Ingathering – (n) The act or business of gathering or collecting anything, especially, the gathering of the fruits of the earth, harvest.
Date: November 18, 2023
Location: A church near you
Time: To be announced by districts
Happenings: Praise to God, Fellowship, Snacks, Fun, & Mission Projects
As promised, Ingathering will look a little different this year. So that more can be included, we will be gathering by district. It is our goal that more can enjoy the fellowship, and love of God by joining us closer to home.
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for all you do for your congregations and disaster survivors.
Each year your Ingathering donations are used to help disaster survivors nationally. Whether it be a small-town event, statewide disaster, or helping our neighbors.
The collections from 2022 were used in-state during the March 31, 2023, tornados, and to help the survivors of wildfires in West Texas and New Mexico. I believe this is the first time in history that we have depleted our supply of regular hygiene kits. You cannot know what a blessing it was to be able to help so many of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Simply amazing! Thank you!
This year we are starting something new. We are putting the “Ministry” back in Disaster Response Ministry. As with so much in our lives, we tend to start taking the easy way out. As soon as an event happens, (and the area is safe) outside teams will start walking the neighborhoods with our new Family Bags. Our main purpose is to make sure everyone is safe and has questions answered. This has 3 objectives; show God’s love, provide a small number of supplies, and help the local pastors check on their congregations. The pastors are experiencing the disaster also and are overwhelmed.
This year’s items will include:
Hygiene Kits Scissors
Duct Tape Pens/Markers
Waterproof file folder Small Child’s Toy
Cleaning Buckets Small notebook
Monetary Donations For Disaster Response and 200,000 More Reasons
*Depending on space, we might add more items.
With great thanks, Your Disaster Response Ministry Team
One hand towel (15 x 25 –17 x 27 inches)
- No kitchen, cleaning, or microfiber towels
One washcloth
- No kitchen, cleaning, or microfiber towels
One comb
- Must be sturdy with at least 4-7 inches of teeth
- No pocket combs or picks
- Rattail and combs without handles are acceptable but must have at least 4-7 inches of teeth
One toenail or fingernail clipper
- No emery boards or metal nail files
Bath-size soap (3 oz. bar or larger)
- No Ivory or Jergen’s soap
- Do not remove from packaging
One adult toothbrush
- Do not remove from packaging
- Personal advertising not acceptable
10 adhesive bandages (¾ by 3 inches)
- Common household bandages acceptable
One one-gallon size re-sealable bag
*Do not add toothpaste when assembling kits
Cleaning Kit Materials
- One five-gallon round bucket with re-sealable lid (14.35” h x 12.19” w x 12.19” d)
- No screw lids
- May be used, but must be free from all residual product
- Advertisements on the outside acceptable
- One 32-64 oz. bottle liquid laundry detergent
- One 16-40 oz. bottle liquid concentrate household cleaner
- No spray cleaners
- One 16-34 oz. bottle dish soap
- One 4-8 oz. pump spray air freshener (liquid, not gel)
- One 6-14 oz. pump spray insect repellent (pack of 10-20 wipes also acceptable)
- Pump spray bottles must have protective covers
- One scrub brush
- With or without handle
- 18 re-useable cleaning wipes
- No terrycloth, microfiber or paper towels
- Remove from packaging
- Five scouring pads
- No stainless-steel pads with soap in them
- Remove from packaging
- 36-50 clothespins
- One 50-100 ft. clothesline (cotton or plastic line)
- 24 roll of heavy-duty trash bags (33-45-gallon sizes)
- Remove from packaging
- Five N95 particulate respirator dust masks (1-3 mm thickness)
- No surgical masks
- Two pairs kitchen gloves
- Durable for multiple uses
- Remove from packaging
- One pair work gloves
- Cotton with leather palm or all leather
You may drop off items at the following locations:
Central District: The Hub (behind Wesley UMC in Conway, 2310 E Oak St, Conway) 10 am – 12 pm. Join folks putting together hygiene kits. Bishop Merrill will be there at 10:15 a.m.
Southwest District: Camden First United Methodist Church (121 Harrison Ave SW, Camden) at 8:45 a.m. Join the “Pack Shack.”
Southeast District: Monticello First United Methodist Church (317 S Main St, Monticello) from 10 am – 12 pm. Please bring your Ingathering Kits – Volunteers will help unload. Join us for Fellowship and devotion at 10:15 by Br. Bryan Diffee. Refreshments and Disaster Kit Assembly from 10:30 to Noon.
Northwest District: Springdale First United Methodist Church (206 W. Johnson Ave., Springdale) 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Fort Smith First United Methodist Church (200 N. 15th Street, Fort Smith) 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Northeast District: Bay United Methodist Church (300 Central Ave., Bay) from 2 pm-4 pm. Attendees will also be stuffing stockings for local kids who are food insecure. And Bishop Merril will be here!
Downloadable forms and documents