Faith Promise For Missions 2024-25

Through our Faith Promise For Missions giving, we at Fountain City UMC partner with life-changing ministries reaching far and across boundaries and barriers as we recognize God’s work in the world. Our Faith Promise partners are local, national, and global missions spreading Christ’s love to those they serve. Below we highlight our Faith Promise partners and the amazing work they do.

Fill out the Faith Promise Commitment Card.  If you would like to make your recurring Faith Promise For Missions Giving online, please use this link.

Faith Promise Partners 

Africa University is the first and only fully accredited institution of higher learning established on the African continent by action of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. It was founded in response to the call by African Bishops for a university for the whole of Africa to foster intellectual, moral, ethical and spiritual growth in its students. Website.

Agape Outreach Homes is a local non-profit organization which provides housing and care for men with severe, persistent mental illness. Their goal is to provide a therapeutic environment, while maintaining a sense of “family” among their residents. Agape believes in the dignity and courage of those battling mental illness and offers a place of safety. Website.

Since 2013, a team of United Methodists devoted to “wilderness ministry” has chosen a chaplain to walk the path between Georgia and Maine, representing the presence of Christ to hikers along the way. This year, Julie “Mountain Goat” George has been chosen to serve. In addition to a through-hiking chaplain aiming to complete all 2,200 miles, often circuit-hiking chaplains have been supported to go out on the trail for shorter distances and periods. Website.

Camp Wesley Woods, part of Holston Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries, has a dedicated focus on summer camp ministry, outdoor education, and retreat ministry inspiring children, youth, and adults to live in Christian community, to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ, and to experience adventure in the midst of God’s wondrous creation. Website.

Celebrate Recovery (CR) is a Christ-centered, biblically based program of recovery for individuals or family members who are struggling with life’s hurts, habits and hang-ups. FCUMC is home to CR North which meets on Tuesday evenings for worship followed by Open Share Groups. We also live-stream our meetings on our CR North Facebook page. This is a safe space with no judgment or condemnation. CR North is a great place to find community and recover by getting lives back on track. CR North page.

Family Promise of Knoxville (FP) is a nonprofit organization that unites with Knoxville’s interfaith community to help homeless and low-income families with children achieve sustainable independence. FP believes the best way to return families to sustainable independence is to keep the family intact to face the challenges of regaining housing and working toward a better life. Website.

Fountain City Ministry Center’s mission is to glorify God and transform peoples’ lives by helping Knox County residents in need return to a more self-sustaining lifestyle. FCMC is a cooperative effort of Fountain City area churches, including FCUMC, who provide financial support, volunteers, and donations. FCMC depends on Fountain City UMC’s volunteers to serve our neighbors. Website.

Fountain City UMC Youth International supports future international mission trips or projects by our Youth Ministry, illustrating Fountain City UMC’s investment in our youth ministry’s international mission work. Fountain City UMC Youth page. 

Habitat for Humanity Knoxville believes everyone deserves a decent and affordable home. Habitat provides families in need of affordable housing an opportunity to build their own homes alongside volunteers, and to pay an affordable, no interest mortgage. Through our support, families in Knoxville are able to build strength, stability, and self-reliance for generations to come. Website.

Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky was founded with a dream of educational, economic, and spiritual reform. Their focus is to make a long term and sustainable difference in the lives of those with whom they work, as well as encourage clients and help them and their families grow spiritually, economically and socially. Website.

InterFaith Health Clinicis a non-profit healthcare ministry in Knoxville providing affordable medical care, dental care, mental health counseling, and prescription medications. InterFaith Health Clinic provides accessible, affordable and quality health care to the low income, working uninsured and underserved. These services are provided within the capacity of the clinic regardless of race, creed, age, religion, or national origin.

If you were to nominate an infectious disease for “worst in the world,” malaria would probably be a top contender. Every year, it kills more than 500,000 people, most of them children. Imagine No Malaria is an extraordinary effort of the people of The United Methodist Church, putting faith into action to end preventable deaths by malaria in Africa. Website.

Jubilee Project is helping people in Hancock County meet their spiritual, economic, social, and physical needs in the name of Jesus Christ. They envision a world where everyone has enough, where those who have more share with glad and generous hearts, and where those who have less find relief from oppression and hope for the future. Jubilee Project’s core values are food security, shelter, access to clean water, health, self-worth, and love. Website.

Missionary in Liberia to be named, replacing Helen Roberts-Evans, will serve as the Director of the Department of General Education and Ministry of the UMC in Liberia. This work inlcudes meeting needs in areas such as teacher training, scholarships, resources, school construction, and school building renovation and repair.

Maxine Raines launched Lost Sheep Ministry after growing up homeless and wanting to give back. She wanted Knoxville’s homeless cared for and to find faith in Jesus Christ. Armed with hot dogs, Maxine served the homeless from the trunk of her car and never looked back. Finding a “home” under the I-40 bridge, Lost Sheep Ministry has served the homeless every Wednesday evening for over 30 years.  Website.

Magnolia Avenue UMC And Vestal UMC serve vulnerable Knoxvillians providing much needed resources to those in need in East Knoxville and the Vestal neighborhood. Many of their neighbors would go without a hot meal or medical services without this support. In addition, both of these churches are serving as warming centers this winter.

 More than half of the homes in Knoxville need critical and emergency repairs. Operation Backyard is a year-round program that provides free home repair services for those with limited income, those who are elderly, and those who are disabled. Operation Backyard exists to meet the needs of families by mobilizing volunteers to provide free emergency home repairs, helping cost-burdened individuals and families.  Website.

Partners For Children, Inc. (PFC) is a nonprofit organization that operates a child development center for prechoolers at Cedar Lane UMC. PFC’s mission is to provide quality care for preschool children while offering financial assistance to low-income families whenever possible. Partners For Children’s goal is to facilitate learning by providing a positive environment to develop cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual skills. Website.

Project Crossroads has a history of service. In 1988, a group of local churches, through the Marion Area Ministerial Association, started a program to address the housing needs in Marion, Virginia and to coordinate available resources and church volunteers. In July 1993, Project Crossroads became a full-time mission of the Holston Conference, growing in outreach and ministry to meet the needs of those in their communities. Website.

Tucked into a remote corner of Clay County where 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, Red Bird Mission, guided by Jesus Christ, creates opportunities for individuals to enrich their lives and positively impact others within the mountains of southeastern Kentucky and the world. Website.

They may look like simple bags of rice and soy, but Rise Against Hunger meals represent the hopes and dreams of people worldwide. RAH volunteers are the heart of a mission to end hunger and they could not send millions of meals around the globe each year without our help. RAH engages hundreds of thousands of volunteers globally to meet the needs of children and families who are counting on all of us. Website.

Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) brings people together to harvest and share healthy food, reduce food waste, and build caring communities by offering nourishment to hungry neighbors. In working with SoSA, we are partnering with tens of thousands of farmers, donors, volunteers, other churches, community organizations, and even large national movements. Website.

South Sudan. Children whose homelands have been ravaged by conflict and those living in or fleeing active conflict zones face steep barriers. Often children cannot attend school because they must work in menial jobs to help their families survive. Our gifts enable UMCOR to supply provisions to collect and store fresh water, and minister to the Sudanese and orphanages in Uganda. Website.

Tennessee Valley District Superintendent Discretionary Fund. As a connectional denomination, we depend on our district superintendent to help us stay united and move in the same direction as other United Methodist Churches in the Tennessee Valley District. Ann Robins, our DS, frequently has emerging needs that require both prayerful and financial support. These resources stay local and help other United Methodist Churches and ministries.

As the humanitarian relief arm of The United Methodist Church, UMCOR assists churches with becoming involved globally in direct ministry to persons in need. UMCOR responds to disasters n the United States and around the world by working with communities and local partners. When a disaster overwhelms a community’s ability to recover on its own, UMCOR provides essential relief supplies and supports long-term rebuilding efforts. Website.

With over 9,000 people in Knoxville accessing homeless services every year, many are at risk of dying on the streets. VMC’s Street Outreach Program engages with those experiencing homelessness to connect them with housing services. Their support is a two-fold mission of facilitating permanent supportive housing for those who are homeless and providing services to prevent homelessness.  Website.

Wesley Foundation UTK is the United Methodist presence on the University of Tennessee campus which strives to be an open, diverse Christian community, promoting spiritual growth, and extending God’s love on campus. Wesley Foundation is a place for United Methodist students to gather and worship. Website.

Wesley House is a Christian ministry called by God to nurture wholeness and hope by empowering children and families through service and education. Wesley House Community Center provides high-quality, affordable,  and accessible after-school and summer camp care as well as a senior citizen program for Knoxville’s most under resourced areas in the Mechanicsville, Lonsdale and Beaumont communities. Website.

Willow UMC and The Willow Community Food Pantry is an outpost of the United Methodist Church in Alaska, and as Christ’s disciples responding to God’s love by their witness, stewardship, food pantry and outreach with and for all persons and creation. Willow UMC and Willow Community Food Pantry are seen as trusted sources of help for those in need, and a caring place for children, youth, families, and adults. Willow UMC’s main focus is love of God and love of neighbor. Website.