Pleasant Run United Church of Christ
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Missions & Outreach

 We are a Missional Church!
 
We have adopted the motto,
"We are more than a church in the neighborhood, we are a church of the neighborhood."
 
     Volunteer at Emmerich Manual High School
          Provide uniforms to meet dress code
          Supply gifts for the Reward Store
          Provided 90 water bottles for band members
          Provided 8,000 items in snack bags for all students during Winter Break 
          Provided a Christmas breakfast for all the current and past teachers 
 
     Clothe-A-Child for Christmas
          Helped 4 families provide a better Christmas for their family
 
     Monthly offerings "Second Mile Offering" for a variety of local community needs
 
  
We support mission and outreach programs within our local neighborhood, as well as throughout the world.
 
     Restoration of neighborhood homes
 
2010
 
Fuller Center for Housing Legacy Build - Indianapolis, IN
Refurbished the interior and exterior of this home
 
  
    Restoration and rebuilding of homes along the Gulf coast
 
  2008
Back Bay Mission - Biloxi, MS
New home build after Hurricane Katrina
 
  2009
Back Bay Mission - Biloxi, MS
New home build after Hurricane Katrina
 
   2010
Back Bay Mission - Biloxi, MS
Refurbished this historic (1909) home damaged by Hurricane Katrina
 
   2011
New Orleans, LA
Refurbished the interior of two homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina
 
February 2012 - Back Bay Missions - Biloxi, MS
Our last mission trip was February 26 - March 3, 2012.  We assisted Back Bay Mission in refurbishing a home in Biloxi, Mississippi to make bedrooms and a bathroom handicap accessible. 
                                                                                    Before                                     
 
                                                                                     After             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                          Renovated bathroom
 
 
 
 July 2012 - Volunteers ROC (Rebuilding Our Community) - Henryville, IN
Rebuilding a home destroyed by March 2, 2012 tornado. Installed guttering, insulation, deck hand rails, and dry wall. 

                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
 
 
 
BACK BAY MISSION 2013
March 18-22
 
Rebuilt Privacy Fence
 
Home damaged by fire
Renovated interior and painted outside
 
 
 
BACK BAY MISSION 2014 
February 10-14
 
                  Refurbished interior    
 
     
                       Sided Exterior due to Hurricane damage       
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                       Biloxi, MS March 1-7, 2015
 
                                                          
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                             Biloxi Mississippi - 2017
 
 
                                                                       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                

Five years ago this last December Joanna Mihay had a concern and a vision for providing Manual students with nutritious food items during the Christmas holidays.  That month Joanna and other Pleasant Run volunteers gathered in the Fellowship Hall and completed filling approximately 300 food bags for Manual students.  Joanna loaded the bags into her car and made the delivery just as school was dismissing students for the holidays.  Every December since the first effort to alleviate food needs over break, Joanna has been the leader in the purchase of food items for Manual and Emma Donnan as well.  This year Jim Brown aided Joanna in purchasing food items, which now have increased over 300% from that first effort five years ago.  This year over 16,000 food items were purchased and consolidated into 1,300 snack packs.  Pleasant Run volunteers were aided by staff from both schools as well as students from Emma Donnan who cheerfully joined the group and provided much needed assistance to the older Pleasant Run volunteers.  This effort was made possible by multiple financial contributions from our congregation, as well as Garfield Baptist Church, and several community businesses.  This is truly a joint effort in faith and finances!

            Also, five years ago our volunteers were asked to help serve a teachers’ breakfast at Manual.  This breakfast was catered at the school and paid for by the teachers.  Since that time our church has invited the staff at both schools to a breakfast that we host in appreciation for their work with the students in our neighborhood.  That has continued for the last four years. Besides a hearty breakfast, Marilyn Monroe has taken the imitative to create favors and table decorations, adding to the festive occasion.  Feedback from the both teachers and administration reflects much appreciation for this event.

            Providing school uniforms for students in need also continues to be a part of our mission outreach at both schools.  The shirts have to be ordered through the school because of the logo requirement, so we have contributed money.  The required pants in black and tan as part of the dress code can be purchased at various thrift stores, and Marlene Lang, our super shopper, is always on the lookout for bargains. Toiletry kits for needy students have been in high demand in 2015.  Eileen Brown with the assistance of Terri Gerdt have lead the effort to gather hygiene for social workers to distribute to students who need these.  Our knitters have given scarves to them also for the wintry days.

            As is evident, all of our local mission outreach in volunteers, money, and 100 plus man hours in time/effort, and prayer have helped to improve the lives of others at both Manual and Emma Donnan.  Also important is the individual growth and satisfaction received from being a part of something we believe Christ would approve as we seek to “Love our neighbor.”  We don’t know what is in store for 2016, but we can, however, anticipate the joy and opportunity to grow and serve our community.

Bob Lindemann