Serve and Volunteer in North Raleigh

At NRUMC, missions are at the heart of who we are. We believe that faith calls us to action, and we strive to Be A Blessing as the hands and feet of Christ in our community and beyond. With diverse opportunities, we serve our neighbors by addressing needs like housing insecurity, food scarcity, disaster recovery, prison outreach, and global empowerment. Whether through hands-on service, financial support, or prayer, there is a place for everyone to participate in God’s work.

From providing home repairs for seniors to partnering with international communities for sustainable change, each outreach program offers meaningful ways to make a difference. Whether you're packing meals, building homes, mentoring children, or supporting families in crisis, your involvement in North Raleigh UMC Missions helps create lasting impact and fosters a spirit of service.

Not sure how you want to serve? Contact Jen Haselden (jenh@nrumc.org) or fill in the form at the bottom of the page and she will help get you started!

Aging in Grace's goal is to help senior adults living alone to remain in their homes as long as possible while feeling safe, secure, and comfortable. We work with each person to assess individual needs and develop a plan to address critical projects in their home.

Projects can include but are not limited to updating computers, installing doorbell cameras, upgrading exterior lighting, adding handrails or grab bars, and many more. Projects are funded by the Aging in Grace team. We do not want a lack of funds to keep the people we serve from feeling safe and secure in their homes.

As we move forward with this program, we hope to grow a team that can assist in evaluating homes with us and in specific areas, such as:

Information Technology (IT) - computers and other technology assistance such as online banking, bill-paying, using websites, getting internet access, etc.

Home Care - home maintenance and design recommendations.

Exterior Home Care - reducing need for yard maintenance, fixing stairs and handrails, removing trip hazards, etc.

Contacts for this ministry are Bart and Carolyn Abbott - For more information, email info@nrumc.org.

Our mission is to use our time and talent to meet the needs of those around us in order to create an opportunity to share the love of Jesus. We will perform household repairs for those who cannot afford them free of charge. Those who can afford to buy materials only, we will provide labor at no charge.

Services Provided

We can perform the following household repair and maintenance tasks: Roofing, siding, decks, windows, doors, gutters, drywall, heating/air conditioning, electrical, carpentry, plumbing, concrete, yard work, tree work, pressure washing.

How does it work?

To request service, contact the church office at info@nrumc.org with a description of your needs. You will be contacted by our Hearts and Hammers ministry team who will ask you to complete some forms. Your request will be evaluated, including a home visit to review the work needed. We may not be able to handle all requests; for example, some may be too complex or may not match our ministry's mission. If you request is approved, we will assign a work crew and schedule the work.

How can I help?

For more information on volunteering, email info@nrumc.org. Monetary donations supporting the ministry are also accepted - you can give online, or checks may be made out to North Raleigh UMC with "Hearts & Hammers" in the memo line.

Our work with the Appalachia Service Project helps to address housing issues in central Appalachia…but it’s so much more than that.

It’s seeing groups of volunteers of varying skill levels accomplish so much to make homes warmer, safer and drier
It’s a work team member taking time out from his work to sit and play with a child at the worksite – because that personal connection is just as important as the repairs.
It’s the bonds of fellowship that form – with each other and with those we’re helping.
It’s the powerful moment when a team of youth complete the first indoor bathroom a family has ever had.

Since 2004, we’ve sent adult work team twice a year on weekend trips to work on ASP projects. We work out of the year-round ASP centers in Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia. We’ve also sent youth teams for week-long trips in the summer.

If you go on an ASP trip, you’ll find yourself transformed by the experience, and you’ll help to transform the life of someone you’re helping.

How can I help?

Join an ASP work team! We take teams in the spring and fall (usually around April and October), leaving on Thursday and returning on Sunday. You don’t have to have construction experience – there’s work for everyone and for all skill levels. To find out about the next trip, email Allison Nunnery
Donate. ASP relies on donations of money, materials, and time in order to accomplish its mission. Although they are excellent stewards of all that they are entrusted with, the need is always greater than the resources available. To donate or to find out more about ASP, visit their website at asphome.org.

Wake County has a need of over 28,000 more affordable housing units, and NRUMC is stepping up to help! Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity, bolstered by a $27,500 Blessings Initiative award, supports three key programs: Home Preservation, New Home Builds, and Housing Justice. We’re seeking volunteers aged 18+ to volunteer with the preservation projects and new home builds. Get involved today—volunteer, donate, or partner with us to help meet housing needs and support our community! For more info, contact Jason Lanier

Since December 2016, our Disaster Response team has been actively helping communities affected by storms, starting with Hurricane Matthew in Princeville. Our roster of 35 dedicated volunteers tackles both interior and exterior home damage, cleanup, and rebuilding efforts across five counties. We collaborate with the North Carolina Conference Disaster Ministry and Carolina Rebuild Ministries to assist low-income households and support long-term recovery from Hurricane Florence and other storms. Volunteers handle travel and food costs, with lodging arranged by our partners. Contribute your skills and support in our ongoing disaster recovery missions!

For more info or to join the mailing list about upcoming trips, reach out to Mike Barnes

Our meal-packing events are a fantastic way for our congregation to come together and make a difference. From youth groups to entire families, everyone is welcome to participate.

In 2023 over 100 volunteers packed 20,000 meals in 2 hours! You’re invited to join our next event on Saturday September 7th 9-11am. We aim to pack another 20,000 meals. Help us reach our goal—your time and energy will provide hope and nourishment to those in need. Sign up today and be a part of this rewarding experience! For Questions or more information contact Jen Haselden

NRUMC’s community garden is located across the street (overflow parking lot) from the church. Lease a 5’ X 10’ raised bed ($25) or a full size 5’ X 20’ ($50) raised bed with complete discretion of what vegetables to grow with the understanding that at least 50% of your harvest will go to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

Garden members participate twice a month in Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday group harvesting activities and perform an additional 4 hours of community workday labor during the year. What a great way to experience community and friendship with your fellow church members! Individuals, circles, and families are all welcome to participate in this ministry. Green thumbs are helpful, but not required! If you are not interested in leasing a garden bed, we can always use volunteers to help with the picking.

Each year, our garden volunteers grow and donate about 6,000 lbs of fresh vegetables to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The Food Shuttle provides fresh vegetables and fruits to local individuals/families in need. Visitors to the garden are always welcomed!

For more information, email Julie Barnes or Pam Hartigan. Space is limited.

Visit our garden’s website for more information and click here for the agreement and sign-up form.

Family Promise of Wake County began in 1994 as Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network (WIHN), providing emergency shelter and meals to Wake County families experiencing temporary homelessness. In 2013 they became Family Promise of Wake County and added additional wrap-around services to move families through a continuum of care. They are one of only two family shelters in Wake County & the only shelter to allow families to define themselves. They are also the only family shelter to offer services from prevention through permanent housing and beyond! Their mission is to move families at risk of or experiencing homenessless into sustainable, permanent housing in our community through a continuum of support services, with a vision to end homelessness in Wake County. We are glad to be a Family Promise church! To learn more about FPWC, click here.

Volunteering

NRUMC supports Family Promise for one week, twice a year. If you would like to volunteer for the next Family Promise week, email info@nrumc.org to receive more information.

Dinner Preparer Instructions

Dinner preparers normally work in teams of two to four individuals, but we do not discourage solo acts. When you sign up to prepare dinner, please indicate what you will be preparing on the Sign Up Genius so we can ensure there is a variety of food offered to our guests throughout the week. Dinner teams normally decide amongst themselves about the specifics of who will provide what. Alternatively, you may order meals to be delivered if you do not have time to cook.

Specific Wake Family Promise family information will be sent the Wednesday before our Wake Family Promise week starts. This information will include the number of individuals we will be serving, the ages of children, any food restrictions, and the apartment letter they are currently living in. You may consider packaging your meals by apartment and labeling them for easy pick up from the Day Center by the familes that we are serving.

We ask that you please coordinate with the delivery volunteer on the Sign Up Genius to ensure dinners are delivered at or before 5:00 p.m. to the Family Promise Day Center - 903 Method Road, Raleigh, NC, 27606.

NRUMC made their first trip in mission to Peru in 2007. The mission centers on support for the Methodist Church in Peru (IMP). It is based on a covenant relationship between the NC Methodist Conference and the IMP established in 1990. Initially, the relationship was based on Christian education, spiritual support, and prayer support.

We have made 6 trips, including in 2007, and they have been based on the principles established in the Covenant but are now extended to helping build and repair local church facilities, participating in children’s feeding programs and bible school, and general support for the local churches and their programs.

Our trips have been to Lima, and to the Andes and Amazon regions of the country. They typically last 10 days to 2 weeks and, along with our visits and work with local churches, include visits to historic locations such as Machu Picchu that give us a perspective about Peruvian history and culture.

We plan our trips for every other year. The trips are open to adults and youth, rising sophomores in high school and up. We are blessed to have Peruvian friends in ministry that guide us as to the needs of the local churches and the places we might go each trip. Safety and health issues are of utmost concern for those guiding us.

If you are interested in Peru missions, email Jay Mackie or Allison Nunnery.

NRUMC has been in mission in Mexico since 2003. The connection is with Faith Ministry in McAllen, Texas. The ministry was started by a Mexican American business man with retail stores in Texas. He recognized a need for affordable housing and medical care needs for people migrating to the border. He sold his business interests and founded Faith Ministry. The ministry is faith-based and centers in churches and first-line medical clinics along the border. The barrios (colonias in local language) are where people leaving bad living conditions in other areas of Mexico migrate hoping for a better life for their families. The ministry builds 12′ x 24′ concrete houses for families who contribute 8 months of labor for others who have been approved for houses. They also provide first-line medical care in the communities they serve and feeding programs for the children. To date we have financed and built 39 houses for people in need. In addition, we have sent a medical team to help in the clinic, helped support vocational programs, supported children with scholarships for school and provided funds for Christmas season programs that provide gifts for children and funding for food during the holidays. If you are interested in more information, please email Jay Mackie or Julie Bass. For more information about Faith Ministry go to faithministry.org.

If you are interested in Peru missions, email Jay Mackie or Allison Nunnery.

I was in prison and you visited me. ...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. -Matthew 25:36-45

Yokefellow Prison Ministry

...is an inter-denominational, interracial Christian ministry of reconciliation begun in 1969, which includes both lay and clergy, male and female. It is founded on the idea that people’s lives are changed through committed relationships. The ministry is conducted by trained volunteers who lead weekly meetings of small groups inside our correctional institutions. It is a ministry of listening, sharing, caring, encouragement and support provided by community volunteers from the “outside” yoked in fellowship with those on the “inside.” NRUMC Yokefellow volunteers carpool to Polk Correctional Institute in Butner each Wednesday evening.

Project Angel Tree

The Angel Tree ministry brings Christmas joy to the children of incarcerated persons in the form of gifts purchased by members of the congregation on the inmate’s behalf. Volunteers can assist with: calling families, sorting gifts, delivering gifts, or organizing angel ornaments for distribution to gift providers.

For more information, or to volunteer with Prison Ministries, email info@nrumc.org.

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