Outreach Partnership: St. John's & Zia UMC
Bag 'N Hand Pantry
The Bag ’n Hand Food Pantry is an outreach ministry operated by volunteers. We partner with The Food Depot of Santa Fe and are one of the largest food pantries in northern New Mexico.
Volunteers distribute fresh produce and other groceries every Tuesday from 11 am to 1:30 pm and on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays from 4 to 5:30 pm.
Each week, we serve 200 households that represent about 360 individuals with 24% children and 28% seniors.
The morning distributions use a drive-through method on a first-come, first-served basis in the north parking lot of St. John’s church.
Blessing Bags
A “Blessing Bag” is a Ziploc bag with socks, snacks, and a water bottle to keep in your car and give to someone in need.
Start-up funds were provided by the St. John’s UMC Foundation, but to keep the project going, the mission team suggests a $5 donation for each bag you give away.
Blessing Bags are available in the office area.
You can donate to help the project continue and lend a hand with packaging bags.
Raven's Basket
Raven’s Basket is a ministry for creating homeless care packages for our homeless for major holidays.
The homeless are the most in need for a meal and other items when everyone else is enjoying a holiday.
Zia UMC started by providing food around Christmas time, but now they will try to provide support for other holidays.
Watch for these events on the Zia calendar, or send them an email so that you can join the group for baking, cooking, providing supplies, packing bags, or going out to deliver them.
St. Elizabeth's Homeless Shelter
On the 2nd Thursday of every month, Zia UMC provides a meal for 40 people.
Zia UMC welcomes help with cooking and delivering meals to those staying at St. Elizabeth’s shelter.
If you’d like to help with this ministry of loving others, email Zia and they will connect you to the leader of this ministry.
For more information and other ways to help, click here.
Silver Horizons
Silver Horizon organizes and runs a monthly grocery store popup for low income seniors 50+ in Zia UMC’s education building. They serve about 100 people the 4th Saturday of every month and need more volunteers.
You can help restock shelves in the education building, assist those who come to receive free food and supplies, and/or help with their shopping and delivery to their cars.
If you’d like to help, click here to be directed to Silver Horizons volunteer support.
New Mexico Ramp Project
Zia and St. John’s volunteers have partnered with the New Mexico Ramp Project to help build ramps for clients in need of safe access to their homes.
Any time, teams go out to assess, build, and assemble the ramps at no cost to those in the Santa Fe area.
If you’d like to join this group to make a difference in the lives of those who need an ADA met ramp, click here.
To get more information and determine how you’d like to volunteer, please fill out this form.
Life Gatherings
In February, Zia UMC began training anyone who would like to host a home or coffee house gathering.
Hosting involves providing a place or organizing a place for people to gather and deepen authentic community among neighbors, friends, family, or co-workers who have no community.
If you are interested in joining or hosting a Life Gathering, click here.
Stranger to Family Ministry
Many Christians participate in Bible studies, but it is time to practice all those studies with Bible “Doings.”
On Thursday evening, two times are scheduled for people to join the Stranger to Friend (STF) Ministry.
Meet at the food court in the Santa Fe Place Mall to pray, and then go out to meet people. When you return, you pray for those you met.
Each time you practice your faith, the easier it is for worship to be a lifestyle instead of something you “attend” on Sunday mornings.
Click here to become involved.