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Local Mission Involvement |
| Meal Programs |
Luke House
- A meal program which provides meals 9 times/week (5 dinners, 4 lunches) to Madison's low-income population.
- About 40 faith communities in Madison each take responsibility for one meal per month. The program also has one full-time coordinator.
- The dinners are served at 310 S. Ingersoll on the Isthmus (just off Williamson St. about 2 blocks from the Willy St. Coop).
Bethany does:
- the noon meal the fourth Tuesday of every month.
- an evening meal when there is a FIFTH Tuesday or Thursday; (if a month has
both a 5th Tues and a 5th Thurs, Bethany does the Tuesday evening meal)
- Current needs: Stew makers - please contact
- Paul and Ellen Simenstad, 238-9545 (to help out with a noon meal)
- Phil and Gwen Robl, 233-3938 (to help out with an evening meal)
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The Drop-In Shelter, located at Grace Episcopal Church, with the help of over 50 volunteer organizations and 1700 persons, provided twomeals every day of the year to over one thousand individuals.
- Bethany helps serves meal on Sunday evening and Monday morning to homeless men.
- Current needs: Volunteers to serve meals
- Please contact Bill Tischler
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Porchlight programs
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| BETHANY'S OUTREACH THROUGH ALLIED PARTNERS |
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Bethany became a member of Allied Partners in 1999. Allied Partners is an interfaith coalition of twelve congregations working together to assist our neighbors in the Allied-Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood. Located south of the beltline and east of Verona Rd. , the neighborhood is a dense area of apartments where many of the approximately 6,000 residents live in poverty. It has been identified as the neighborhood with the greatest need in the Madison area. |
Bethany participates in the the following three main projects of the Allied Partners which are designed to help families who have limited incomes and opportunities:
Food Pantry
The food pantry, located in the Boys & Girls Club, opened in 2001. That first year they served 45 families a month. The need has continually grown so that during 2004 they served an average of 137 families a month. They also distributed 125 turkey baskets and 40 Christmas dinners. Bethany contributes food items and occasional financial gifts.
Once every three months we are conducting targeted food drives for the Allied Drive Food Pantry. During the month of March we are collecting cold cereal. In the past we have conducted drives for toilet paper and spaghetti as well. We'll be holding other targeted drives in June, September and December.
Eviction Prevention
Bethany provides generous financial support for this project which grants one-time assistance to low income residents in order to prevent eviction and possible homelessness. Nearly 90 families were assisted in 2004! A typical request is triggered by a temporary crisis; such as illness by the wage earner who doesn't have the benefit of sick days or health insurance.
Parish Nurse / Wellness Center
The community parish nurse promotes physical, emotional and spiritual health through education, counseling and advocacy. She works out of the Wellness Center which is located in an apartment house on Allied Drive. The center opened in July of 2004 and is providing a place in the neighborhood for people to come together for health related programs and activities as well as to access the services of the community parish nurse. Bethany provides financial support and occasional volunteers for activities.
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| The Road Home (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network) |
This is an organization that helps homeless families get back on their feet. Churches volunteer to host families for a week –providing food, activities and shelter. Bethany co-hosts a week with Mt. Olive Lutheran Church and Queen of Peace Catholic Church. Individual volunteers can sign up to prepare or serve meals, play with kids, or sleep overnight at the church.
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Local Social Justice |
Dane County United
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| Simple Gifts |
The simple gifts are compiled from the loose change in the offering or from bills or checks placed in the "Mission" envelopes. We put information about each simple gift for the month in the bulletin and Banner for each given month. |
Global Mission Involvement |
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Bethany as a Global Mission Partner |
What does it mean to be a Global Mission
Partner? It means doing God’s work and spreading
his word by becoming a partner to one of many missionary projects sponsored by The United
Methodist Church. Bethany provides
support to Gordon and Ardell Graner in Bolivia and Paul Webster in Mujila Falls. |
 UMC country profile |
Information about missionaries |
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Bolivia |
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Gordon and Ardell Graner
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Zambia |
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Paul Webster
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National Social Justice: |
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