Serving Locally

Angel Tree Christmas™ equips churches and other organizations to restore and strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their children and families. Every Christmas, Angel Tree mobilizes local churches and organizations to minister to hundreds of thousands of children by delivering a gift, the Gospel message, and a personal message of love on behalf of their mom or dad behind bars. ZUMC partners with Angel Tree to minister and provide gifts to the children of prisoners and their families. Two gifts are purchased for each child by church volunteers and delivered to the homes in December. Angel Tree has been a successful ministry at ZUMC since 2001. Contact: Cindy Dralle – cindydralle@yahoo.com

This group gathers to sew, quilt, or crochet blanket items which are prayed over and given to baptized children or persons who are ill or hurting. For more information, please contact Sharon Petersen, sharon.peterson@oneamerica.com.

Upcoming 2026 Blood Drives at ZUMC!  Every donation makes a difference!  All will be in the gym except for July.  We will meet in the chapel for that one.

• 3-22-26  8:30am – 12:30pm

• 5-17-26  8:30am – 12:30pm

• 7-19-26 9:00am – 12:00pm  (One service Sunday)

• 9-13-26  8:30am – 12:30pm

• 11-15-26  8:30am – 12:30pm

Offers compassionate support and safe housing choices for survivors of domestic violence and their children. We specialize in fresh starts – letting survivors lead the way in creating their own paths forward. ZUMC hosts an Easter Party every year for residents of Coburn Place as well as supporting their Well-Being Services trauma-informed and survivor-led, with a focus on healing and independence.

Coburn Place Easter Party
ZUMC will continue to host our annual Easter party on Thursday, April 2, from 4:30 - 6:00 pm. This year, our Easter party will be combined with Coburn's start of Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness month with a Blue Day Pizza Party! We'll wear blue and help the kids color and create pinwheels and plant pinwheel gardens around the property. Volunteers are needed to bake sugar cookies and/or to serve as party hosts on April 2. This is a great opportunity for families to serve together. Coburn Place is a safe-haven residential facility located on E 38th Street that provides excellent programs for survivors of domestic violence. Please contact Debbie Maas at debbie@maas.org to volunteer or ask questions.

One way in which we can live out our Christian faith is by caring for God's creation and empowering individuals and communities to become better stewards of the Earth.  After reading “Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World” by Edward Humes, our Wednesday morning Soul Full Book Group decided to put what they learned into action.  They have started a recycling program to help all of us to make meaningful changes toward better lives and a cleaner, greener world. 

Collection and Uses

• Plastic Bottle Caps for a bench, table or other products for reduced pricing through ABC PROMISE PARTNERSHIP (A BENCH FOR CAPS). Contact Person: Ashley Quach (aquach127@gmail.com)

• Shoes for Changing Footprints collects new and gently used shoes for distribution to homeless, disaster-stricken, or underprivileged people locally, nationally, and internationally.  Contact Person: Ramie Cooney (cooneyr@gmail.com)

• Eyeglasses, cell phones, and hearing aids. Eyeglasses and hearing aids are distributed to people in need in low and middle-income communities. Cell phones are collected to make sure they are safely and responsibly managed in accordance with state and national regulations. Contact Person: Kanene Summers (kfsummers@hotmail.com)

• Aluminum Pull Tabs for Ronald McDonald House are recycled, generating much-needed funds to support the House and the thousands of families we serve each year. Contact Person: Marilyn Berry-Stamm (hapycmprmg@aol.com)

• Egg Cartons (both styrofoam and cardboard) for Wonder Tree Farm right here in Zionsville.  They will reuse the egg cartons to sell their farm-fresh eggs.  Contact Person: Connie McDonald (mcdonaldconnie745@gmail.com)

• Batteries which contain hazardous chemicals and rare metals that are a limited resource on our planet; by recycling these materials they can be reused for generations to come. Contact Person: Lynn Daugherty (ledaugh@netnitco.net)

Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis is a partnership of congregations and community organizations responding to the crisis of children and their families who are homeless. Family Promise works to eliminate homelessness in Greater Indianapolis. ZUMC partners by furnishing apartments, mentoring families, and providing meals. Contact: Jo Flinn 317-902-3189 or joflinn@att.net

Family Promise is currently renting 24 apartments as transitional housing for families with children in need. ZUMC has agreed to furnish one of these Family Promise Apartment Shelters with household items. Please click here for more information and to donate items.

Learn More about Family Promise

The Fletcher Place Community Center exists to break the cycle of poverty in Southeast Indianapolis through hope, compassion, and renewal. They compassionately provide programs to ease the burden of low to moderate-income individuals who struggle with life's basic needs. ZUMC provides a breakfast once a month (2nd Tuesday), items for the free thrift store, and support to the preschool with donations for the Thanksgiving and Christmas programs. Contact: Ron Holtz - 317-370-1823 or holtzr@aol.com

Habitat for Humanity of Boone County believes that every person and family deserves a simple, decent, and affordable place to live in safety and dignity. ZUMC partners with Boone County Habitat for Humanity in the spring for a weeklong Habitat Faith Build and in the fall for the Women’s Build to provide a home for a Boone County family.

Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home provides residential treatment for youth who have been abused or neglected. Counseling, education, religious education, group living, and recreation form the residential treatment program. Youth between the ages of 14-19, with emotional and behavioral challenges, benefit from the open campus, onsite psychotherapy, certified teachers, tutoring, spiritual support, and so much more. Contact: Jo Flinn 317-902-3189 or joflinn@att.net

Isaiah 117 House, a nationwide nonprofit organization with a home in Boone County, provides a comforting home for children awaiting foster care placement. This wait can be a few hours to several days. Many times, the children have nothing with them, are scared, lonely, hungry, and in dirty clothing. The Isaiah 117 House provides a place that is safe with friendly and loving volunteers who provide clean clothes, smiles, toys, and snuggly blankets. Children receive the comfort and care they need while child welfare staff can do the necessary paperwork and identify a good placement. Contact: Audra Plopper – 317-332-0892 or audra_poe@yahoo.com

Kid's Kloset, a ZUMC Gap Ministry that partners with Love Inc. to offer the children of Boone County clothing needed for all types of weather and situations. We accept donations of clean, gently used, or new children's clothing. Donations can be left in the bins inside Door 2 or Door 12 at ZUMC. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Susan Bloom (sbloom383@gmail.com).

Love In the Name of Christ of Boone County is a unique network of churches and agencies that respond to the needs of ordinary people who need HOPE in the midst of a difficult time in life. The mission is to mobilize the church to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ. Contact: Desiree Woodruff (deswoodruff@hotmail.com).

Military Ministry prays for and sends care packages to our Zionsville UMC active duty members and loved ones at Easter and Thanksgiving/Christmas. We also acknowledge and thank our veterans with letters on July Fourth and Veterans Day. Please contact Claire Fisher at 317-443-3140 or cadfisher@gmail.com if interested in helping with this ministry.

SAWS (Servants at Work) is a faith-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing freedom to people with permanent disabilities in low-income households through the construction of wooden wheelchair ramps. These ramps serve as their gateway to the world, reopening connections with neighbors and the larger community while providing independence and accessibility. Contact: Bob Richmond at brichmond89@yahoo.com for more information.

You Feed Them Missional Food Pantry, Inc. exists to carry out Jesus' command to serve spiritual and physical food to all those that hunger and thirst. To commit to responding to the needs of the community through food distribution, discipleship, prayer, education, and community resource sharing. Other initiatives include: 1) the Youth Savings Initiative 2) The Back-to-School Community Resource Day Initiative providing children with backpacks, supplies, and a new pair of shoes; also to showcase local resource providers. 3) The Christmas Overflow Initiative provides emergent gifts and food for children of parents that miss deadline dates of other agency registrations or do not qualify for their registration requirements. Contact: Tina Shipe – zvilleshipe@gmail.com; 317.850.1544 or Mike Shipe- mshipe@262apex.com; 317.709-6829

A message from Min. Lydia Davis:

"They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over." — Matthew 14:20

Dear Friends in missional ministry at Zionsville United Methodist Church,

As I reflect on the incredible nine year journey of our You Feed Them Missional Food Pantry, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. Just as in the miracle of the loaves and fishes, we have seen how communities coming together can turn “just enough" into "abundance." What began in my spirit as a vision to serve our neighbors relationally inspiring transformation rather than just transactional, has grown into a meaningful legacy that highlight connectional ministries of active care, and that is due in no small part to the unwavering support of all of you and especially your Leadership! 

I want to extend a profound thank you for your tremendous donations, your steadfast friendship, and your dedicated partnership in missional service. Together, we are doing so much more than distributing groceries; we are transforming lives by inspiring hope and sharing kindness in every life we feed with physical groceries, supplies, and resources and with every Christ Care conversation shared.

Looking forward, your hands and hearts are the backbone of our mission. Thank you so very much for walking alongside us, for embracing our vision, helping to meet the needs, and for responding with such an abundance of gifts and grace. I remain humbled and honored to walk through ministry with along for the ride. 

With sincere love and appreciation, 

Rev. Lydia L. Davis Founder and Board President of You Feed Them Missional Food Pantry, Inc, 

***The 3 most needed items for April are Canned Tuna/Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Detergent. The church drop off deadline for April is Monday, April 13th, with Distribution being Thursday evening April 16th. If you have any questions in regard to monetary donations or volunteering, please email Tina Shipe at zvilleshipe@gmail.com OR call 317-850-1544. The website is youfeedthemmfp.org.