Backpack Buddies
Churches in our community collaborate to provide over seventy bags of food to children in need at Four Oaks Elementary School. The goal is to provide children and their families with several meals they can prepare at home throughout the week. Our church packs bags once a month to help with this effort. You can help make a difference by making a monetary or food donation or by helping pack the bags once a month during the school year. Checks can be written to “Four Oaks United Methodist Church” with “Backpack Buddies” in the memo line and mailed to:
Four Oaks United Methodist Church
PO Box 177
Four Oaks, NC 27524
Blanket Blessings
Blanket Blessings is a mission of our church to provide blankets and quilts to children entering the foster care system in Johnston County. Everyone is encouraged to participate regardless of sewing experience. We also accept donations of fabric, sewing notions and the funds to support this mission. Blanket Blessings meets the 4th Monday of the month at 6:30 pm.
Blessing Box – Free Little Food Pantry
FOUMC sponsors and maintains a Blessing Box of nonperishable food items in conjunction with Alliance Community Pantry for those in need in our local area (located in front of the fellowship hall facing Church St. beside our Little Free Library). The pantry is stocked at least weekly with nourishing items for anyone to come by 24/7 and retrieve what they need. You can donate canned items, and toiletries and the Missions Team ensures those items make their way to the pantry as needed. The pantry is stocked with mostly tab top cans that can be easily opened and eaten by those in need, often without the need for cooking. It also supplies items that need to be cooked and some other basic ingredients that go into making a meal at home.
Chancel Choir
Our choir leads us into the presence of God with fresh, beautiful, and life-giving music. We would love for your voice to join in! Our church is blessed to have passionate and accomplished leaders in our music program. They are intentional about choosing dynamic, diverse music each week. Please contact our Music Director, Ryan Spell, for more information. No prior experience needed. The only requirement is a passion for praising God!
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation!” -Psalm 95:1
Children’s Ministry
Jesus reminded his disciples that children are an invaluable part of the Kingdom of God. Our church seeks to remember and live out this truth as we work together to cultivate an environment of love, joy, and peace for the children in our midst. Each volunteer is certified through the Safe Sanctuaries training program and vetted with a certified background check to ensure our children can grow physically and spiritually in a safe, nurturing space. In addition to our weekly ministries, we offer numerous fellowship opportunities, missions projects, fun outings, and family events throughout the year. Jesus and Me (JAM) is our Children’s Wednesday night activity (for more, see below).
College and Young Adult Ministry
College and early adulthood is a vital season of life. Our College & Young Adult (CYA) Ministry exists to affirm, encourage, and support you on your journey. Our ministry team meets regularly to consider how our church can cultivate authentic relationships and serve as a loving community for you. No matter what campus, career, or vocation you find yourself in, there is a place for you here among friends. Even if you cannot attend our church regularly (or at all!), we want to support you where you are and with what you’re doing.
Grand Oaks
Grand Oaks is a very active group of seasoned citizens that enjoy gatherings on a weekday several times a year. When we meet, we will gather for lunch and fellowship followed by an activity. Meeting times are posted in the FOUMC Newsletter “In a Nutshell” and in our weekly bulletin and Facebook page. Each event starts at 12pm with a short devotion and prayer and typically ends around 2pm. After lunch we enjoy activities such as trivia, memory moments, poetry readings, bingo and much more. This group is open to the community and we welcome anyone looking to connect, unwind and fellowship.
Meals are provided at no charge – donations are welcome.
For more information please contact Pastor Adam at acharville@nccumc.org
JAM Time (Jesus and Me)
Times: 6:45-7:30 – on Wednesdays when Body and Soul is scheduled to take place
Location: Children's Fellowship Hall in the Sanctuary Building
Ages: PreK – 5th Grade
Leaders: Kandis Johnson and Jill Charville plus other volunteers/guests
Purpose: For the kids to learn more about Jesus and the Bible by having interactive Bible lessons, activities and discussions and to have fun as we all grow in our learning and in our relationships with Jesus and each other
Activities: Bible Lessons, Bible verse and books of the Bible memorization, crafts, singing, prayer time, Bible-related games, and an occasional field trip
United Methodist Men
The United Methodist Men at Four Oaks is an informal group which does various projects for the church and the community as needed. Please contact Pastor Adam if you are interested in participating. Our UMM regularly meet on the 3rd Sunday at 8:00am, every other month for breakfast, fellowship, and planning.
United Women in Faith
United Women in Faith (UWF) is an internationally known faith-based organization of laywomen. Within our church, our UWF strives to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus through mission efforts that provide basic needs for women and children both in our community and globally.
Wednesday Night Activities
Wednesday night activities are provided for all ages. To be certain which activities are being offered on a particular Wednesday, please check the church calendar on the homepage of this website.
Youth Ministries
Isaiah 58:11:
“And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
Our youth ministry is an integral part of the life of our church, and includes young adults in 6th-12th grade. All are invited to join us, for each person has a place in the Body of Christ. Our hearts and minds are open to every individual, just as they are. We love one another as God loves us, as if we were the only one in his world to love.
Together we seek to grow our faith through connection, regular worship, service, and discipleship. We see each other as a “second family” and commit to rejoicing during one another’s victories and journeying alongside one another through life’s difficulties (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). We honor that young adults have a role in serving our church and community, through annual yam gleaning, mission trip, youth Sunday and youth led meal on a Wednesday night. But we also aim to regularly create space where our youth can have fun and relax, be heard and recharge. Our youth ministry is always evolving, and we welcome your new ideas!
Weekly Ministry Schedule:
Sundays: Sunday School @ 10:00am; Worship @ 11:00am; Youth Group @ 5pm
Wednesdays: Body & Soul Café (churchwide dinner) @ 6:15pm; Youth Bible Study @ 6:45pm. When no Body & Soul @ 6:30pm