The Minneapolis United Methodist Church fulfills its commitment to Christ through different avenues of service. 

Missions     

Medivan promotion over all of Ottawa County for the Occupational Center of Central Kansas (OCCK) and related agencies which provide free transportation; Friends of Mexico, a home-born foreign mission that is growing Christian churches and has the dedicated service of one of our members; collecting change for Mony's Mission school for boys in Sathymagalam, India; special offerings for distinct causes; Conference Benevolences or those mission projects in our Kansas West Conference of the UMC, and those national and world-wide projects that are included in our Ministry and Mission Funds that is an annual apportionment we meet 100%.

Evangelism 

Taking seriously the command to “make disciples,” our leadership provides adult non-Sunday morning Bible studies.  Confirmation class for the sixth graders and above is another dimension of our making disciples.  Visitors usually receive a call from a representative bearing a gift, and most certainly our pastor will be on their doorstep!  Evangelism took responsibility for an upgraded Hanging of the Greens to kick-off Advent wherein a 150 people took part.  Think of that.

Education

Our efforts are to have a complete educational program available on Sunday morning.  While we have pre-school through high school, and an adult class, there is the need to provide a fellowship, whether at Sunday School or otherwise, for young adults with families.  Throughout the year several adult Bible studies are held.

Summer Bible School is always a big event with a rather new concept of non-graded groups providing a valuable and exciting time of learning about the faith.  A Fall Round-up takes place in September and is a time of rejoicing, sending off balloons, and eating a prepared free meal of BBQ and side dishes.  An amount to promote camps and conferences was placed in the budget.  We also have an afterschool program, ROCK Club for K-8 students on Monday afternoons and a Youth Group, T4C, for grades 7-12..

Worship      

Is there not an old saying that dynamite comes in small packages.  That is us.  Our small but powerful “Disciples Six” grew out of a call in the summer of 2004 for those children wanting to be in a special singing group.  They thrilled our hearts all summer long, and continued on a monthly basis thereafter and, now their group is called "Disciple Choir" because their group has grown beyond six.  Of course, the Bell Choir is always a joy to have set the mood of worship. Our Chancel Choir is small, very small, but very good.

Fellowship

There use to be “dinner on the grounds” for the old timers, now it is a good ol’ potluck where we all share together the favorite, and sometimes easiest, dish in the recipe book or box.  Also, there are Sunday morning times for a special reception, recognition, or lunch.  If there is a reason, or one can be dreamed up, there will be a time of fellowship with food as a part of it.  These folk know how it is done!  You should hear the hubbub.

Finance

God has blessed our church in this manner as well.  It is a very good feeling to wind up the year in the black, with reserves, and all debts paid including our apportionment to the Kansas West Conference called Mission and Ministry Fund.  Our leadership is skilled, approaching their stewardship responsibility with a very positive attitude.  Indeed, we are blessed with their administration and the results.

Foundation

Our Church Foundation is currently being managed by the Conference and donations are always welcomed.

United Methodist Women

Always doing their part, they are found faithful to the cause.  They, too, have raised their budget and have given strongly to their mission projects.  The role of this group in a church cannot be minimized and we certainly do not attempt to do so here.

Minneapolis First United Methodist Church

Minneapolis, Kansas

Photo by Donna Johnson