PROJECT 16:49

MISSIONS AND OUTREACH

We are a body of people who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord — meaning that God lived on earth in the form of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus Christ taught us how to live, died for our sins, rose from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of the Father. Our congregation consists of people from every race, of many languages and nationalities (about 25 nations represented on a typical Sunday morning!), of all ages, educational levels, marital statuses, and economic levels. We are all sinners who have thrown ourselves on the grace of God, and we live with a joy and peace because God graciously forgives. God’s Holy Spirit lives in us, and changes us from what we should otherwise be without Him.

RED BIRD MISSION - KENTUCKY

Location: 70 Queendale Ctr, Beverly, KY 40913 

Phone Number: (606) 598-5133

Start Date: Red Bird Mission was founded in 1921 in the southeastern corner of Kentucky to provide education and Christian evangelism ministries to residents of the area. The mission was started by the Evangelical Church on a small piece of property, at the confluence of Cow Fork and the Red Bird River.



Mission: Red Bird Mission, guided by Jesus Christ, empowers individuals and advocates justice though spiritual, educational, health and community outreach ministries. The story of Red Bird is one of deep faith in God. Red Bird Mission was born in answer to prayer. It is a story of gracious outpouring of prayer and means by the church.

Outreach: The educational, health and spiritual outreach through the churches and schools of Red Bird Mission prospered as its denomination grew through mergers. The Evangelical Church and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ merged in 1946 to become the Evangelical United Brethren. In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren Church united with the Methodist Church to become The United Methodist Church. Local churches in the area were reorganized under the name of the Red Bird Missionary Conference in 1973. Red Bird Mission was recognized as an agency in the Red Bird Missionary Conference, and in 1975, Red Bird Hospital (later to be renamed Red Bird Mountain Medical Center) was incorporated separately and recognized as a separate agency. The community outreach ministries to the elderly and families of the community have grown to be a significant part of the overall ministries since the 1990's. The DeWall Senior Citizens Center started operations in 1991 and the Red Bird Elderly Housing apartments were opened in 1996.

Emphasis on encouraging family food production led to the establishment of a farmers’ market in 2010 and a commercial food kitchen in 2017. A permanent pavilion for the farmers market was constructed in 2015 as part of a project to provide a portable water-dispensing kiosk for area residents without a clean drinking water source.

The clothing and thrift shop ministries increased in scope after moving into the enlarged facilities on Queendale Center in 2001. The craft marketing program has grown in recent years through in-church craft fairs as well as consignment and online sales.

The Work Camp program that enlisted volunteers to maintain mission facilities decades ago now involves approximately 500 participants annually and expanded its purpose to include community home repair and improvement in 1984. The first new home was built in 2016 in the community by volunteers.