Arch Street Mission

The Arch Street Mission provides an opportunity for outreach ministry leaders, volunteers and special guests to share their stories of compassionate service and social justice advocacy with members and friends of the congregation. The groups represented are:

Grace Café

Grace Café is a restaurant style community meal and ministry of Arch Street UMC serving 200-275 meals each Sunday evening to all especially neighbors experiencing food insecurity and homelessness.

For more information or to schedule your group to volunteer contact Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck at gracecafephilly@gmail.com or 215-568-6250.

Methodist Federation for Social Action

The mission of the Methodist Federation for Social Action is to mobilize, lead and sustain a progressive United Methodist movement, energizing people to be agents of God’s justice, peace and reconciliation.

MFSA is a 100% membership supported organization.  Join online at www.mfsaweb.org.  For more information please contact Deaconess Darlene DiDomineck at darlene.didomineck@gmail.com.

United Methodist Women

Arch Street United Methodist Women is the local chapter of the United Methodist Women, a global organization supporting women, children and youth in the United States and around the world. As an independent organization within the United Methodist Church, it raises and distributes its own funds for mission.

New Sanctuary Movement

ASUMC is one of 19 member congregations of New Sanctuary Movement (NSM) – an interfaith, multicultural immigrant justice organization: working with communities across faith, ethnicity, and class to end injustices against immigrants, regardless of status.  NSM seeks to transform communities into places where immigrants, families, friends, and neighbors are safe, respected, and welcomed; where economic, spiritual, and emotional wholeness are realized and where borders and divisions disappear.

For more information, contact Margaret Harris at 215-568-2206 or margaretharris@me.com.

Reconciling United Methodists of Eastern Pennsylvania

RUMEPA is a growing movement of clergy and laity who are challenging the United Methodist Church to live up to its motto “Open Minds, Open Hearts, Open Doors.”  They dream of the day when lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons are welcomed into the full life of the church, including ordination and marriage equality.

To find out more, visit  http://www.reconcilingepa.org/ and “like” on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rumepa You may also email the lead organizer Rev. Dave Krueger at davidkrueger01@gmail.com to find out how to get involved. 

The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children

The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) has as its mission to tackle child literacy by re-opening formerly closed public elementary school libraries and staffing them with skilled volunteers, donated resources and reading enrichment activities. Led by Deacon David Brown – who served as a member of the ministry staff here at Arch Street – WePAC operates 13 libraries in the West and Southwest Philadelphia and the Roxborough/East Falls community.

Donations may be received online through the secure website at www.wepac.org/donate.  Individuals can volunteer to work in the libraries by connecting with volunteer@wepac.org.

Annual Eliza Shirley House Christmas Party                                                                                            

Holiday Gifts For Families 

Throughout Advent, the folk at Arch Street purchase gifts for men, women and children whose situations have forced them to leave their countries due to persecution, war, famine, religion and more.  They cannot return home or they most likely face death or imprisonment.  Each year hundreds of refugees arrive in Philadelphia with the permission of the U.S. State Department and are resettled by the Nationalities Service Center.  Usually they arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs so efforts are made to supply them with basic needs.

For more information contact Warren Cederholm at gables@gablesbb.com.

Native American / Indian Awareness Group

Part of its mission is to seek to support the work of other Native American groups in the Philadelphia area, and to present each year a Native American Sunday Celebration at Arch Street UMC.  The Native American / Indian Awareness Group (NAIAG) meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 pm in the chapel of Arch Street UMC. Members, both Native and Non-Native, are educated on Native American issues including spirituality, history, traditional and contemporary culture and crafts.

For more information, please contact Dale Shillito daleshillito@yahoo.com.

POWER-Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower & Rebuild

Since its beginnings in 2011, Arch Street Church has been committed to POWER.  Over 40 Philadelphia congregations: churches, mosques and synagogues provide people-power and financial support to change the status quo in areas where  society has failed: public education, living wage, immigration and racial equality.

If you have any questions or want to join the Local Organizing Committee at Arch Street, please let us know – Betsy Connor betsyfconnor@gmail.com, 215-232-7186, Nancy Megley, nmegley@gmail.com and Wilhelmina Young thecatalyst212@yahoo.com.

Serenity House: A Healing Ministry

A Spiritually Inspired Intentional Community is housed at Serenity House where persons dedicated to spiritual and social holiness live.  A safe and creative space is provided which allows the housemates to explore and engage in their call to ministry and to create new systems of support and accountability.

To Get Involved or for more information contact Wilhelmina J. Young at thecatalyst212@yahoo.com or O, our Minister of Hospitality, at Loveworks24/7@gmail.com.

Christmas Breakfast

The Christmas Breakfast welcomes over 400 of the most vulnerable neighbors who are experiencing homelessness and hunger. Under the direction of ASUMC’s United Methodist Men, the Christmas Breakfast is prepared and served on Christmas morning.  Neighbors from Love Park, Suburban Station and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway are not left out in the cold, the sanctuary, the chapel and Nichols Halls are open and prepared to share the Spirit of Christmas.  The breakfast consists of scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, hash browns, orange juice, coffee, tea and Danish pastry

To make a financial gift, to donate a blanket or to sign up as a volunteer please contact the church office (215) 568 6250 or secretary@archstreetumc.org.