At our church, faith isn’t meant to stay inside the building—it’s meant to show up in the world. Missions and outreach are how we live out Christ’s call to love our neighbors, serve those in need, and put compassion into action, both locally and beyond. Through hands-on service, partnerships, and giving, we work to meet real needs, build meaningful relationships, and share hope in practical ways. Whether it’s feeding the hungry, supporting families, responding to disasters, or standing alongside our community, our mission is simple: to be the hands and feet of Christ. There’s a place for everyone in this work. However you feel called—time, talents, or prayers—you’re invited to join us as we serve, grow, and make a difference together.
The Mission Team can help you identify ways to get involved with outreach projects locally, nationally and globally. Contact the church office for additional information about opportunities to serve.
Following is a list and description of the organizations that we support through our mission and outreach programs.
local missions
Prime Time
Prime Time was founded in 2001 as a mission of the Oriental United Methodist Church and operates under the church’s 501(c)3 status. The Prime Time Health Advocate helps clients remain healthy and independent by helping individuals navigate the healthcare system, as well as secure needed physical, emotional, and spiritual care. Programs such as Lunch & Learn, educational classes/seminars, transportation, a prayer shawl ministry, and shut-in/assisted living visitation, are also offered. Prime Time serves the entire community, not just members of the church, as it fulfills the mission of “serving those in the prime time of their lives”.
Pamlico County Fishes & Loaves Outreach (PCFLO)
The PCFLO mission is to accumulate and distribute high-quality, nutritious food to those who need assistance in Pamlico County, NC regardless of race, ethnicity, or religious affiliation. A member of OUMC serves on the PCFLO board. It has several components to accomplish its mission: the mobile food pantry, the referral pantry, response to emergency needs, and outreach to small communities.
HOPE Clinic
HOPE Clinic provides free medical care for low-income adults who lack health insurance and are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare. The Clinic provides free medical care, medicines, lab work, and educational programs at their new location, 13808 NC Hwy 55, Bayboro. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am to noon. Dental care is also available on a quarterly basis.
HeartWorks
HeartWorks is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community service agency in Bayboro, North Carolina. Their mission is to address the underserved mental and physical health needs of youth and their families in Pamlico County and surrounding areas. Their goal is to provide struggling students with the opportunity to begin the process of catching up and moving forward with academic, behavioral, and social skill building activities.
Children of Pamlico County
OUMC provides swimming lessons and other activities for children in need in Pamlico County. During the summer, OUMC provides swimming lessons for children who otherwise would not have received these lessons.
Backpack Blessings
Backpack Blessings is a 501(c)3 non-profit, formed in December of 2012 for the purpose of feeding hungry children in eastern North Carolina. Volunteers and donors provide weekend, summer, and holiday meals for 1,045 school children in Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties. Contact the church office if you want to help at the next “packing” event.
Thanksgiving Dinner and Fruit Baskets
Contributions from the members purchase Thanksgiving dinner baskets and fruit baskets that are distributed to the needy people within the county. Volunteers are welcome to help pack and distribute baskets the week before Thanksgiving.
Habitat for Humanity of Pamlico County
Habitat for Humanity of Pamlico County is the 1,680th independent US affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. They are a state-chartered, nonprofit, Christian, low-income home builder, and mortgage lender. Their mission is to build safe, decent and affordable housing with Pamlico’s people in need, and to make decent, affordable housing a matter of local public social consciousness.
Kairos
Kairos Prison Ministry International, Inc. (Kairos) is a lay-led, interdenominational Christian ministry in which men and women volunteers bring Christ’s love and forgiveness to prisoners and their families. The Kairos programs take the participants on a journey that demonstrates the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Kairos Prison Ministry is Christian in nature, although no religious affiliation is necessary to be a participant. The programs involve a structured model that includes the weekend experience, followed by guests or participants gathering regularly for accountability, support, and prayer.
Pamlico Partnership for Children
Through our partnership with the Pamlico Partnership for Children, we support two projects. OUMC provides Christmas gifts to needy children in Pamlico County through Presents for Pamlico Kids. Also, the annual No Child Wet Behind project conducts a diaper drive to provide diapers to needy families.
National Missions
Red Bird Mission, Beverly, Kentucky
Red Bird Mission and Clinic have been providing ministries in this region of the Appalachian Mountains since 1921. Chronic poverty, lack of jobs, poor housing, and rugged mountainous terrain provide obstacles to a fuller life for the residents of this area. Red Bird Mission and Clinic strive to meet these needs through ministry in five areas: Education, Health and Wellness, Community Outreach, Economic Opportunity, and Community Housing Improvement.
Robeson County Church and Community Center, Lumberton, NC
The Robeson County Church and Community Center are God’s people at work together, reaching out in love to meet our neighbor’s needs in the name of Christ. The Robeson County Church and Community Center seek to involve people across cultural, racial, class, and denominational barriers in partnership with each other to address social needs and to move in Christ’s name toward solutions.
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
UMCOR is the humanitarian relief and development agency of the United Methodist Church, a worldwide denomination. Compelled by Christ, UMCOR responds to natural disasters and human made disasters—those interruptions of such magnitude that they overwhelm a community’s ability to recover on its own.
international missions
TMS global missionaries Carol and Donald Paige
Carol and Donald Paige began their missionary journey in 2008, serving the students at New Horizon School in Paraguay. In January of 2021, God called their family to a new assignment in Spain. Carole is the curriculum coordinator for LIFE International School, a Christian school in Madrid. Donald is supporting the school in several areas including physical education, small group work and recess duty.
Project Agape, Armenia
Project AGAPE ministers to families in Armenia, some of our most desperate Christian brothers and sisters. This project is a collaborative effort of the North Carolina and the Western North Carolina Conferences of The United Methodist Church in a joint effort with the Armenian Apostolic Church.