Life of the Church
Prayer Garden
Outside of our glass atrium entrance we have a lovely prayer garden for folks to pause, sit, and take a few moments to commune with God. This space is actually an Eagle Scout project completed by Trevor Sprow from Boy Scout Troop 64 in October 2023. Trevor has given many hours of his time as a volunteer at Painesville United Methodist Church, so when it was time to think about his Eagle project it was a natural extension to offer his time and service toward a meaningful legacy here as well. He worked closely with the PUMC Board of Trustees to plan appropriately for the space and then brought in fellow scouts and adult leaders from the Troop to bring the vision to life. Now, we have a beautiful, mindfully-designed space to allow for peace and prayer in the midst of busy downtown Painesville!
Garden Club
The Garden Club meets early in the spring to begin strategizing what will be planted for the summer season in our back yard planter boxes. Then, members of the club fill the watering and weeding schedule around the church property from late May to mid October.
The planter boxes that we have behind our building were actually an Eagle Scout project by Mitchell Morse from Scout Troop #62, which meets here at PUMC! Mitchell worked closely with the PUMC Trustees to design planters that would align with our welcoming vision and be functional in our space. Then, he and his fellow scouts worked hard to clear out overgrown weeds, plants, and brush before building the benches/planter boxes. His project was completed in October 2022, but the Troop even committed to providing the first round of plants, which they did in May 2023. The Garden Club was thrilled with their gift of plants and soil to kick off their inaugural planting year!
Taking a Walk for a Cause!
The PUMC congregation enjoys participating in the occasional walk for a good cause! In 2022, 27 walkers participated in the the Lake-Geauga Counties Annual Heartwalk and raised over $1400 for heart health! In 2023, over 20 walkers (and 2 babies in strollers!) joined the HeartWalk again, raising over $800 for heart health and enjoying a beautiful morning of fellowship together! In 2024, PUMC participated in the Habitat for Humanity Heroes walk, also held at Lakeland Community College on a beautiful spring day!
Participation in these and other events is typically announced through church emails and/or worship service announcements. If you are interested in participating in or inviting our congregation to an event such as this, please contact Maria in the church office.
Food Pantry
The PUMC Food Pantry operates weekly with the help of several volunteers. Early in the week, shopping is done for canned and boxed food staples such as vegetables, cereal, pasta, and peanut butter, and household items such as toilet paper and laundry soap, as budget allows. Then, a few of our volunteers pack two types of bags: food items and toiletry items. In the middle of the week, the stocked bags are loaded up for distribution. On Thursday mornings, an additional team of volunteers sets up the food items upstairs in our Chapel and serves those in need from 9am-12pm.
Donations for the Food Pantry come from our congregation through monetary giving or through our donation bins in our Mission Hallway. We accept donations of non-expired canned vegetables, fruits, and soups, as well as boxes of cereal, pancake mix, macaroni & cheese, pasta, etc. Sealed household items such as laundry soap, dish detergent, shower gel, etc. are also welcome. We know that many of our needy population do not have reliable transportation, so the Food Pantry team specifically requests donations in small, individual sizes so that no one is struggling to walk home carrying a giant, bulk purchase of something heavy or unmanageable.
We are also periodically recipients of donations from the United Way, which serves many food pantry locations in Northeast Ohio. Sometimes private companies will also hold a food drive and distribute to the needy – Our thanks to Morton Salt, Lubrizol Corporation and TechDynamix for their periodic donations as well as other individual/anonymous contributors.
In the Spring of 2023, our Food Pantry was able to move into a larger room in our church. A team of volunteers and trustees worked hard to clean up and repaint the space to make it appropriate and ready for food sorting and storage. In addition, they were able to bring the existing shelves – which were built as an Eagle Scout project by Trevor Jenkins from Troop 159 in Madison, Ohio about 30 years ago! – over to the new space so they can continue to be of service for their intended purpose!
We appreciate all of our volunteers and donors who make the Food Pantry ministry possible! If you would like to organize a donation to the PUMC Food Pantry, please feel free to contact the church office for more information.
Soup Kitchen
PUMC is part of a network of local churches and organizations that prepare and serve food for the homeless and hungry on a rotation throughout the month. The Soup Kitchen is actually located at St. James Episcopal Church, 131 N. State Street, Painesville, and offers a hot, full meal to the hungry five days a week (the local Salvation Army also offers meals throughout the week to bridge the gap). Members of the congregation of the Painesville United Methodist Church typically fulfill shifts at the Soup Kitchen on the third Saturday of the month, all year long. The team plans a meal that covers all basic food groups, prepares it, serves it, and cleans up afterward. Shifts usually run from 10am-12:30pm (cooking and setup) and 12:30pm to 2:30pm (opening at 1, serving, and cleaning up). In addition to on site meal prep and meal service, other members of the church will prepare baked goods ahead of time to also be served for dessert on our designated date. If you’d like to participate in this wonderful local ministry, there is a signup sheet in the PUMC church office, or contact the church office by phone to check available dates and shifts. Thank you to all who help make this ministry possible!
Grill On The Hill
On Friday evenings from mid-May to mid September, the Downtown Painesville Organization hosts a weekly Classic Car Show right on the Square! Each week, hundreds of cars are lined up in the grass on the Square and visitors and owners alike are invited to take a stroll and enjoy all of the beautiful historic vehicles! Around 2017, the Painesville United Methodist Church was invited to be a part of this event by grilling and selling hamburgers and hot dogs on our front lawn. PUMC said YES, and now each Friday night during the Classic Car Show season a team of volunteers from PUMC grills, sells, and serves these items. Any profits earned are able to help the church out a bit, and the volunteer team enjoys fellowship and camaraderie on lovely summer evenings while having the chance to interact with the community! We are thrilled to be able to participate in this family-friendly summer function, and love to be able to use our front “hill” for a great cause.
Holy Hiking
Periodically, we will schedule a hike that members of the congregation are welcome to attend. Typically these hikes are relatively short (2 miles or less) and local to Lake County. Hikes are usually scheduled and announced 2-3 days prior, once a weather forecast has become a little more clear and more or less dependable. Hikes are also family friendly and can last 45-90 minutes, depending on the group pace. These events are announced through our church email platform. Folks who would like to be contacted for future hiking opportunities should contact Maria in the church office to be added to the email list.
United Woman in Faith
The United Women in Faith is an international organization previously known as the United Methodist Women. While roles of the United Women in Faith may vary throughout churches, the UWF at PUMC gather for fellowship, fundraising, and service opportunities. Throughout the year, the PUMC UWF ladies host bake sales, make crafts, prepare cards for shut-ins, and enjoy fellowship events together. This group is open to adult women of all ages. Meetings are usually held at PUMC throughout the academic year, with occasional summer social gatherings that may be on or off site. Ladies who are interested in attending should contact Barb Alban or the church office for more information.
Stitchers Group
The Stitchers Group meets on Thursdays at PUMC. Participants work on various sewing or stitching projects that range from teddy bears for infants, fidget aprons for folks with dementia, dresses for girls who need school clothes in Africa, to creating or completing quilts, prayer shawls, and blankets for various causes. The Stitchers enjoy fellowship and working on their projects starting at 10am, breaking for lunch around 12pm, and resuming their work until around 2pm each Thursday throughout the academic year and is open to anyone who loves to sew, stitch, or do needlework. Those who are interested in joining the Stitchers should contact Deb Kendrick or Linda Jenkins, or contact the church office for more information. Don’t forget to bring your lunch!
Other Events
PUMC is an active church that encourages the congregation and community to get involved and enjoy activities in mission, outreach, music, and fellowship! Most events are announced through church emails. To subscribe to our emails, please contact Maria in the church office. We look forward to welcoming you into the life of the Painesville United Methodist Church!
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