Each month, Woodridge UMC's Outreach Committee designates an organization, ministry, or mission (or two) to be the recipient of our monthly Outreach Offering. 

September 2024 

Boy Scouts Repair the Harm to Children - Gift Matching Opportunity

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) filed for bankruptcy relief in 2020, overwhelmed by lawsuits that grew to involve more than 84,000 allegations of child sexual abuse related to the Boy Scout program as far back as the 1960s. The United Methodist Church became involved because of our long-standing relationship with Scouting troops in our churches.  As part of the settlement, the United Methodist Church has committed to give $30 million over three years to a fund to compensate survivors and to work with the BSA to address policies, programs and procedures to keep children safe from abuse.  

All children in the care of the United Methodist churches should be safe from any kind of harm. Unless repairs are made to children who have been hurt, we are not being honest with the present and future children God brings us.  

The Repair the Harm to Children campaign was created by the Northern Illinois Conference to address the needs of the survivors in three ways; listening and providing healing to the survivors, contributing our fair share to the survivor fund established by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and working to create safeguards against harm in the future. 

The pledge from our church is to contribute $1200 each year for three years to the Boy Scout Survivor Fund.  The September Outreach will help support our goal, as we assist in the healing of survivors and recommit to work toward ending sexual abuse of young people.  Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor all contributions to the September Outreach will be matched up to $1000 to further help us achieve our goal. 

Ways to donate to the September Outreach Offering:
—Check or cash in an Outreach Offering envelope placed in the offering plate in the
—Narthex (the room outside the sanctuary) or in the gold-plated mail slot at the church’s east door.
—Online via our website. Select “Current Month Outreach” in the drop down menu.
—Text the amount you want to give to 630-449-7121 and select “Current Month Outreach” in the drop down menu.