By Bob Schultz

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (Oct. 24, 2016) -- First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge recently sent its 11th mission to the UMCOR Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La.

This year it was all Cleaning Buckets. The Oak Ridge team of 15 joined 52 other missioners from six other churches to assemble, verify and stage Cleaning Buckets.

It was announced to us when we arrived at the Sager Brown warehouse that 2,300 buckets were needed to serve the floods in Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Virginia, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Tennessee and Oklahoma -- and this was before Hurricane Mathew hit the east coast.

During the week, several from each team volunteered to help in the monthly “Food for Families” distribution to needy families. This program serves a large number (this month it was 423) local residents. Some volunteers spent a morning or afternoon serving various agencies: visiting and assisting in a local Head Start program, women’s halfway house, and a retirement home. There are always a large variety of activities on which to work.

On Thursday night, a meaningful Vespers and Communion service was held with team members participating in the service, including a volunteer choir. The teams filled the chapel.

About 3,000 volunteers come to the Sager Brown Depot every year. Book the dates for your team early because prime-time dates fill up fast.

See also:
Oak Ridge volunteer shares first mission experience in Honduras (The Call, 7/18/16)

Oak Ridge church sends volunteers to Sager Brown Depot (The Call, 10/7/13)