There are many ways to support Onalaska United Methodist Church. Our members are superheroes who do a bit of everything as they serve God. We are amazed by your many talents and gifts, and your generous support of our ministry and missions as we seek to transform the world.
Onalaska UMC members support the church with their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Non-members are welcome to participate in building the body of Christ through these vital means of support as well.
Prayers | Presence | Gifts | Service | Witness
Prayers
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16)
Prayer is central to our life here at Onalaska UMC. We pray during Sunday morning worship. All church prayer requests are prayed over by the staff at our weekly meeting. The “Teach Us to Pray” group lifts up the blue prayer request cards. Our Stephen Ministers are assigned one-on-one to people in need and meet regularly to pray with them. For more information contact the church office.
Presence
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of Christ’s return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)
Christian life means life in community. We believe it is important to be present in church! The community rejoices with us when we are happy, grieves and comforts us when we struggle, and directs and corrects us when we stray along our faith journey. In community we are accountable to God and to others.
The apostle Paul compares the church to the body of Christ, noting that each person has an important part and none can survive without the whole (see 1 Corinthians 12). Participation in worship is important! Getting involved in a small group or Sunday School class, or participating in other church activities are other great ways to enrich your experience of Christ.
Gifts
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)
Everything we have is a gift from God, and it is right that we should joyfully support the work of God with a portion of our gifts. The traditional biblical standard is the tithe (or 10%) and we encourage tithing, but each person gives what they can. Generous giving is a blessing to the giver and to the receiver!
The Discipleship Fund is used for the general ministry and mission of the church. The Building Fund supports construction and maintenance of our building and property. Designated Gifts are targeted to serve a particular need or mission, such as the youth group, camp scholarships, special offerings, missions, or other programs. Contact our office if you would like to use envelopes or track your giving for tax purposes.
Electronic giving is available through the secure Vanco service using the GIVE link below. Donations can be made by debit, credit card, or bank transfer.
Prefer to use an app on your smartphone or tablet for giving? Vanco’s Give+ app can be downloaded for Apple or Android. Follow the directions in the app to choose Onalaska United Methodist Church and set up your account.
Note: As with all electronic payment services, Vanco charges a small fee of $.45 plus 1% (ACH), 2.75% (debit/credit), or 3.5% (American Express) for electronic giving. For example, if you donate $100 using a credit card, Onalaska UMC will receive $96.80. If you are using a cellular device, your carrier may charge standard data and messaging fees.
Service
“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35)
With these words, Jesus tells us we encounter him not just in worship, but when we serve our fellow men and women – especially those who are least and lowest. Service at Onalaska UMC means helping around church. We depend upon volunteers to accomplish everything from preparing communion, to teaching Sunday School, to maintaining the building, to serving church dinners.
Service also means involvement in missions and outreach projects. Our church provides over $100,000 a year to support missions including the global United Methodist Church, state, and regional projects, and our local area. Many of those projects are hands-on. We are directly involved in the Onalaska/Holmen Food Basket, La Crosse Warming Center, and other local missions events. Many of our members participate in mission trips around the state, the nation, and the world.
Witness
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The mission of The United Methodist Church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Followers of Jesus Christ are given the power and the command to be witnesses of forgiveness, salvation, and resurrection hope. In fact, the word “evangelism” come from a Greek root that means Good News!
As United Methodists, we believe that our whole witness is important. It isn’t just what we say, but also what we do. Our lives should show the transformative power of Jesus Christ to make us better, more loving people. At Onalaska UMC, we encourage each other through sharing personal testimony, and we are excited to show and tell people what a difference God is making in our city and region through our church.