CONNECT

GLOBALLY

AND

GPC

SERVe

serves

LOCALLY

THROUGH YOUR weekly gifts
gpc provides financial support to:

5

global

missionaries

& projects

12

LOCAL

community

service projects

In addition, GPC provides volunteer and in-kind support to local community groups throughout the year.

GPC always welcomes new participants for all of our projects, which are designed to take the vitality of our faith out into the community.

Come Serve With Us! 

Congregational Life invites you to help make our upcoming CWF/CMF National Rally Weekend a success! Volunteers are needed to assist with various activities before, during, and after the events.

If you’re available to help, please sign up for a volunteer time slot by contacting Pastor LeAnn Hodges or Elisa McClelland through the church office. You may also sign up in person using the sign-up sheets available in the Gathering Space after each service this Sunday, the 20th.

Every contribution of time makes a difference. Thank you for your willingness to serve and help make this event extraordinary!

Volunteer Opportunity:

September 25-27, 2026 – Hosted by GPC

Support Our CWF/CMF
10th Annual National Rally Weekend

SERVING our Congregation

Our Little Free Pantry is located adjacent to the north parking lot, next to the church. The mission of this mini pantry is to help feed our food insecure neighbors. Anyone in our community can participate. Together we can create something big from something small.

Items that you could add to your shopping list for the Little Free Pantry are listed below. Single serving or regular sized items; pop tops are preferred. Please donate only unexpired, undamaged, and unopened containers.

Take what you need, give what you can.

· Shelf Stable Milk
· Dried Beans
· Fruit
· Rice
· Soup

· Ramen
· Oatmeal, Instant or Small Container
· Canned beans
· Finely Ground Corn Meal
· Canned meats like Tuna, Chicken, or Spam

If you would prefer to make a monetary donation, you can give online. Please designate Little Free Pantry in the memo.

A special thank you to our community partner, Manna Food Center, who donated the pantry.

Little Free Pantry

We will collect items to benefit Gaithersburg Community Soup Kitchen, a.k.a. The Lord’s Table.

Click the Shopping Wish List to view and/or print.

Please bring items to the bins in the Gathering Space now through Easter Sunday.

In-Kind Collection Drive
(suitable for all ages)

SERVING our

Community

SET UP APARTMENTS FOR REFUGEES

Cook SOUPS for hungry neighbors

make casseroles for seniors

AND MORE

One ongoing project is KindSoups, where we come together in our own kitchens via Zoom to have fun and create an online community of folks providing healthful meals. We cook delicious, hearty soups and stews. Check here for the recipe to be made each week. We cook enough to feed our own families PLUS to pack up in containers to freeze and deliver to one of the local food assistance providers, so that those whom they serve can have some delicious and nutritious meals in their freezers. Easy-to-follow directions are provided. 

Partnering with local nonprofit KindWorks to meet pressing community needs

KINDWORKS

GPC volunteers are always welcome to sign up for any KindWorks projects.

Hot dinners are provided Monday through Friday at Epworth United Methodist Church (the church just south of GPC on Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg). The GPC team serves on the third Tuesday of the month. 

If you enjoy cooking for a crowd, contact Francie Whitlock.

Preparing and serving hot dinners 

The Lord’s Table

We are happy to welcome new cooks. There is one teeny catch, however . . . the team leaves GPC for DC at 5:00 am to serve a hot breakfast to hundreds of hungry souls.

For more information about how to join the GPC SOME Crew, contact Elisa McClelland.

Serving up French toast and more
on the first Tuesday of every month 

SOME
(So Others Might Eat)
GAITHERSBURG HELP

Gaithersburg HELP always needs volunteers to assist with telephone screening, providing transportation for clients, performing administrative tasks, or serving in the food pantry A list of current volunteer opportunities, along with a link to the volunteer application, can be found by clicking on the button below.

Lending support to the local food pantry in a variety of ways

Gaithersburg HELP has served the Gaithersburg community since 1968, providing short-term emergency assistance to more than 3,500 families in need each year.

HELP offers 3-day emergency food supplies based on family size; food for infants; financial help with prescriptions; transportation to medical appointments or social services appointments for the elderly or disabled; and other support and referrals. GPC provides financial support to Gaithersburg HELP as well as donations of food and supplies. Church members also assist in HELP’s mission by providing many volunteer hours each year.

Gaithersburg HELP

Winter coat drive

School supplies drive

SUMMER READING BOOK DONATION

AND MORE

In September, we organize a Back-to School Drive for backpacks and school supplies. Throughout the year, church members donate gently used clothes for the families (children and adults). As winter approaches, we have a warm coat drive for the students. 

Each year the Giving Tree is in the church Gathering Place. It has ornaments (or ideas for gifts) for people from different walks of life.  GPC members may take one that shows a specific item being requested. In 2024 we received requests for 8 students. 

We also have a group of GPC people who help the students make a holiday ornament on the night of Linkages to Learning’s party for the neediest families where each family member receives a holiday gift. 

In past years, our Lenten Monetary donations have provided books for each of the students to take home for summer reading.

Supporting students and teachers in many ways

COMMUNITY
        SCHOOLS

Watch this space and GPC emails for details about our next partnership opportunity!

For more information, contact Marilyn Morrison.

GPC’s Prison Ministry is a group of volunteers affiliated with the St. James’ Prison Ministry—a consortium of local churches serving Montgomery County’s inmate population and their families at three correctional facilities: the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds, the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville, and the Pre-Release and Re-Entry Services Center (also in Rockville). Volunteers are involved in a wide variety of activities, including meeting and praying with inmates, collecting and distributing religious literature and greeting cards, mentoring and participating in job partnership programs, and providing other services as needed. 

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, volunteers are not permitted to provide in-person services at the correctional facilities. We look forward to resuming our visits when we are allowed to do so. 

To volunteer with the Prison Ministry, contact the church office.

Connecting with inmates

PRISON MINISTRY

RTMC offers low-income homeowners home repairs at no cost to the recipient. A GPC team works with RTMC every year for one day in April. This program depends entirely on volunteers to repair and/or renovate the homes. Volunteers do not need to be GPC members; anyone older than 14 years of age with any skill level (but experts are also needed!) can participate. These projects have reduced the financial burden and improved the quality of life for more than 500 people across the county.

Working to make homes safer for low-income homeowners

Rebuilding Together Montgomery County
(RTMC)

For additional information, contact Yaw Obeng.

IWWC

Participate in this annual GPC Christmas tradition

Join us to supply breakfast, lunch and dinner! Volunteers purchase breakfast food and supplies, and prepare, deliver, and serve dinner to the residents. This year, our annual service project will once again support the IWWC shelter at Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood.

Providing a week of meals 
at Christmastime 

Interfaith Works Women’s Center
(IWWC)

church-supported missionaries

Click a Star to see our 
learn more

Jeff & Christy Boyd

PCUSA Regional Liaisons
Democratic Republic of Congo 
learn more

Alan & Faby Gordon

Palm Mission Ministries, Inc.
Ecuador

Rev. Norman Gordon

Bi-Vocational Bridges Leader +
Germantown Global Connection
 
Montgomery County, Maryland
learn more

Fraser & Liz Bennett

Wycliffe Bible Translators
Texas + Worldwide
learn more

Private Christian Ministry

Christian educational programs and outreach to all the children and families of Pakistan