Missions

It is almost that time of year! Winter Shelter 2025 is coming soon!

Winter Shelter is an opportunity for you ...to help serve and care for those experiencing homelessness in Virginia Beach! First Presbyterian and Virginia Beach UMC will once again be partnering to host two weeks of Winter Shelter. First Presbyterian will be hosting guests Jan. 1-8, 2025 and Virginia Beach UMC will be hosting Jan 8-15, 2025. We have multiple ways for people to be involved over these weeks and we can set you up with an opportunity to serve if you are looking.

Potter's House is Virginia Beach United Methodist Church's signature outreach ministry, serving the Oceanfront and larger Virginia Beach community since the late 1990s.

Potter’s House is staffed and operated by volunteers, and its budget is based solely on contributions from collections and other donations throughout the year. Financial and material support is also provided by private companies and organizations in the community.

Potter’s House collaborates with other local churches and non-profits to create a support system for individuals experiencing homelessness and the working and non-working poor by striving to assist them with their immediate needs.

Your group can apply for a community service grant up to $500 to assist in funding a community service project you want to do. Mission board was gifted 10% of the total earnings from the north wing capital campaign to use toward mission and community service projects. We have donated over $300,000 to local, regional, and international projects over the past five years. Mission Board would love to spend our last $100,000 on your passion projects within the community. If your group is interested you can access the application by clicking the button to the side.

All applications can be sent to Mandi Cutchins at mcutchins@vbumc.org for Mission Board review. The Mission Board meets the first Thursday of every month and will review applications then. If you need project ideas, contact Mandi Cutchins at mcutchins@vbumc.org. Now get out there and serve!

Volunteers at the bike shop repair about 25 bikes a week and give out 4-5 bikes per week. In order to obtain a bike or repair service, you are required to be gainfully employed. Each bike given away has a cable with a lock to help reduce theft.

We welcome bicycle donations from members of Virginia Beach UMC, local bike shops, and generous donors throughout our community. We accept bikes in any condition, as we have a good inventory of bike parts that are used to refurbish and repair bikes in any condition. Receipts are provided which can be used for charitable tax deductions.

If you have a bicycle to donate, it can be dropped off during the bike ministry's hours at the Potter's House, or you can contact us to schedule a time for the bike to be picked up at your home.

Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-11:00 am
Contact: Mandi Cutchins, mcutchins@vbumc.org

Every child deserves a safe, happy environment in which to learn and play. Care by Community, better known as CBC, is an afterschool program run in partnership with W.T. Cooke Elementary school for children who are deemed “homeless” by the city, meaning they live in hotels, shelters, or are in shared housing. Others are referred by teachers because of family and living situations.

The program runs Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-5:30 pm from the middle of October to the end of May. Students are brought to the church where they are met by volunteers at the front door. Students then proceed to the children’s ministry area where they receive a snack, homework help and recreation time! At 5:00, all the students come together for dinner, and they are fed a hot meal before being taken home by the church buses!

Contact: Laura Beth Lawver at laura.lawver@vbschools.com

Our CBC kids need us! They need some healthy afternoon snacks. We also need small bottles of water or Capri Sun Roaring Waters. There are 15 kids.

We'd love to have something (either fresh fruits/veggies or salty snacks) for them each Monday and Wednesday starting October 21. Please have the items there by 2:00. They are to be placed inside the glass office doors, labeled "CBC Snacks". If you want your containers back, please put your name on them and they will be returned to the desk for you to pick up.

Items for Monday can be left at the church on Sunday if needed. For anyone not able to get to the church during the day, Carolyn Freid can come pick the items up from you and deliver them. If needed, please call/text her at 757-639-1190.

Thank you for helping!

People in Need (PiN) Ministry exists to Connect people experiencing homelessness to a loving God who will Heal and Restore hope. PiN is a Christ-based non-profit that believes Christian principles can lead individuals and families from dependency toward financial and personal independence.

PiN serves those experiencing homelessness in our community in a number of creative ways. One of those ways is hosting a weekly Bible Study for anyone who would like to join. VBUMC has partnered with PiN and committed to prepare and serve a meal to participants. This is a great opportunity for a family, group of friends, small group or Sunday School class. Please sign up to serve by clicking the button to the left.

Please plan to arrive at PiN Ministry at 5:45 to set up your prepared food and be ready to serve by 6:00 pm. There are usually around 30-35 participants. You are also invited and encouraged to sit down and enjoy the Bible Study after serving.

Time: Thursdays at 5:45

Contact: Mandi Cutchins, mcutchins@vbumc.org

Potter’s House is staffed and operated by volunteers, and its budget is based solely on contributions from collections and other donations throughout the year. Financial and material support is also provided by private companies and organizations in the community.

Potter’s House collaborates with other local churches and non-profits to create a support system for individuals experiencing homelessness and the working and non-working poor by striving to assist them with their immediate needs.

Assistance is Available