May16
Special Needs Support Group
Third Thursday of the month, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Hospital, Residential Facility, and In-Home Visitation | Communion Delivery | Prayer and Support | Prayer Shawls | Caring Calls | Caring Messages Ministry | Caring Meals | Caring Support Groups
Stephen Ministry
The Care and Concern Ministry envisions a church where all feel the love of Jesus Christ and are served with love.
The Care and Concern Ministry Team is a network of lay volunteers from around our congregation that works in collaboration with our pastoral and professional staff to meet the needs of individuals and families in our faith community.
At times of illness, hospitalization, death, employment changes, and other challenges, as well as times of celebration such as new births, the Care and Concern Ministry Team can find ways to support McAllen FUMC members and friends.
Through this web of care-giving ministry, we arrange for visits to people who are isolated or recovering from illness; communion services in the home or other residential settings; prayer; prayer shawls; and keeping in touch with communications through cards, phone calls, and more.
We also offer support groups for those individuals or families dealing with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, or those with family members with special needs.
Anyone interested in receiving or volunteering for these services should contact the McAllen FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or
Our Mission:
The Care and Concern Ministry mission is to walk compassionately with others through the changing circumstances of life, fulfilling Christ's commandment to love one another as He loved us.
"Dear children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action." - 1 John 3:18
Hospital, Residential Facility, and In-Home Visitation
Trained congregational care visitors are ready and willing to visit members during hospitalization, at residential care facilities, or in homes in times of illness, rehabilitation, and/or recovery. Please let us know by filling out a Request for Care and Concern Ministry form or by contacting the FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or .
Communion Delivery
Trained congregational volunteers are available to bring communion to members who are unable to participate in in-church communion services. Please let us know of anyone in need by filling out a Request for Care and Concern Ministry form or by calling the FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or .
Prayer and Support
McAllen FUMC has a group of prayer warriors who are available 24/7 to pray for you, your family, friends, and other prayer requests. The Prayer and Support Team can receive your prayer requests via our website, via email ( ), by contacting the FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or , or by completing a prayer request form available at the Hospitality Desk in the Narthex.
Prayer Shawls
Selfless volunteers gather once a month and individually in their homes to create beautiful prayer shawls and baby blankets to be delivered to hospitals, residential care facilities, homes, and to anyone in need of being wrapped in prayer. Please let us know of anyone by filling out a Request for Care and Concern Ministry form or by by contacting the FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or .
Caring Calls
Congregational volunteers make phone calls to members at least twice per year and on special occasions to keep extending the love of Jesus Christ and the church. Calls are also made when we are aware that there has been a change in members' life circumstances to determine in what ways, if any, the church can be of assistance. If you are aware of anyone in need of a call, please contact the FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or .
Caring Messages Ministry
The Caring Messages ministry is both an in-reach and out-reach ministry to extend the care, concern, and love of Jesus to those in need of a card or note. Anyone known to be in need of get well wishes, sympathy, or encouragement or who are celebrating new births, milestone birthdays or anniversaries, or who are new members are sent cards by congregational volunteers. If you are aware of anyone in need of a card or a special note, please contact the FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or to let us know.
Caring Meals
Each month, our Caring Meals team prepares a meal for families in need of a home-cooked meal. Meals are prepared by congregation members and delivered to church members' homes. If you or someone you know is in need of a meal, please contact the FUMC office at 956-686-3784 or .
Caring Support Groups
Currently, FUMC has three active support groups to meet additional needs for individuals and families with specific life circumstances.
Alzheimer's Support Group
The Alzheimer's Support Group meets monthly on the third Thursday of each month from 2:00 to 3:00pm in the Koinonia Room in the South Building. For more information, text Donna Gibson at 714-981-1519.
Parkinson's Disease Support Group
**Effective April 11, 2024, the Parkinson’s Support Group will no longer be meeting at First United Methodist Church. Instead, starting May 15, 2024, the group will be meeting on Wednesdays at 6:00pm at the DHR Health - Neuro-Therapy Institute located on 10th Street and Violet Avenue in McAllen.
The Parkinson's Disease Support Group meets monthly on the second Tuesday of each month from 2:00 to 3:00pm in the Social Room East in the South Building. For more information, call Becky Rankin at 956-287-4303.
Special Needs Support Group
The Special Needs Support Group meets monthly on the third Thursday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30pm in the Keystone Room in the South Building. For more information, text Donna Gibson at 714-981-1519.
Stephen Ministry
Our church will soon become one of more than 12,000 worldwide congregations with Stephen Ministry programs. Stephen Ministry is a proven and effective way to organize, equip, and supervise a team of trained congregational members, called Stephen Ministers, to provide high-quality, one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people in our congregation and our community who are experiencing life difficulties.
Three members of our FUMC congregation have participated in more than 20 hours of training to establish and lead our church's Stephen Ministry program. Next steps include recruitment of individuals who are interested in being trained as Stephen Ministers and who are able to commit to a weekly training course over a five-month period starting in January 2024. The goal is to have a trained group of Stephen Ministers who will be prepared to provide Christ-centered care to those in need beginning in June 2024. If interested in learning more about the Stephen Ministry program, contact Deb Howard (210-394-6480) or Wayne Johnson (956-607-5566).