Our Mission Outreach

 MIssions are an essential part of our church throughout the year. Our outreach includes a blessing box by the southwest corner of our church, a weekly community breakfast, hosting quarterly blood drives at our church, and holding an annual Christmas party at Butler High Rise. We have worked with a group of other churches in southern Illinois to support long term missions in a couple of towns in Ecuador which include building houses in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International. 

Many of these activities are organized by our Mission Committee. They also  organizes the collection of four special offerings for the United Church of Christ throughout the year: One Great Hour of Sharing, Strengthen The Church, Neighbors in Need and the Christmas Fund.

Please contact us if have any questions or you'd like to help or contribute - church membership is not a requirement.

Ministries we regularly support include the following:

Marion Ministerial Alliance

The Marion Ministerial Alliance is an association of christian churches and faith-based organization in the Marion area. They provide assistance to those in our community suffering financial hardship and operate a soup kitchen and food pantry.

Zion is a major contributor to their food pantry, with weekly donations of non-perishable food, toiletries, cleaning supplies and paper goods. Church member also cook in the soup kitchen in Marion on a regular basis.

How to Help

If you'd like to donate to the food pantry, drop box is conveniently located just inside our main entrance. For the soup kitchen,  look for the sign up sheets in the bell tower, and join us the next time we serve there. If you'd like to make a monetary donation, you can mail or drop off a donation at their office at 103 Calvert Street or as a special offering.

Lighthouse Shelter

The Lighthouse Shelter in Marion, IL is a faith based organization dedicated to helping the homeless in Southern Illinois.

Zion members provide the Sunday meal on the second Sunday of every month.

How to Help

Look for the signup sheets in the bell tower to help prepare a meal for Lighthouse Shelter.  Also, we collect donations in the lighthouse donation box at the back of the sanctuary weekly.

SHINE Summer Lunch Program

SHINE provides food for lunches, snacks, and breakfasts for children in Marion. We know that hungry tummies don't go on summer break, just because school does. 

How to Help

Each summer we invite volunteers to sign up to help prepare the meal packages at the church throughout the week. We also recruit volunteers to transport the food and distribute it three times each week at Harrison Bruce Park in Marion. We also welcome financial donations and donations of food throughout the spring and summer.

Boyton Street Center

Boyton Street Center provides an after school program Monday through Thursday for kids that includes nutritious meals, tutoring, homework time, crafts and developmental skills in a safe environment.

Zion has supported Boyton Street with tutors, school supplies and Christmas gifts for some of their youth.  Pastor John serves on Boyton Street Center Board.

How To Help

Be a tutor for a day in the after school program, participate in one of their collection drives, or just make a donation.