MISSIONS & OUTREACH

At Signal Crest UMC, we intentionally support 5 community partners throughout the year. Those include the Bethlehem Center, the Chambliss Center for Children, Howard School, Mustard Tree Ministries, and Signal Mountain Social Services. Below you will find information about our connection with each community partner. There are opportunities to serve for everyone!

MISSION & OUTREACH ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS

The Bethlehem Center (The Beth)

The Bethlehem Center is inspired by the gospel, to build lasting relationships with Chattanooga’s youth and families by encouraging spiritual growth, education, and leadership development. The Beth, a ministry of the United Methodist Church, desires to see the Alton Park community connected, empowered, and living life more abundantly.

Our congregation serves this community through regularly volunteering in their food pantry and community garden. We also make sure that the food pantry stays stocked with meat, hygiene kits, feminine hygiene kits, and diapers.



For more information, contact: Drew Barton (dbarton@signalcrestumc.org).

Signal Mountain Social Services (SMSS)

Signal Crest supports Signal Mountain Social Services mostly through the firewood ministry but also by providing emergency home repair for some of their clients and providing fruit for their Christmas collection. For questions related to Signal Mountain Social Services, contact Robin Cruise (Robinacruise@gmail.com )

Firewood Ministry 

The Firewood Ministry began in 2012 when we identified a critical need within our community. In collaboration with Signal Mountain Social Services, families were identified who were in greatest need of assistance with heating their homes. All of these families heat with wood-burning stoves and have no other alternative heat source.

Signal Crest supplies 8-10 different families with firewood each year. Through this service, we have developed meaningful relationships and have discovered additional needs with which we have assisted. Throughout the year, we have workdays at church to split firewood to maintain ample supplies to meet the winter demand. In addition, we are always looking for people to help deliver firewood to our families.

Workdays are on Sunday afternoons from 1:30pm-4:30pm. Here is our schedule for the spring of 2026: March 22 & April 19.

For Questions Contact: Bill Thornton (bthornton@signalcrestumc.org)

Howard High School

The Howard High School is one of the largest public schools within Hamilton County, located on the Southside of Chattanooga. Signal Crest is thankful for the opportunity to partner and support the Howard High School. Our support of the Howard Students & Faculty includes providing a weekly meal to student athletes, supporting sport teams, sponsoring teacher appreciation events, and collecting dorm and school supplies for college-bound students. 

If you are interested in learning how to support this ministry or serving, contact: Connie Young (423-596-04065, jaycty@epbfi.com)

Mustard Tree Ministries

A ministry that helps the unhoused population in Chattanooga. Every Second Sunday, Signal Crest prepares and serves a free meal for the congregation at “Breakthrough Worship” led by Rev. Barry Kidwell at First Centenary UMC. Our church also regularly provides laundry pods for their mobile food pantry. For more information, Contact: Doranne Lane (doranne@epbfi.com)

Martin Luther King Jr. Days of Service 2026 | January 18-19, 2026

On January 18-19, 2026, Signal Crest put their faith into action for the Martin Luther King Jr. Days of Service. Our congregation came together to serve our local community. Before serving, Sunday started with morning worship that highlighted Dr. Martin Luther King's words and focused on God's call for us to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

On Sunday morning during the Sunday School hour, our congregation came together to put together Birthday Bags, hygiene kits, and feminine hygiene kits for the Bethlehem Center; Valentine's teacher appreciation gifts for the Howard School and the Chambliss Center; and laundry pod bags for Mustard Tree and Chambliss Center.

On Monday, Signal Crest partnered with three local organizations, the Bethlehem Center, the Chambliss Center for Children, and Howard School to serve our Chattanooga community. With the Bethlehem Center, our group organized and stocked the food pantry, organized the clothes closet and classrooms, built 3 picnic tables, hung wall paper, and cleaned out the boiler room. At the Chambliss Center, our group did projects that included organizing office spaces and moved equipment around the complex. For the Howard School, we partnered with the baseball program to organize and fix equipment, built shelves, hung mirrors in the weight room, and spread sand in the indoor facility.

We are thankful that TEKSystems joined us in service that day. Our congregation is looking forward to growing this event in 2027. If you, or your work/organization might be interested in participating in the future, contact Drew Barton (dbarton@signalcrestumc.org) for more information.