Our church supports and hosts many local missions efforts in our community.
Mission Board Chair: Jean Dotzler – [email protected]
CAMP CATOOSA
Camp Catoosa is an annual summer camp hosted at Ringgold United Methodist Church. All of the kids are low-income or homeless elementary & primary school students. We provide transportation to & from camp, feed them breakfast & lunch, play games, go on field trips, do arts & crafts and practice reading.
In the mid 70’s longtime recreation director and Ringgold UMC member Jack Mattox started a summer camp at the Catoosa Training Facility, aka “The rifle Range”. Twenty five years ago jack approached the school about allowing 15 – 20 children whose parents couldn’t afford camp to attend for free. All of that changed after 9/11 when the military needed the Rifle Range and the summer camp went on hiatus. However, Ringgold UMC offered the use of the gym for the camp, and Camp Catoosa has been there ever since. The camp hosts 30-40 kids each summer.
Mission Contact: Sue Mason – [email protected]
How to Join In: The camp is funded by donations from individuals, a few businesses, and the Sheriff’s Department. If you would like to make a donation to the camp, please give to Ringgold UMC and write “Summer Camp” in the memo line.
CATOOSA COUNTY FAMILY COLLABORATIVE
We are one of the Georgia Family Connection county collaboratives, the largest statewide network of communities in the nation, which has made a commitment to improve results for children and families. Each collaborative serves as the local decision-making body for its community and develops a plan with strategies to improve results in five areas: Healthy children, Children ready to start school, Children succeeding in school, Stable self-sufficient families, and Strong communities.
CHILDREN’S CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS
Children’s Celebration of Christmas is an event that benefits selected children and families from the area who need a little extra support during the Christmas season. The evening begins with dinner consisting of turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings. After dinner is a program recalling the first Christmas. After the program the children return to get a picture with Santa, a gift, and a stocking filled with goodies. Every family leaves with a box of food and a bag of non-food items.
CHRIST CHAPEL
The mission of Christ Chapel Share and Care Mission is to provide food, clothing, furniture and household items to families in need. Our church supports Christ Chapel with monthly monetary and food item donations. All donations received during our annual “Souper bowl of Caring” can food drive are donated to Christ Chapel as well.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Catoosa County HFH is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged.
NOURISHING CHILDREN IN CATOOSA (NCIC)
The Nourishing Children in Catoosa program, or NCIC, serves eleven schools by providing over 1,300 kids each week with a bagged weekend snack. These children, who are often depending on breakfast and lunch at school for consistent meals, are able to have food and snacks through the weekend. Each week, a team of approximately fifty students and adults come together in the gym to pack bags for these students.
Mission Contact: Sharon Hardin – [email protected] – Connect on Facebook.
How to Join In: There are two ways that you can participate with the NCIC program:
- Donate Food – We can accept certain snack foods for our bags, including: individual cups of fruit, apple sauce, and pudding, peanut butter crackers, cookies, granola bars, Little Debbie snacks, single servings of ramen noodles, Vienna sausage, chili, cups of macaroni & cheese, cereal, natural fruit rolls, and raisins. We can accept cans of soup and chili if the cans are the 15.5 oz size. We cannot accept fresh food, except apples and oranges, anything that has to be refrigerated, or any liquids or large items.
- Donate Time and Talent – We need at least 30 people each week during the school year to setup, pack, and cleanup on Mondays, beginning at 1p in the gym. Come for an hour or stay the whole time.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Operation Christmas Child is an evangelism outreach ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. Since 1993 millions of shoeboxes have been distributed in over 100 countries. Every box blesses children with joy, hope and love. Every box includes a booklet called “The Greatest Gift,” stories from the Gospel of John, printed in the language of the country.
In October of each year people are encouraged to pack a shoebox filled with school supplies, hygiene items, clothes, sports equipment and toys to be sent to children around the world. Printed boxes will be provided at church but any strong shoebox works just fine! We also provide brochures with lists of appropriate items for packing and directions. Filled boxes are returned to the church in early November for processing in regional centers.
Be a blessing in a foreign land… spread the love of Jesus.
Mission Contact: Pat Brinsfield – [email protected]
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Our church is partnered with Ringgold Elementary, Ringgold Middle, and Ringgold High Schools. We reach out to these schools, partner with, and support them in various ways throughout the school year, including mentoring, a teacher’s breakfast, homeless support, and much more.
Mission Contact: Sally Ensley – [email protected]
How to Join In: Work on the school partnership team to brainstorm and accomplish support ideas.
SPARROW’S NEST
The Sparrow’s Nest Children’s Consignment Sale is a ministry held seasonally in spring and fall for over 10 years now! Consignors sell gently used children’s clothing (sized newborn through juniors), toys, books, shoes, room decor, and much more, all at very affordable prices. Consignors retain 70% of their earnings , and remaining proceeds from total sales are then used to assist families in our community. Visit the Sparrow’s Nest website for more information, including upcoming sales dates.
SEW WHAT?
This small, fellowship and mission group meets regularly to teach people how to sew and to complete mission quilts for shut ins, Quilts of Valor, and more. Sew What? meets Mondays from 10:00 am-12:00 pm in Room B-2.
QUILTERS
This is a small group of ladies who use their special talents to create wonderful masterpieces. You can see one of their beautiful creations hanging in the lobby area at the back entrance. This group meets every Thursday from 8:30 am-2:00 pm.