Through a simple shoebox gift with Operation Christmas Child, our congregation can help change the world, one life at time. Thank you to all who participated in Operation Christmas Child in 2025, especially those making jump ropes, sewing dresses and shorts, folding shoeboxes, putting together pencil bags, buying items, separating, sorting and prepping items, volunteering, and packing shoeboxes at the packing party, handing out shoeboxes, packing shoeboxes at home, carrying gift filled shoeboxes to the cars, and most importantly, praying for the children that will receive the shoeboxes. The Shady Grove family lovingly packaged over 500 shoeboxes. These children will learn of God’s love when they receive your shoebox gift and are given the chance to learn of the Greatest Gift, Jesus Christ. Visit the OCC WEBSITE to learn more or click HERE to watch a video.
Global Missions
Based on the “Great Commission”, one mission of Shady Grove United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Shady Grove does this through various means and we hope you will join us as we take direct responsibility for people of the world around our church, the community in which we and others study, work, shop, and play.
Ways to Help with Operation Christmas Child in 2026
You may take part in any or all steps!
Step 1: Pray for the children who will receive these shoebox gifts and all involved.
Step 2: Purchase Items for Shoeboxes
Watch for details for our Christmas in the Summer opportunity where we will begin to collect supplies for our Annual Packing party!
Step 3: Pack Shoeboxes
Be an international missionary without leaving Short Pump! Our shoebox gifts will be used by local churches worldwide to share God’s love and the Good News to children in need, changing lives and communities with the power of the Gospel. Here's how you can help:
- Come pack shoeboxes at the packing party in the fall!. Watch for date and time..
- Pack shoeboxes at home. Pick up empty boxes at worship in the fall. Dates will be announced in advance.
- Pack a shoebox ONLINE and help Shady Grove to reach our goal of sending over 580 shoeboxes to children around the world!
The map below shows the countries where the shoeboxes we have packed in prior years have been shipped. We have been packing shoeboxes since 2014 and this year we hope to exceed 5000 shoeboxes in total over the 11 years!
Missionaries Supported by Shady Grove Around the World
Holistic Haitian Alliance
Our newest missionary organization is Holistic Haitian Alliance. After a life changing trip to Haiti in 2008, Bill and Debbie Harvey felt called to care for a group of orphaned and abandoned children that they met. They returned to the US and shared the kid’s devastating circumstances with family, friends, and their church community. Ever since that day they have made it their life’s mission to provide shelter, food, clean water, education, trauma care, job training, medical care, and love to vulnerable kids in Haiti. Their alliance includes children, over 70 employees, local community leadership, government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and supporters. In the past 15 years, they have evolved from a home for orphaned and abandoned children to a community pillar for strengthening families, education, and collaboration through our Kay Anj Village. For more information visit
https://holistichaitianalliance.org/about/ or contact either the Missions Council or Ronnie Shriner.
Path Ministries/Otino Waa
Otino Waa is rescuing orphans and raising them up to become compassionate, capable leaders in Uganda and Ethiopia. Over 1100 children have been saved through PATH’s programs in Uganda and Ethiopia. In addition to the Otino Waa children' s village, they also partner with community schools so they can reach more children and people in the community. To learn more about this ministry, visit https://pathinternational.co/
If you would like to explore the possibility of visiting Otino Waa, reach out to the Missions Council.
Laura and Timo
Laura and Timo are currently serving the people in Finland. They are working with a pastor in Finland that serves the Congolese people as well as other pastors in the area. There is a great void in the knowledge of Christ in Finland and what it means to follow Him daily. They are on this journey to disciple the people of Finland with His word.
Rev. Park
Reverend Park is a United Methodist minister in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He lived in Richmond for some time and served as an Associate Pastor at Emmaus UMC. Vietnam is one of five countries that comprise the Virginia Conference’s Partnerships of Hope. Rev. Park recently shared that the work in Vietnam is going well and is slowly moving to grow as an autonomous Methodist Church in this country. 3 new churches were recently added to our network, which now makes the total number of churches, 39. We are also moving into VBS season, so our Education Team will start training local churches to use the VBS materials. For more information on Rev. Park, you may click
HERE.
Undisclosed
Our missionaries that had served in Germany relocated to Central Asia in one of the most closed countries in the world where it is unsafe to declare yourself as a Christian. Their work with the villagers there is bearing much fruit as they lead small bible studies and have helped with the installation of water filtration systems, the building of greenhouses for fresh vegetables, and the gifting of goats for ongoing milk and cheese. Both have experienced health setbacks in the past year and ask for prayers in not only their furthering of God’s word and love, but for physical healing too.