EPIC (Eliminating Poverty In Commerce):

The EPIC mission is to mobilize the community to action in order to break the cycle of generational poverty. The critical path of EPIC to strengthen educational efforts in order to break the cycle of poverty in Commerce is a change in attitude—for kids, parents, educators both public and higher education, and the community—toward school and toward each other. Attitudes change and lives are transformed most significantly through one-on-one relationships.

The Priorities of EPIC are:

1) Communicate/teach/discuss the issues of poverty and why school matters: We must have clarity around one message (stated above) in order to begin to change attitudes. If teachers, professors, administrators, mentors, and parents are all communicating one message, we can begin to change the culture around the value of education.

2) Support and sustain the work of Communities in Schools (CIS) in every school: including mobilizing volunteers so that every child has a caring adult in their life, and continuing to hold the school board accountable to supporting the effort.

3) Create a promise of college education for every child: this will involve funding as well as instilling a vision.

4) Explore and work to implement a city-wide effort to break the cycle of poverty (i.e. the Circles Campaign): research the best plan (beginning with reading the Circles book) and work with city officials for implementation.

5) Broaden the involvement in the EPIC Project and who is involved in leadership, planning and implementation.

Helping Hands:

Helping Hands is an interdenominational effort to assist FUMC members and Commerce residents who are physically and/or financially unable to make home repairs or do yard work. Projects are scheduled at least quarterly, but could be monthly based on the needs. Please contact the Church Office at (903) 886-3220 for more information.

Communities in Schools:

Get involved in our local schools.

Commerce Community Garden:

http://commercecga.blogspot.com/

United Methodist Women (UMW):

The organized unit of United Methodist Women is a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church. The FUMC-Commerce unit of UWM meets the third Tuesday of each month from 10:00am- 11:30am. For more information, please contact Mary Lou Heatherly (contact info).

Prayer Shawl Ministry:

Join this monthly gathering for fellowship and to learn crocheting and knitting while at the same time giving back to others. Members work on baby blankets to present to those children baptized in our church, caps for child cancer patients at Children’s Medical, prayers shawls for pastoral/Stephen Ministry care and other missionary projects. The facilitators will teach needed skills for these projects… beginners welcome! This vibrant ministry meets the third Monday of each month at 9:00am, all are skill levels are encouraged to participate.