Our Missions

At Lovely Lane we believe in helping both friends and neighbors. We support many missions throughout the community, the country and the world with our time, our treasures and our talents. These are the ones that we have founded, helped found or serve from our own church building.

Children’s Weekday Ministries –  CWM serves families in our community with quality early childhood education, and quality before and after school care.   Onsite at Lovely Lane UMC, we operate a preschool program for ages 2 through 5 and a before and after school enrichment program (BASE) for children at Pierce Elementary School.  Downtown, in the Taylor Elementary School neighborhood, we operate a second preschool program, also for ages 2 through 5, that enrolls a large number of children from low-income families at a reduced tuition rate.  Lovely Lane supports CWM by providing physical space, utilities, custodial service and financial donations, all of which make it possible to offer reduced tuition rates to low-income families in our program.

Green Square Meals – On the 4th Monday of every month we send three volunteers to help prepare and serve meals to homeless and less fortunate families at the Ecumenical Center on 2nd Avenue downtown.  Our volunteer shift is from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.

Helping Hands Ministry – HHM serves people with limited material assistance on an emergency basis, helping with rent, utilities, and / or supportive services and advocacy. Helping Hands volunteers help clients prioritize needs and work with community agencies and funding sources to meet those needs. The organization offers someone to talk to; someone to share concerns with; encouragement and someone to rejoice in accomplishments.

JFON – Justice For our Neighbors – Iowa Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON) is a faith-driven ministry, welcoming immigrants into our churches and communities by providing free, high-quality immigration legal services, education, and advocacy. Lovely Lane opens our Fellowship Hall for these volunteers and clients one night a month. Each month the program sees eight to eleven new clients. Volunteers at the clinics help by providing hospitality, welcome, and assistance in completing intake forms for the attorneys.

Panther Packs for Pierce Elementary School – Lovely Lane works with our neighborhood elementary school  to send backpacks filled with food for the weekend for about 50 children. The food comes from HACAP and costs $5 per child per week. The 2013/2014 school year is our 5th year in the program. The extra food helps children come back to school Mondays ready to learn.

Matthew 25 Ministry Hub – Matthew 25 is an independent, local nonprofit organization in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  It exists to strengthen core neighborhoods on the west side of Cedar Rapids and to provide opportunities for people to act on their values through service. Their three program areas include neighborhood building on the near NW side, the Cultivate Hope, Food Education and neighborhood beautification program, and Youth Empowerment including Book Buddies, school gardens and the Groundswell art and entertainment venue.