Missions


We are a congregation that lives our love of God through service to those in need, whether they live in our neighborhood or on distant shores.  Acting on AUMC’s overall mission to Love God, Love Neighbor and Serve the World, we support our local community and the world through service, prayer, financial support and fellowship. Our mission outreach is structured to ensure that everyone, young and old alike, can participate.

To donate to our mission projects
, designate funds towards the Lenten Mission Project at annandalechurch.com/giving

Curious about plans for future mission projects? Want to get more involved? Attend our Missions Committee meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Contact Teresa Schwartz at larachliath@gmail.com for a Zoom invite.

Upcoming Mission Activities

Hypothermia Prevention, Nov. 26 - Dec. 3: click here to sign up! Winters can be especially hard on our neighbors without homes, as shelters fill up and the outdoors freeze. Through the Hypothermia Prevention Program, local churches take turns hosting our wandering saints each night for a week. Beginning the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we at Annandale are housing the Wandering Saints of Fairfax County in our Media Center and Lower Atrium. We minister to our unsheltered neighbors by providing a warm breakfast and a nutritious dinner and a bagged lunch to take with them as they leave on their daily treks. We provide gas cards, metro cards and tokens, McDonald’s gift cards, essential personal care bags, our ever famous “Long Johns”, socks, donated coats, and entertainment. Everyone gets blankets and a mattress, ample floor space, and a clean and warm area to spend the night. During their stay here, our guests are offered vaccinations for covid and flu, health services and counseling with the hope of housing them as quickly as possible.If you have any questions, call or email Teresa Beyer, 301-221- 8321 or email larachliath@gmail.com.

Christmas Angel Tree: You may be aware that each year we at AUMC partner with Rising Hope Mission Church to provide gifts for underprivileged children in the Fairfax County/ Annandale area. The way we do this is by having an "Angel Tree" in the Upper Atrium of the church with tags with the age and maybe a wish from a child who needs a kindness this Christmas season. Please take a tag off of the Christmas tree, buy the gift, and return it wrapped and labeled with the tag attached by Sunday, Dec. 3.  If you have any questions, please call Pat Sherfey, 793-864-0356, or Bevin Albertani, 202-236-4200.

Children’s winter gear needed! The Mission Center is currently distributing children’s hats, gloves and coats. Please drop off new or gently used items at the Mission Center or in the boxes in the coat room.

New Volunteer Positions at the Mission Center

Mission Center Assistant Trustee for Custodial: Bilingual English/Spanish speaker sought to help recruit and manage 15 hour/week evening janitor/custodian for Mission Center. This will save AUMC money over current cleaning contract and greatly improve cleanliness of building. We have had applicants for the position, but all have been Spanish speakers with minimal English. Contact Ann Cooke at anncooke153@yahoo.com or Dana A. Goward at dagoward@gmail.com

Mission Center Webpage Coordinator: Help create and maintain webpage for Mission Center. Share all the good work and services offered at the Mission Center. A web presence is essential to communicate with clients, advertise opportunities, and support grant applications. Web skills helpful but not required. Volunteer can assemble / coordinate information and pass to staff. Contact John Clark at clarkejh1@gmail.com or Richard Bass at rbass@annandale-umc.org

Mission Center Community Advisory Board Coordinator: Help Mission Center Board of Directors (BOD) establish, coordinate, and conduct regular meetings of a Community Advisory Board. MC BOD wants to be more client focused and community driven. To do that we need regular interaction and advice from the community. Contact John Clarke at clarkejh1@gmail.com or Dana A. Goward at dagoward@gmail.com

Mission Center Food Inventory Control & Security workers: Spend a few hours each Friday taking inventory of remaining food items to inform our shoppers about our food needs for the next week. After inventory relocate rolling shelving and partitions to both secure the food area and make the hall available for weekend fellowship by three partner congregations. Contact Elizabeth Clevenger at etclevenger@verizon.net or Bill Iwig at bethesda.duo@verizon.net

Grant Writing Team Leaders and Members: Each year AUMC and the Mission Center miss out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants. Team coordinator and folks to help fill out applications needed. Contact Bill Iwig at bethesda.duo@verizon.net or Dana A. Goward at dagoward@gmail.com

Help Out at the Mission Center

Tuesdays, 2:45-4 p.m.
Unload food items provided by Food for Others, to crate those items, and place the crates on the tables or storage shelves.
2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
We are offering a diaper distribution on the second and fourth Tuesdays each month with Opportunity Neighborhood and FACETS.
Thursdays, 3-4:45 p.m.
Help with our weekly food distribution by packing grocery bags, dividing produce, and other tasks.
Thursdays, 4:45-7 p.m.
Help distribute bags of food to our neighbors in need. Two timeslots are available to allow flexibility for our volunteers.

Other ways to get involved

Food drives, furniture moving, and more

Drive Seniors to Appointments
The Shepherd Center needs volunteers to help drive seniors to medical appointments. In recent months the number of requests have been mounting and several have been going unfilled. You can accept appointments at your convenience using their very efficient computer system. Call the Shepherd Center at 703-941-1419 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for more information.
Donate Food
On the first Sunday of the month, we collect donations in containers inside the church's main doors for the Annandale Christian Community for Action food pantry. All other Sundays, we collect items for the Mission Center in the white bins in the coat closet at the front of the church; we are currently focusing on 1 pound bags of rice and beans.
Teach English as a Second Language
To help someone learn English, you do NOT need to know another language. Our students learn best from someone who is friendly, patient, and appreciative of the effort it takes to learn a new language. For details, please call John Clarke, 703-606-6464, or speak to Betsy Clevenger or Pam Jones.
Combat social isolation as a volunteer!
Grocery shoppers and social visitors (in-person or by phone) are needed in Annandale, Springfield, and Alexandria. Form a new connection and help combat social isolation. Bilingual skills are helpful. To learn more and register go to bit.ly/FXVSVOL , email VolunteerSolutions@FairfaxCounty.gov , or call 703-324-5406.
Deliver Furniture
The Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA) delivers used furniture to families in need from the warehouse next to the Little White Church. We meet down by the Little White Church at 8 a.m. once a month and are finished by noon. Your strong arms and backs are needed and appreciated. If you are interested in being on the Annandale UMC furniture team, contact Ted Torsch at 443-415-8954 or torsch@verizon.net. Heavy lifting is required.

The Annandale UMC Mission Center

At 7901 Heritage Drive, Annandale VA 22003

In 2012, Annandale UMC merged with Immanuel UMC. While all worship services take place in the original Annandale UMC, we have converted the Immanuel UMC building into a mission center, hosting various community outreach activities. Current activities at the Mission Center (7901 Heritage Drive) include a weekly food program, diaper distribution, and more!

The Wellness Center: Coming Soon to the Mission Center

The Medical Care for Children Partnership Foundation, together with Annandale United Methodist Church and a collaborative team of visionaries, is pleased to announce the Janet Petty Sabo Wellness Clinic, opening soon at the Mission Center.

This innovative clinic will operate on weekdays outside of traditional office hours, as well as weekends, to provide comprehensive dental care and better meet the needs of uninsured working families. This clinic addresses the significant gap in health services for vulnerable Fairfax County residents, and will allow us to remain nimble in our care delivery for years to come!

Many special thanks to Marcia Twomey, Executive Director of the MCCP Foundation, for facilitating the acquisition of a generous multi-year grant from Robert I. Schattner Foundation. We look forward to welcoming our first patients at The Janet Petty Sabo Wellness Clinic!

The services we provide at the Mission Center already, and soon through the Janet Petty Sabo Wellness Clinic, are simply astounding. Thanks to everyone who makes it possible for us to serve those in need.