This guide has numbers to a variety of community resources that help with different needs people my have. Data was taken from http://www.montana211.org and updated information can be found there.
Community Services List – This is a document that if printed double sided makes a easy brochure.
Shiloh Community Garden
The Free Store
The Free Store is open for shoppers the 1st and 3rd Saturday from 10 am to 12:30 pm at 345 Broadwater Ave.
You can become involved by volunteering your time while the Store is open, by donating items (linens, kitchen items, clothing), or by donating money to help meet the $200.00/month rent and utility costs. Please contact Peg Parker: 406-690-6370 or at pjayco44@gmail.com.
Sharing Others’ Generosity Through Our Faith
2018 was a very busy year for the Free Store. 1,412 family visits happened, but even more amazing was that on seven different Saturdays, 70+ families visited. The only other time we had 70+ was in 2013 and that was only once. Even more telling is our average number served per Saturday was 53 in 2017 and 56 in 2018. This mission continues to make such a difference. However without your support of time and/or donations (goods or money) many in our community would be living with oot what the resources the Free Store provides. THANK YOU. Co-directors: Dale Francetich and Peg Parker.
Mitten Ministry
One member of our congregation, Darlene Newstrom, has begun a ministry of mittens to those who need them in our community. Community members throughout Billings have begun to take part in this ministry. Mittens have been offered to the HUB, Montana Rescue Mission, Yellowstone Free Store, and more. If you would like to support Darlene, please contact the church. You can donate to this ministry by giving fleece for the inside of the mittens or old wool overcoats for the outside of the mittens. Learn more in the video below:
Sandwich Ministry
Every month Shiloh UMC’s Sandwich Ministry makes a couple hundred sandwiches for delivery to The Women & Family Shelter in Billings, providing meals to those who turn to the shelter for their services and support. Any sandwiches that aren’t needed by WFS are taken to the Rescue Mission to feed the homeless.
You’re welcome to join us on the last Friday of each month at 12:15pm to make sandwiches and bag cookies.
Donations are always welcome. Items we can always use include: sliced brick-style cheese (unwrapped), zippered sandwich bags, creamy peanut butter, grape jelly, homemade cookies, and of course we’ll accept donations to purchase meat, bread, and fruit for this ministry.
Shiloh UMC is a supporter of the Mid-Yellowstone Valley Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. As such, Shiloh has volunteered to provide lunches on several occasions for the volunteer work crews on Saturdays. We have been coordinating with other Methodist churches in the Billings Area by providing these lunches on a quarterly basis. Volunteers from Shiloh have included numerous members of the congregation through the Missions Committee. Recently, the Missions Committee pledged to support the upcoming Apostles Build that includes monetary donations from several churches of various denominations as well as other community groups. In late summer 2019, the Affiliate is planning on breaking ground for the next Apostles Build in their new subdivision located near the intersection of Wicks Lane and Bench Boulevard in Billings Heights.
Relay for Life
Shiloh UMC will sponsor a team for Relay for Life again this year. Pat Montgomery has agreed to be our new team leader. Our team has already begun to form and we would love to have you join us! Please contact Pat at her home (655-3507) or call Liz at the church office (656-0050) to sign up for this opportunity.
