Two years ago, we first installed a lift for a Bridgeport family. After moving, they left the lift behind for a disabled child in need—and our mission team installed a new one in their new home!
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We recently received a request to help with the setup of a new trailer for a mother and her daughter on the Onondaga Nation. The proper steps and adjustments will make daily life easier for Mom, who faces a few physical challenges. Thanks to the ongoing support of Immanuel’s mission' team, we are able to continue making a meaningful difference!

On September 13, 2025, our church parking lot was transformed into a bustling build site to make beds for children in the greater Syracuse area. Thanks to two shifts totaling 53 volunteers--and a special shout-out to the 17 dedicated people who worked both shifts--we not only reached our goal of 40 beds, but exceeded it, building 63 beds! 

This project was part of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a national organization whose mission is "No Kid Sleeps On The Floor In Our Town!"  The Syracuse chapter was founded seven years ago, and while it's sad that so many children need beds, it's incredibly heartwarming to see our community come together for this project. Volunteers included many members of Immanuel, along with neighbors and friends of the church.  

There were jobs for everyone: younger members made eight no-sew blankets with Lorlie Wood, while  Chef Sam Paventi and his helpers prepared a tasty lunch for both shifts.  

We were also blessed with some generous surprise donations. A woman who visited our neighborhood last year and purchased bedding after seeing our sign returned this year with four bags of bedding! Our friends at Camillus 1st UMC delivered a car full of bedding and $500 to support the mission.

The total cost to Immanuel to build these beds was $10,000, covering not just the wood, but also mattresses, bedding, and pillows-ensuring that each child can sleep "peacefully" the very night their bed is delivered.  This year's fund came from M2, so a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supports this mission.

On June 22, tornadoes and flooding severely damaged this family’s home in Canastota, NY. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) led the recovery efforts, supported by countless volunteers who dedicated their time to restoring and rebuilding the home. Through generous donations — including furniture and appliances — the family’s daughter was able to start school from home on time. Thanks to this incredible community effort, the family has now returned to their legacy home.
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We're sorry to announce that the August 3-8 mission trip to Hardwick, Vermont has been cancelled.
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Unfortunately, we were unable to secure enough volunteers to make the trip as effective and impactful as we had hoped. While this is disappointing, we remain committed to supporting the people of Hardwick and will continue looking for future opportunities to serve.
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Thank you to everyone who expressed interest—we truly appreciate your willingness to help.

During the week of May 18, six United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (VIM) teams were hard at work in Grove, Vermont, helping two families recover from the devastating floods of 2023.

The teams tackled a range of essential tasks, including digging for drainage systems, building support beams, and installing insulation and sheetrock. They also completed critical plumbing work, helping the families restore a sense of normalcy in their homes.

​In total, the teams contributed over 600 hours of volunteer labor, making a meaningful difference in the lives of those still rebuilding.

​We are planning on supporting a team of skilled, semi-skilled and those wishing to become skilled to work on home rebuilding projects. This session will run 1 week of work with daily travel or overnight available all days. We welcome other Church Congregations as well as Individuals interested in joining our team.  
 
We will not know the type of project until closer to our departure. Most likely our assignment will be in a reconstruction project or following another team in a quest of putting a home(s) back together.
  
The team is made up of general contractors, very skilled home owners and those who have never raised a hammer before. Every person will be paired up with someone who knows about the assigned task. No one will be asked to do anything they do not want to do nor is unsafe.   
 
The work week is May 18th to the 24th, 2025.
 
There will be a meeting at Immanuel UMC on April 14th at 7pm (for those close enough to be there). For information or questions please call or email Mike Block (Zoom info will be shared upon request).

It is important to submit all required forms by the posted date. Any questions regarding this trip please contact the persons named below. Submit forms before April 14th, 2025.

Donation Information

Helpful requirements for a successful trip not only depend on the physical on site workers but the support team to send them there. It costs about $300 per person for the week to accomplish this type of trip; this is only an average and not a requirement. 
 
Those individuals joining our team who are not members of Immanuel UMC are asked to donate to support the trip expenses. This donation will help cover the cost of food, additional Insurance and fuel if you are riding with the group. There is a $16/night donation requested for the overnight (to support the local cost of the church you would be staying at), $74/per person donation to support the material used for the rebuild effort and $25/day to cover meals. The required insurance is roughly $11/week per person. 
 
Checks for financial support can be made out to Immanuel United Methodist Church – (label the check – May 2025 Vermont Mission Trip) and mail to (303 Kasson Rd. Camillus, NY 13031). 
 
Contact information
 
Trip details and questions - Mike Block (315) 491-0497 or [email protected]  
Fundraising guidance – Betty Jane Block (315) 491-8256 or [email protected] 
   
Your efforts to support our Missions are greatly appreciated! 

Members of Immanuel were able to join with the Northeast V.I.M. team on a mission trip the week of September 16-20.  Sue Gannon wrote the following article about the trip for her home church:

It is hard to describe the moment when the homeowner says “Thank you”. It is far more than gratitude for work that was absolutely necessary, but absolutely unaffordable without the volunteer labor. It is a deep gratitude that their lives were touched by a team of strangers who bonded together with a commitment to serve others with the grace and love God shows us all. It is a moment when “Because Jesus loves me, I love you” becomes real.

A moment that will be remembered by our eight member V.I.M team that traveled to Glover, Vermont the week of Sept. 15. Five from our Quad: Mike and Donna Motyl from Simsbury and Jeff Cedarfield, Larry Gannon and Sue Gannon from North Canton. And three from Immanuel UMC, the church Larry and Sue attended in Camillus, NY. In true United Methodist spirit, it was through our connection that we were able to accomplish so much.

We worked on two houses. Both husbands had Parkinson’s. One from Agent Orange in Vietnam and one from the chemicals in the factory where he worked. Both wives were wonderful examples of facing adversity with a positive, caring attitude. 

For the first house, we were the final team so our work was limited to repairing sheet rock and painting the basement. The basement had been flooded with four feet of water from a very small creek that was so far downhill and so far away that it was difficult to imagine that water had reached the basement.

The second home was one of the most challenging Disaster Recovery projects we have ever encountered. The heavy rains washed out the front wall of the stone foundation of this 200 year old farmhouse. A new foundation wall had been installed, but the large rocks of the old wall had to be jack hammered and removed. A new drainage ditch had to be dug with crushed stone, piping and sump pump installed. New cedar siding on one side of the house had been so severely damaged that it had to be replaced.

Disaster Recovery work can be physically exhausting, but is spiritually up lifting. There are still 700 homes to be repaired, and we  will be there on our next trip May, 2025.

Our team from ​Immanuel joined with a team from Connecticut to do repair work in Vermont after severe flooding. The team will be there the week of September 16-20.

Read more about the trip.