Serve
At Platte Woods UMC we believe all people have a call placed on their hearts by God to spread the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ and serve in response to that love. We believe the Holy Spirit empowers and gives us everything we need to accomplish wonderful, adventurous and challenging acts of mission. Our call as part of the body of Christ is to serve those in need. Come serve and seek justice with us! Below are just a few of the opportunities available through PWUMC. For more information about missions and service at PWUMC, please contact Brandi Molina, director of Missions.
Upcoming Events



PWUMC has traditionally set aside one Saturday of each month as a day to serve together. Serving together as a church is an amazing opportunity to bless others and be blessed by going out into our community to show the love of Christ in real and tangible ways. In February, we invite you to join our Cost of Poverty Experience, or COPE Event.
In an effort to support the work of our House to Home Team, we are hosting a household supply drive. If you have a passion for helping provide support and hope to families who have faced unimaginable challenges, select items you’d like to donate from our “Wish Wall” located on the far east side of the Gathering Space or visit our Amazon Wish List.
We are also in need of larger donations such as; end tables, dressers, kitchen tables, etc. If you have larger items to donate, please contact Brandi prior to dropping them off. Due to limited storage space and specific criteria, furniture must be approved before being brought to the church.
Approved donations can be dropped off in the donation bins in the Gathering Space on Sunday mornings.
If you have questions, please contact Brandi Molina, director of Missions for more information.
Ministry Partners


Refugee Resettlement
Platte Woods UMC partners with Della Lamb Community Services to support refugee families in Kansas City. As part of that work, we have developed two teams:
Our House to Home Team works to fully furnish homes for newly arrived refugee or evacuee families. Our team is always updating and collecting donations of new and used household items to help furnish these homes. Furniture donations must be approved prior to dropping them off at the church.
Our Co-Sponsorship team works directly with refugee families, helping as conversation partners, transportation assistance, job searches, budgeting, and more. The co-sponsorship team plays an integral role in helping refugees become self-sufficient through relational collaboration among Della Lamb, PWUMC, and the families we work with. We are looking for leaders and team members with various interests and skills to join this team.
If you are interested in more information on how you can get involved with our refugee resettlement work, e-mail Brandi Molina, Director of Missions.

Iglesia de Camino
Iglesia de Camino is a primarily Hispanic church located in KCMO on Independence Avenue. In addition to the life-giving work they do through worship and Christian programming, Camino fills a critical role in the area by providing services to underserved and homeless individuals and families. PWUMC helps support the ministry of their church by providing weekly Thursday evening meals, periodic maintenance and organization projects (including work in their food and clothing pantries) and financial support.

Hillcrest Platte County
Hillcrest is a transitional housing ministry that seeks to help families and individuals, homeless or nearly homeless, achieve self-supporting and self-reliant status. Hillcrest ministers to singles, families, and youth, and you’ll find that the residents range from people who have never learned to budget and need help with life skills to people leaving domestic violence situations and beyond. You can learn much more about Hillcrest at their website.
- PWUMC sponsors two apartments at Hillcrest. What does it mean to sponsor an apartment? Sponsorship responsibilities range from an annual donation to stocking the apartment to cleaning to working with residents. Each time a new resident moves in, we stock the apartment with food and personal care items to get them started.
- How can I help? There are a variety of ways you can become involved with this ministry. New residents move into the apartment multiple times a year. Each time, we have a team who cleans the apartment from top to bottom, making it a welcoming place for the new residents. We also support Hillcrest Platte County by volunteering regularly at their thrift stores. A group from PWUMC volunteers at the Hillcrest Clearance Outlet each month as part of our Saturday GO Serve event.

CarePortal
The PWUMC partnership with CarePortal began in 2019. Through CarePortal, members of the church can help families and children in our community who have immediate needs. These can range from needing various household items to financial assistance with a bill. Through their work with local caseworkers, CarePortal connects families in need with families who want to help. Visit the CarePortal site for more information about the program and click the button below to sign up to help and be contacted by one of our team leaders for more information.

Community Blood Center
PWUMC hosts quarterly blood drives to support Community Blood Center, providing the lifesaving gift of blood to patients in our local hospitals. Right here in our community, volunteer blood donors are connecting lives and sharing life through blood donation.
Upcoming Blood Drive: June 11, 2023
Walk-ins are welcome or you can visit our Events page to find a link to make an appointment.
Seasonal & Holiday

If you’re interested in being a part of a short-term opportunity to serve others, visit the Seasonal Missions page for more information on opportunities taking place through the fall and holiday seasons, including:
- Easter Meal Boxes
- Thanksgiving Feast for Families
- Christmas Adopt a Family
- Angel Tree
- Shepherd’s Run
In Our World

Pine Ridge American Indian Reservation
Pine Ridge is one of the poorest places in the United States, with over 90% living below the poverty line and a life expectancy rate that is one of the lowest in the western hemisphere. For many years, Platte Woods UMC has been building relationships, and providing hope and encouragement. We now schedule two summer mission trips, during which we provide support for local organizations and ministries. We also connect with the people of Pine Ridge (especially children) through interactive activities, and learning about the culture and history of the Lakota people. At other times during the year, we take up collections to help fulfill needs and provide encouragement. Most notably, before “prom season” we collect donations of dresses and men’s dress clothing, and we collect school supplies before the start of the school year.
Honduras / Guatamala
Serving the poor in developing countries in Central America has been a passion for Dr. Marty Kanne and Platte Woods UMC. Dr. Kanne has been going to Honduras and Guatemala since 1989. He and his team of Platte Woods UMC volunteers have built schools, churches, houses and other projects that establish sustaining resources.
PWUMC has also provided support through connections with ODIM, the Organization for the Development of Indigenous Maya. ODIM operates medical and dental clinics in Guatemala as well as provides educational programs addressing childhood malnutrition, adolescent health, diabetes, safe stoves and safe drinking water. They focus not only on giving quality medical care but preventative health care as well, and address root causes of some of the health issues these communities face. ODIM is staffed predominantly by local Maya/Guatemala employees, mostly women.
During the global pandemic, people all over the world are suffering from the physical and economical effects of COVID-19, and the Mayan people of Guatemala are no exception. In a country that has the sixth-highest level of chronic malnutrition in the world, any disruption in the food supply or in job security is devastating. (Source: https://bit.ly/2W6drCP )
The pictures below show some of the relief efforts that took place in the Quiché Department of Guatemala, the area where PWUMC has focused its Guatemalan missions work over the last 20 years. Your contributions have made this work possible, and are being used to provide nutrition to food-insecure people right now, with over 1300 families receiving food.

Mission Disaster Relief Through the UMC
In the United Methodist Church, apportionments paid by local churches pay all UMCOR administrative costs, so 100% of your donations to disaster relief go to work in communities in need. If you’d like to support disaster relief efforts in the U.S., you can write a check to PWUMC and note “US UMCOR #901670” in the memo line. If you feel called to help with disaster relief efforts overseas, write a check to PWUMC and note “International UMCOR #982450.”