Hershey Food Bank 
The primary purpose of this social ministry is to take care of people in need within our local community. It is a member of the Derry Township Social Ministry, which is under the Hershey Ministerium (a group of representatives from all churches in the township). Each year, our Social Ministry helps 100-160 Derry Township residents with utility bills and food banks. To donate your food, money, or time, contact Craig Fasnacht, 534-1834.

Love INC of Greater Hershey
Started by Hershey Ministerium, Love INC (In the Name of Christ) is a network of 15 area churches (First Church included) working together with service agencies to help our neighbors in need. For more information, see Love INC.

Bethesda Mobile Mission, Harrisburg, PA 
On select Saturday nights, First Church is able to send up to  7 volunteers to serve on the streets of Harrisburg. They go out with a Bethesda Mission staff person with the Mobile Mission van to distribute food, clothing and blankets to the homeless of the city. This rewarding ministry is suitable for older Sr. High youth through adults (permission slip required for youth). Please contact Amy Thomas for more information.

Bethesda Mission Soup Kitchen, Harrisburg, PA
The third Sunday of every month, four or five volunteers ages 10 through adult are needed to help serve the evening meal at Bethesda 4:30-6:30 p.m. The mission supplies the meal, so no cooking is involved, just serving. Please contact Susan Steadman, 566-6082, to become a servant to the hungry.

Susquehanna Harbor Safe Haven, Harrisburg, PA
Housing for single men with 2 or more bouts of homelessness and a diagnosed mental illness. Volunteers are needed for overnight staffing. Dates will be published.

Our National Community

Mission Central, Mechanicsburg, PA
This is mission warehouse of the Susquehanna Conference of the UMC. Volunteers help process UMCOR relief kits. Contact Cindy Rowe, 571-2037, for more information.

Red Bird Mission, Kentucky
The Red Bird Mission work camp provides home repair for low-income community residents and maintenance for Mission buildings and grounds. For more information, contact Lori Zerbe.

Our Global Community

Ukraine Initiative
The Ukraine Initiative, a ministry of the Susquehanna Conference, has been working in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine since 1994 and in Kiev, Ukraine since 1998. Members of First Church have been supporting the Ukraine Initiative since its inception in 1994 through short-term missions in Bila Tserkva and Kiev and Bible School at Kerch. You can help the people of Ukraine by sending financial support or by going on a short-term mission trip. To read about a past trip, click here. For more information, contact Beth Valentine Louder at 533-3931.

Jamaica, Work Camp for Watsontown Church at Lionel Town

For several years First Church has had a missional relationship with Watsonton Methodist Church in Lionel Town, Jamaica. Since 1995, First Church has sent various work teams to assist Watsonton Methodist Church and Basic School. The work teams have hosted bible school and have also completed various construction projects including building a kitchen, trusses, a roof, ceiling, painting. For more information contact, John Biondo.

Bolivia Mission Initiative
The multi-functional “Encounter with Christ” Bolivia Mission Program was started in 2001. The New York Conference and the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church work together on many Bolivia mission programs. Volunteers in Mission (VIM) Teams have traveled to Cochabamba, Bolivia, annually since 2002 to work with the Bolivian Methodist Central District. Bob & Ginny Stevenson, First Church members,  were involved in the Bolivian Mission in the New York Conference from its inception, leading VIM teams to Bolivia annually from 2002 through 2008. In 2010, the Conference Board of Global Missions established the Bolivia Mission Initiative as an approved Conference Advance, building on previous GBGM Advance projects and expanding the ways in which congregations and individual can support this 24/365 connection with our brothers and sisters in Bolivia. Read more about the Bolivia Mission. Contact Bob & Ginny Stevenson, 279-7213, for more information.

Mission Projects

The following projects are supported financially through FUMC benevolence offerings.  If you wish to see the amounts contributed to each project for the previous year,  please contact the church office.  Please remember to designate "Missions Benevolence" on your envelopes to contribute or choose the Benevolence/Missions box on our online donation form!