Missions & Outreach

At First UMC Cocoa Beach, we are called to serve our local community and the wider world. The church does not exist for itself but to help people who are struggling by being the hands and feet of Jesus. While we support many ministries at home and abroad, we focus on feeding hungry people through our community food pantry and in partnership with Family Promise of Brevard and BRIGHT (formerly Brevard Justice Ministries). We also work with One Body Global Ministries to help the poor in Nicaragua, and Pastor Mark leads surfing mission trips to El Salvador. Finally, we support many of the national and international ministries of the United Methodist Church, including the United Methodist Children's Home, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and various other programs in our connectional system.
 

First UMC Cocoa Beach offers a community food pantry the third Sunday of every month for those needing extra help to make ends meet. (The schedule is subject to change in months with holidays.) This ministry is supported by members of our congregation and generous partners in the community. 

Our church partners with Family Promise Space Coast to support families experiencing housing instability because we believe every child deserves a safe place to call home. First UMC Cocoa Beach opens our Fellowship Hall once a quarter to provide temporary housing, meals, and hospitality to families participating in the Family Promise program. You can get involved in many ways, including by providing meals and serving as a hospitality host. If you would like to help, please contact the church office. One of our ministry leaders will reach out.

Brevard Righteously Igniting Good Hope Today

BRIGHT is a 501(c)(3) community organization composed of several member congregations across Brevard County. While our congregations differ in theology, race, socioeconomic status, and location, we are united in our biblical call to do justice. Unlike direct service agencies or mercy ministries, BRIGHT does not address individuals' immediate needs. Instead, BRIGHT is a direct-action organization of justice ministries that work together to address the root causes of community problems by using organized people to hold public leaders accountable for fair and just policy. Every year, we work together to identify issues in our county, conduct extensive research, develop policy proposals, and work with elected officials to make improvements. Most recently, we addressed 3rd-grade reading achievement levels and affordable housing. For more information, go to  www.brightbrevard.com.      

First UMC Cocoa Beach hosts mission trips to La Libertad, El Salvador, giving participants the chance to serve some of the most impoverished people in the area and to surf some of the best waves in the world. Partnering with local organizations like Hope House, groups share the love of God by purchasing and installing clean water filtration systems, offering medical services, delivering food, serving at a local orphanage, making repairs and improvements to public spaces and local homes, teaching English, teaching kids to surf as an alternative to street gangs,
and supporting young adults who wish to attend college.    

One Body Global Ministries, Inc. (OBGM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds community on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua, Central America, by providing access to education, vocational training, and health-oriented programs that engage the community and enable them to achieve higher standards of living independently. This is accomplished through their Partnership for Education & Vocation, located in the village of Madroñal and other adjacent communities.

Because they focus on long-term relationships, OBGM is often called upon to assist with medical, food, and spiritual needs. Through these efforts as the Body of Christ, we are all connected.

You can help by donating online, volunteering or providing in-kind professional skills to support OBGM administratively or with a specific project.

General Donation Link: https://obgm.kindful.com
General Website: https://obgm.org
Email: info@obgm.org
Telephone: +1-267-269-8765

If you would like more information about getting involved in our next project, click the button below, send us a message, and someone will be in touch soon!