Local Outreach

We have the privilege of partnering with many existing organizations to serve our community.  We have also developed a variety of initiatives and ministries that meet real needs in our region, in Christ’s name!

Quarterly events

Feed Portage County

December 7 | During Sunday Services

Every quarter we hold a Feed Portage County event where we collect items for the Salvation Army, Hmong Community Relief, and Backpacks 4 Hope.  This collection takes place on a Sunday morning during services.  Simply bring items with you to church and drop them off at the collection spots in the foyers.  You can also pull your car to the Family Entrance or Auditorium Entrance and our Feed Portage County volunteers will unload groceries for you! The donation items will then be distributed the following week.

See Donation List for Feed Portage County

Annual events

Operation Christmas Child

Pickup boxes starting October 19 | Turn in boxes starting November 16

Operation Christmas Child is an annual project by Samaritan’s Purse that delivers shoeboxes filled with gifts to children in need around the world, not only sharing joy, but more importantly sharing the Good News of Christ with children and families. During 2025 it is our goal that our congregation will pack and send 1,000 boxes!  We are also a national collection site, meaning we open our gym to the community and region to drop off boxes to be shipped.

Learn More

Spring Into Action

May 2026 

Serving Our God, Our Community and Our Schools, Together.

Spring into Action is a day we leave the comfort of our building to serve as one church body, pooling our resources and time to make a significant impact in our community.

We serve all year long; but on this day we serve in unison, working side-by-side, opening the door to new relationships and opportunities for ongoing service throughout the year.

Learn More

ONGOING MINISTRIES

Backpacks 4 Hope

Backpacks 4 Hope partners with the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County to assist parents that do not have the resources to provide food for their families. Many children receive free or reduced meals at school but lack food in their homes on Saturday and Sunday. Through Backpacks 4 Hope, families receive a bag of groceries that provides them with meals throughout the weekend. Our purpose is to give children nutritious and easy to prepare foods to sustain them, providing food for a weekend and encouragement for a lifetime. For information about how you can serve in this ministry, please email backpacks4hope@woodlandschurch.org.

View Food Donation Preferences
View Backpacks 4 Hope Brochure

THE CARPENTER’S CREW

The Carpenter’s Crew is a team of people from Woodlands Church who are equipped and experienced in a range and variety of labor skills to help those in need.

Project Coordinators will assess each potential project, determine a plan, recruit team members and oversee the projects through to completion. Team members are available to the Project Coordinators based on their skill level and availability.
If you’d be interested in joining this team please email us.

MOVING MINISTRY

The Moving Ministry assists those in need in our church or community who do not have connections to the resources or people necessary to move from one living situation to another.

We are a bunch of people eager to serve; willing and able to move heavy or light stuff. If you’re not able to move heavy stuff (for any reason), we can still use you if you are willing to move light boxes and misc. small items, and/or are willing to hold doors, bring water to team members, and/or interact with the person we are serving.

As calls come in on an as-needed basis we are flexible and willing to work when the need arises. However, we do not expect that each team member will be able to help each time. We mix it up so that the same people do not have to be helping with every move. We always understand when a person is not able to make a move, especially on short notice, and we almost always have fun.

Interested in joining the Moving Ministry? Email us at moving@woodlandschurch.org.

Our moving ministry has helped with over 1,300 moves in our community over the last 15 years!

JOBS FOR LIFE

Through Jobs for Life, Woodlands has seen participants move from joblessness to fulfilling employment and some from homelessness to having a home.

  • Jobs for Life is an 8-week/16 session curriculum that teaches jobs skills and character traits that are necessary for gaining and maintaining meaningful employment.
  • The Jobs for Life certificate of graduation has recognized value to local employers.

If you are interested in taking a Jobs 4 Life course, or helping make this ministry possible by giving or volunteering, please email Doug Schneider. 

COFFEE FOR A CAUSE

Whenever you drop a couple bucks in the basket at our coffee bar, you can not only enjoy some great coffee, but make a difference in our community as well!

Any funds we collect above coffee expenses are given away to help others. The ministries the coffee money goes toward are:
• Backpacks for Hope (see above)
• Transact Hope
• Portage County Salvation Army Hope Center
• Operation Bootstrap

    COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

    One of the best ways to meet the needs of those around us is through organizations who have a good history of successfully helping people who are in need. Woodlands connects with those organizations through financial support and through community involvement with them. Listed below are some of the groups that we regularly team up with