Kumler United Methodist Church (UMC) has been an anchor of the Enos Park Neighborhood since the construction of its current building in 1888. In everything it does, the church strives to welcome and love all people in Christ’s name.
Over the decades, Kumler UMC has been a long-standing partner with McClernand Elementary School, has collaborated with the Springfield Art Association on a Christmas gift-making event for neighborhood families, and worked alongside the Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association to keep the neighborhood vital and thriving, most directly through The Neighborhood Gardens.
The church and its Kumler Outreach Ministries strive to build relationships through activities such as the Enos Park Birthday Club. Each month, neighborhood children with birthdays receive a birthday card and an invitation to the party, held on the fourth Friday of the month. At the party, the children play games, make crafts, have cake and ice cream, and the birthday children pick out a gift for themselves. All neighborhood families are invited and some families attend nearly every month to help celebrate that month’s birthday kids. Neighbors, church members and medical students from SIU School of Medicine come together to make the party a fun, memorable experience for all.
Another way Kumler seeks to build relationships is through its weekly community meal — Hospitality House — held every Tuesday evening. The free meal is an opportunity for people to get to know one another. Started as an outreach to the homeless, Hospitality House attracts not only those experiencing homelessness, but also people from the neighborhood who may live alone, want to share a meal with others and enjoy fellowship. During COVID-19, the meal has been take-out.
Kumler Outreach Ministries, housed at 3rd Street and North Grand Ave., operates a food pantry and prescription assistance program five days a week and provides personal hygiene items, as well as baby items. It is also currently developing basic like skills programs, like household budgeting and using a computer 101.
All are welcome to attend Sunday morning worship at 10 a.m. at Kumler (600 N. 5th), become part of a small group, or learn more about the church and the Outreach Ministries. The church can be reached by calling 217-523-2046 or emailing kumler2010@aol.com. You can call the Outreach Ministries at 217-523-2269, email kumlerumc@hotmail.com, go to the website kumlerministries.net or visit Kumler Outreach Ministries on Facebook.