, school organizations and members of the community to serve healthy food to HAMILTON COUNTY RESIDENTS. Please bring: a photo ID and proof of residence, such as a utility bill or rental agreement, with you when you visit the food pantry.

      Since 2022, St Christopher's Episcopal Church, Carmel Christian Church, Cornerstone Lutheran, and Noblesville First UMC, have donated bounty from their own gardens to the CUMC Food Pantry. Orchard Park Presbyterian Church donates all of the eggs given to guests of the pantry.

If you are interested in volunteering in the Food Pantry, fill out the form at THIS LINK. If you have never volunteered at the pantry, please sign up for a Newbie Shift for training before you volunteer as a Guest Shopper. Newbie Shifts are every Tuesday night 5-7pm and Saturday 11am-1pm.

You can also email foodpantry@carmelumc.org

Soup's On joins Roberts Park UMC in downtown Indianapolis to serve meals to the hungry and homeless of downtown Indy on Sundays each week. Meals are provided from 12-1pm. Personal hygiene items are also available. CUMC serves several times per year. Contact Natalie Oehler at nataliejoehler@gmail.com about volunteering to serve. Read more about 'Soup's On' on page 13 of theAugust 2025 edition of THE CONTACT - (click here) ... and past information can be found on page 5 of the July 2023 edition of THE CONTACT - (click here)

BAGS OF HOPE

Most children in foster care enter with nothing of their own. Bags of Hope provides foster children with their own mongrammed duffle bag filled with books, blankets, toys and a few item that will hopefully bring them joy.

More Info HERE.

CARMEL COAT CLOSET

Carmel Coat Closet serves students at Carmel Clay Schools, as well as adults. New this year, each church will be serving their school district in deeper ways connecting directly with the schools in their community and the counselors or social workers to reach kids that need a coat not only at the giveaway, but also on a school-level until winter is over.

More Info HERE.

carmelumc.org/coats 

We have a list of popular items on our AMAZON WISHLIST, if you would like to buy online and have it shipped to: 

Carmel United Methodist Church

c/o CARMEL COAT CLOSET MISSION

621 South Rangeline Road

Carmel, IN 46032
(shop the wishlist by clicking the button below)

SALVATION ARMY:
ANGEL TREE

      This is our fourth year working with the Salvation Army for the Angel Tree Program. Our CUMC leaders are Beth Lotti and Margaret Kettle. They led the Christmas drive in November and met with the Salvation Army to map out the Family Life Center (FLC) and the volunteer slots for set-up and the event on December 7!