"For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me . . . And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' " Matthew 25:35-36, 40
Giving Food
We connect to the hungry through OCIM and the Backpack Buddies Program at Pathways Elementary School.
Regular donations are collected and delivered to Orange Congregations in Missions throughout each year. A list of currently needed staples is at each sanctuary entrance. 300 cans of soup were collected for OCIM in February during the New Sharon Women's Souper Bowl event.
As Backpack Buddies, we collect, bag and deliver food for 13 underprivileged children to take home for the weekends. Single servings of fruits and vegetables, snacks, juice boxes and cocoa packets are needed for breakfast and lunch. Gift cards are given to these children's families at Thanksgiving.
Giving Clothing
We connect with Pathways Elementary School at Christmas to provide clothing needs for underprivileged children.
Giving Financial Support
We connect to those in need through contributions made locally and globally to organizations including but not limited to Global Methodist Disaster Relief Fund and Methodist Home for Children. In addition to raising money, our fundraising events (yard sales, bake sales, chicken and dumplings, Brunswick stew suppers) also provide a chance for fellowship with our neighbors.
Giving Gifts
We connect to children locally and globally at Christmas. Our Angel Tree and collections of Stocking Stuffers offer congregants the opportunity to purchase gifts of clothing, toys, etc. for local underprivileged children. Gifts are also purchased to fill shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child which spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to children all over the world.
School supplies are donated at the beginning of each school year to local underprivileged children. When a disaster occurs, many requested items are donated to Hurricane Relief Victims.
Welcoming Strangers
We connect with our rural neighborhood by welcoming participation in church activities held in our fellowship hall, such as Wednesday Night Dinners & Free Movie Nights. All are welcome!
We connect with strangers (as noted in the scripture above) during BikeFest as our facilities have been used as a rest stop along their route.
We connect with Orange County as New Sharon Church plays an important role serving as a polling place for St. Mary's Precinct. We also accommodate trainings for volunteers in our neighborhood for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and First Aid/CPR through our connection with Orange County Emergency Management.
Visiting the Sick
We connect with the elderly in our community with regular visits to Peak Resources Brookshire Nursing Home in Hillsborough, NC. This initiative is dedicated to enriching the lives of our senior residents through spiritual care and worship.
