Hyde Park United Methodist supports the following church-based missions:

Aldersgate Corner Bookstore and Coffee Shop offers gourmet coffees, greeting cards and a wide selection of Christian books including pastor recommendations, resources for discussion groups, as well as traditional and contemporary Christian releases. Staffed by volunteers, Aldersgate Corner Bookstore and Coffee Shop is open 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Sundays and 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. 

After operating expenses are met, all income from the store supports Hyde Park missions. Your purchases do make a difference. Even tips for volunteer cashiers and baristas go to their own mission project, the Heifer Project.

Purchases may be made when the store is not open through the Ministry Offices or by contacting Kim Harcrow.

For more information about supporting missions while volunteering in the bookstore, please contact Kim Harcrow, email or 813.253.5388, ext. 291.

Boy Scout Troop 22 was founded at Hyde Park United Methodist in Spring 1921 and celebrated its 75th anniversary of continuous service in 2010. The core values of duty to God and country, coupled with community service and development of leadership skills are as relevant in Scouting today as when it was founded. Troop 22 is grateful for the decades of support provided by Hyde Park.

As with all Boy Scout units, Troop 22 is a boy-led organization. Scouts elect their leaders from among their ranks every six months, providing them with an opportunity to learn leadership skills. In addition, they plan the calendar and individual meetings, and guide the troop on outside activities such as camp outs and hikes.

One benchmark of the longevity and success of any troop is the number of Scouts who achieve Scouting’s highest honor, the rank of Eagle Scout. From Erskine Jones, Troop 22’s first Eagle recipient in June 1922, to those receiving their award in 2012, 156 Scouts have earned this honor.

For more information contact Jay Gadsby at 813.254.9757 or email.

The Disaster Relief and Recovery Ministry provides an organized effort to respond to the local and regional needs of those affected by natural disasters. We work in conjunction with the United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) and individual county agencies affected by disaster.

The ministry also provides “preparation” services for those in need before a storm hits. Recovery deals with rebuilding the lives of those affected. Most trips are one-day trips; however, opportunities for extended periods of service are available.

For more information or to get involved contact Rudy and Meg Fernandez email.

“All creation is the Lord’s and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. God has granted us stewardship of creation.” (paragraph 160, The Book of Discipline, 2008)

It is the purpose of the environmental ministry, the Green Team, to meet these stewardship duties through acts of care and respect for our environment.

The Green Team promotes environmental stewardship through education, organization and action. This includes education through organized courses and special events aimed at providing not only insight into current environmental issues but understanding how each of us can affect environmental stewardship at home and in our community.

For more information or to get invovled contact Patrick Shell at 813.293.6675 or email.

The Housing Offering Mentoring, Education and Support Ministry (HOMES) reaches out into our city to meet the needs of homeless children and families. In partnership with Metropolitan Ministries, Hyde Park HOMES volunteers adopt families who have moved from Metropolitan Ministries into transitional housing.

For more information or to get involved in HOMES contact Vicki Walker email or Jamie Meyer email.

Small Blessings Mission Projects
The Small Blessings curriculum includes mission projects to help teach the children about sharing and caring for others. Past projects include collecting clothes and other supplies to go to Nicaragua with the adult mission group, holding a food drive for Good Samaritan Mission, and collecting toys to donate to Metropolitan Ministries at Christmas.

For more information contact Susan Anderson at 813.259.9688 or email.

Children’s Ministries Mission Projects
Missions and Outreach is an important focus to help our children walk along the Discipleship Pathway. This year the kids have been involved in many different projects including book drives, filling backpacks with school supplies, preparing manna bags and serving at Coastal Cleanups.

One of the most exciting mission projects is our new partnership with Dickenson Elementary School. Through meeting with the schools’ administration and staff, a team has been created that will help discern the dreams, desires and needs of the school, and see how Hyde Park United Methodist can help support and equip the students, families and staff.

This year we have participated in offering a back-to-school breakfast for staff, giving gift cards for families in need at Thanksgiving and purchasing gifts during the holiday season.

For more information contact Erick Ashley at 813.253.533 or email.

Jesus Christ spoke of manna, revealing its true significance: “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘he gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” (John 6:31-33)

The Manna Ministry assembles and sells Zip-lock bags filled with Scripture, information on community resources, healthy snacks, sunscreen and a pair of socks to distribute to impoverished individuals to help them feel the love of Christ. Manna bags are available to purchase the last Sunday of the month in the Courtyard for $5.
 
For more information, contact Colleen Jones, 813.251.1764, email or Debbie Gordon, 727.572.8660, email.

Open Arms was established in 2004 to Make God’s Love Real to disenfranchised and marginalized men and women in the Hyde Park area. On Sunday mornings, Hyde Park’s Open Arms Ministry provides a nourishing meal and an invitation to the homeless to worship with the congregation. Open Arms also collects toiletries and clothing on a regular basis and distributes these on the first Sunday of the month. Haircuts are available the third Sunday of the month. The goal is to see all people as children of God and to treat them with dignity and respect while meeting basic human needs.

For serving schedule, please click here.

Click here for the Homeless Coalition Street Survival Guide.

Click here for Open Arms task descriptions.

For more information or to get involved, contact Pam Carpenter.

Second Saturday is an outreach group comprised of Hyde Park United Methodist members who are willing to lend a helping hand to complete service projects for those in need. The group meets on an as-needed basis to lend a hand for light manual labor projects. The group members are advised of a pending project through an “evite” invitation and typically have some type of project every second Saturday of the month. New volunteers are always welcome!

For more information or to get involved contact Steve Rorrer email or phone 813.839.2827

Hyde Park United Methodist is in its 16th year offering free tutoring for elementary students who are reading at least one year below grade level, have been recommended by their elementary school teacher, and have parents who are economically unable to provide private tutoring. Tutors meet weekly with their students to help them improve their reading while building relationships and self-esteem.

The volunteer tutors are adult members of the church who have been trained to help children develop their reading skills.

For more information or to get involved contact Sherry Holcomb, church liaison, email.

GET REAL Involved!
GET REAL Involved! engages youth in service within the Tampa Bay community. Students prefer to spend time with their peers and friends, so we organize events that allow them to do just that while they serve their community. All trips are fully chaperoned with background-checked and child-safety-trained adults, and all service sites have been screened. This group is supported in full by the Youth Ministry of Hyde Park United Methodist, which
has been organizing monthly youth service under the GET REAL banner since 2006.

See www.hydeparkumc.org/get-connected/youth/service for the most recent information and schedule of events.

High School Mission Trip: Puerto Rico, July 22-28, 2012
Located in the heart of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico is known as the “Island of Enchantment.” On the southern coast of the island lies the town of Ponce, and many opportunities for ministry and service within communities where families struggle with poverty every day. Youth will serve in one of the poorest communities through children’s outreach, food distribution, home repair and renovation. They will fly into San Juan and stay at a TEAM EFFORT mission outreach facility. They’ll also be able to visit historic downtown Ponce, and take a fun excursion when their work is done.

Middle School Mission Trip: Atlanta, GA, July 8-13, 2012
Within the bustling city of Atlanta there are many areas where people are struggling to cope with the harsh realities of urban life. This mission team will reach out and serve in some of the poorest inner city neighborhoods with ministries that operate clothing centers, food pantries and home repairs for families in need. Our group will stay at a local church and family life center. Side-trip opportunities include underground Atlanta, the Coca-Cola museum and/or the MLK museum.

For more information or to get involved contact Emily Felgenhauer, Director of Youth Ministry, at 813.253.5388 ext. 301 or email.