Outreach Ministries
Opportunities to make a difference:
beyond Hardy Church
Love, INC.
Love in the name of Christ is a county-wide cooperative ministry by area churches to help people who need some basic necessities: clothing, food, shelter, gasoline, furniture, etc. Love INC always has a need for servant ministers. Click on this link to contact them or find out more.
Nursing Home Visits
Along with many other area churches, Hardy Church makes visits to two Howell-area nursing homes (MediLodge of Livingston, formerly White Pine and MediLodge-Howell). We provide Sunday afternoon worship for the residents, along with some time to visit. People of all ages serve in this ministry. We’ve even had service dogs come along with us.
Link to MediLodge of Livingston Link to MediLodge-Howell
God’s Kitchen
Before Covid, we helped serve dinner on several Wednesdays each year at God’s Kitchen, in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Howell. It’s fun. We look forward to returning to this ministry.
Meals on Wheels
When our youth get an extra day off of school, they sometimes participate in the area Meals on Wheels program as runners, taking a meal to the door of a program client. We can always use some additional help on these activities. Link to Meals on Wheels
Financial support for a variety of ministries
Each year, the church directly supports a number of ministries, financially, including support for our sister church in Liberia, Mount Zion UMC in the Grand Bassa District.
For the past few years, we have taken on Hutchings Elementary School, in Howell as a special project, helping by providing snacks and bottled water for students who are not able to provide their own. We have also provided things that the entire school has needed.
We also encourage our members to individually support local ministries, as the Lord leads them, including Forgotten Man Ministries (for men and women in jail, in Livingston County), The Salvation Army, and VINA (free dental work for the needier people in Livingston County), among others.
Link to Forgotten Man Ministries
Link to the Grand Bassa District in Liberia
Link to the Salvation Army in Livingston County
Opportunities to make a difference:
within Hardy Church
Worship
We can always use helping hands in worship as greeters, musicians, worship leaders up front, ushers, and artists. Our Music Director, Carolyn Siivola is in charge of those helping to make worship happen.
Children’s Ministry
Peggy Tyner and Judy Lemke lead and guide the children to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ during Sunday School, which begins about 10:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings (just after worship starts). We also have a Vacation Bible School program for one week each summer, which requires many people. Do you want to help?
Youth Ministry
The youth meet on Sunday evenings. If you love working with middle school and high school youth, we can find a place for you to help young people grow in faith.
Live Nativity
In early December, we dress up as some of the Bible characters involved in the story of Jesus’ birth. The music and narration is recorded and played on our public address system, so we don’t even have to learn lines. However, we get to wear awesome costumes and act out the story. The actors include everybody from young children to octogenarians. It’s great fun and we get a good crowd for each of our 20-minute showings.
Trunk-or-Treat
In late October, we have a huge party, including dinner for everyone, crafts for kids, and hayrides, culminating in the costumed children going from trunk to trunk (of cars and pick-ups) collecting plenty of candy. It’s what we do in a rural church in lieu of trick or treating.
Chicken Barbecue
A church member went to Michigan State University, back in the early sixties, to learn a chicken basting recipe that is still used today. We have a building that is used ONLY for barbecuing chicken. We add side dishes, drinks and homemade pie, then open our dining room to the public. This is a fund-raiser that supports many projects around the church that keep things up so we can do excellent ministry.
Hero’s Breakfast & Princess Tea
In the spring, we have two Saturday morning events for children. At the Princess Tea, little girls dress up as princesses, eat snacks, and do crafts. Some grown-up princesses (our high school aged girls) are there to show the younger girls how to be a princess. The Hero’s Breakfast features pancakes and sausage, and the presence of some real-life Livingston County heroes. Our activities are geared toward traditionally boy-type activities, but we also welcome little girls to come to this event, because girls can be heroes, too.
God has given us skills, talents, and interests so we may help one another. You can be involved in any or all of these activities that help others in physical, emotional and spiritual ways. Many of Hardy Church people participate in ministries that have no direct connection to our church, as well. This is a natural thing that grows out of the culture at Hardy. We would love for you to be a part of our church and find opportunities to use your God-given talents to make a difference in the world.