Become a Partner

The Mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Local churches provide the most significant arena through which discipleship-making occurs (United Methodist Book of Discipline).

The need to revitalize United Methodist church buildings is urgent. Local congregations in the world and U.S. are joining hands and hearts to meet this critical need. As partners, they covenant to be in mission together by:

• Listening to one another openly and without judgment.
• Understanding and becoming sensitive to each other's cultures.
• Exploring the "true connectionalism" of United Methodism.
• Sharing resources in response to spiritual and material needs.
• Sharing the love of Jesus Christ through ministry together.
• A number of partnership projects, are underway in Cambodia, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, Latvia, Laos, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Vietnam. With your help, we can do more.

How to Become a Partner Church

• Commit 3 years to a partner congregation
• Contribute each year in financial support (differs in each country, but typically ranges from $2400 to $4200).
• Send a team to visit and make friends.
• Learn about the culture of your partner church.
• Share stories of personal faith together.
• Work together on a mission project.

Possible Partnering Opportunities

• Evangelization: Provide aid for Bibles, hymnals, church literature, youth events, and speakers who visit hospitals, schools, prisons, and the armed forces to share a message of faith.
• Education: Provide assistance for seminary students, summer camps, vacation Bible schools, Sunday schools, and Disciple Bible Study classes.
• Social Outreach: Provide support for scouting, Teen Challenge (youth drug and alcohol rehabilitation program), centers that serve senior adults, services to help released prisoners transition back into society, community economic development projects, health-care services, and programs to address special needs among handicapped persons.
• Salary Support: Provide supplemental support for pastors' salaries.
• Building Support: Send Volunteers In Mission (VIM) to help with construction and renovation projects.
  

We provide each partner church with a partnership coordinator to facilitate any new partner relationship. We help congregations with planning, communications, and implementation of their In Mission Together partnerships.

Medical Missions

The Good Samaritan Clinic located in Batey 7, Dominican Republic celebrated its 6th anniversary on June 16, 2009. It was begun in partnership with the Western North Carolina Conference. Over 4,000 patients have officially registered and sought clinical help two-three times a year. Focus is on the most needed people in the community who may not have employment, a steady income or work seasonal jobs. Many are children and widows. We (WNCC) are responsible for a minimum of $26,000 a year towards this ministry. This pays the doctor, nurse and other needed personnel along with basic medicines. For more information, http://wnccumc.org/vim/mdm-MedicalMission.htm.

WORLD HUNGER

Info on these items may be found at http://www.wnccumc.org/mis/hunger.htm

“Meals for Learning” – packing meals especially for persons in Kenya. Cost is .25 per meal with a minimum of 10,000 meals per packing. The church can buy the meals and then have days to pack the meals. We used this organization at the two “Harvest of Blessings” events last year.

“Stop Hunger Now” – packing meals for throughout the world, as areas are identified. Cost is .25 per meal with a minimum of 10,000 meals per packing. The church can buy the meals and then schedule days to pack the meals, inviting local schools and others to be a part of the process. We used this organization at the WNC Annual Conference meeting in June and at Spiritus in August.

Child Sponsorship

“World of God” is a child partnership organization started following a mission team to Liberia in October 2007 – www.worldofGod.org. There were no Child Sponsorship programs for Liberian children. Attached to this is a similar program in Haiti working with children where several churches (especially in the Charlotte area) have been working.

Church-to-Child Sponsorships – During recent journeys with the D.R. Congo and to SE Asia, the Western North Carolina representatives shared the desire to have sponsorship programs with children. These sponsorships are just beginning. They will provide basic educational needs, foods and medicines. Cost is estimated at $15 a month per child.

Churches or sponsors will receive biographic information on child along with pictures. We will set these programs up similar to other partnership programs – providing development possibilities with the community working side-by-side with local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), educational scholarships and nutrition needs.

The Agent Orange Orphanage is soon-to-be Advance Special of the Church – The agent orange chemicals from the Vietnam War are still affecting new-borns. These new-borns are often then rejected by the parents. Bishop Goodpaster is very involved in activities in Vietnam, since he is the Bishop over SE Asia, as well. One place we will hear more about in the near future is an orphanage to be built outside Ho Chi Minh City for children victims of Agent Orange.

Church-to-Church Partnerships

Churches in many of our missions cannot afford to operate. Cost involved in paying for the pastor’s meager salaries and basic church needs in not available. Thus, one of the areas the Western North Carolina Conference is pushing is “Church-to-Church Partnerships.” Churches in the Western North Carolina Conference would agree to supply $100-200 per month towards the needs of the church overseas. The receiving mission would agree that a minimum of three (3) letters will be exchanged between the church receiving the support to the providing church (these letters would be translated through the Methodist Mission in the country and need to pass-through the mission. Beyond the funds, letters and prayers, the connection would be up to the individual churches.

Church Partnerships in SE Asia:
Cambodia – $200 a month would provide basic salary support for a pastor and basic needs for the church he/she pastors. It also provides opportunities for sharing short letters back and forth between the church memberships (through the mission interpretation services). There are 155 churches in Cambodia.

Many of these churches are house churches and do not have buildings. Pastors are looked upon by the membership of the churches for help in meeting medical needs or agricultural needs. The Community Health Agricultural Development (CHAD) committee of the Methodist Mission in Cambodia (MMC) is working side-by-side with these congregations to help membership meet their day-to-day needs and move away from Relief towards Development.

http://new.gbgm-umc.org/advance/projects/search/index.cfm?action=details&id=3012247&code=00230A

As a church in the Western North Carolina Conference builds a relationship with a church in Cambodia, it is possible to send team members to provide pastoral training, Vacation Bible School, and encouragement. It is also possible for a church in the conference to support the building of a structure in the country or meeting other needs, as demonstrated by the receiving church. Cost varies from $3,000-20,000 for building structures.

Vietnam – In the past seven years the Methodist Church in Cambodia has grown from underground groups meeting in small numbers to 120 churches. While not yet recognized, the government is fully aware of the work of the United Methodist Church in Vietnam. $100-200 a month would provide basic salary support for a pastor and the basic needs for the church he/she pastors. It also provides opportunities for sharing short letters back and forth between the church memberships (through the mission interpretation services).

Most churches are house churches. Emphasis has been placed on providing basic theological education for these pastors with help from seminaries in the Philippines and Singapore. The mission recently reached out (through our conference) to the mission in Cambodia to provide Christian Education resources.

http://new.gbgm-umc.org/advance/projects/search/index.cfm?action=details&id=3017024&code=14932A

As a church in the Western North Carolina Conference builds a relationship with a church in Vietnam, it is possible to send team members to provide pastoral training, Vacation Bible School, and encouragement. It is also possible for a church in the conference to support the building of a structure in the country, or meeting other needs, as demonstrated by the receiving church. Cost varies from $5-20,000 or more.

Laos – The Laotian church presently has 92 congregations meeting in homes in many provinces of the country. Not officially recognized by the government and not permitted to meet in large groups, the mission has worked to promote the education of pastors and to provide living skills for the membership (i.e. mushroom farming). $100-200 a month would provide basic salary support for a pastor and the basic needs for the church he/she pastors. Communication is more limited due to government controls.

http://new.gbgm-umc.org/advance/projects/search/index.cfm?action=details&id=3017019&code=14927A

As a church in the Western North Carolina Conference builds a relationship with a church in Laos, it is possible to send team members to provide pastoral training, Vacation Bible School, and encouragement. It is also possible for a church in the conference to support the building of a structure in the country, or meeting other needs, as demonstrated by the receiving church. Cost varies from $500-20,000 or more.

Church Partnerships in D.R. Congo:
The DRC is a war-torn country. The United Methodist Church has been active in the country for almost 100 years providing educational structures, hospitals and churches. These structures are still operating, though broken and battered. Many teachers are not getting their salaries in a timely manner and students are unable to afford school costs. Hospitals do not have electricity and basic items needed for medical care. Churches have been destroyed or operate without roofs and under tents. http://new.gbgm-umc.org/advance/projects/search/index.cfm?action=details&id=3018485&code=198400

As a church in the Western North Carolina Conference builds a relationship with a church in D.R. Congo, it is possible to send team members to provide pastoral training, Vacation Bible School, and encouragement. It is also possible for a church in the conference to support the building of a structure in the country, the rebuilding of a structure in war-torn areas, or meeting other needs, as demonstrated by the receiving church. Cost varies from $500-20,000 or more.

Partnerships may be available in additional countries. Contact Mike Collins for more information.

3000 Mission Teams

It is the goal of the WNCC to send out 3000 teams in 2012. As we work towards this goal, we are working with individual churches to focus on countries where they can get actively involved. Please review other materials attached to the Blog on possibilities.

Missions Vacation Bible School Project

The Missions Vacation Bible School project will be available for for churches to use in 2010. We hope to roll it out in November 2009.

For the children, the sessions will cover Methodist mission activities in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Framed for 4-5 day sessions, the activities are biblically-centered with hands'-on activities dealing with all of the senses.

The youth version will cover the country situation of Cambodia -- an overnight lock-in setting inclunding DVDs, hands'-on mission activities, games and dramas.

The materials will be available on a DVD/CD set and /or internet-based. Cost will be minimal. For more information on the children's version, contact Gloria Hughes (ghughes@wnccumc.org) and for the youth version, Mike Collins, (mcollins@wnccumc.org)

Container Project in Dominican Republic

A new project is being conducted near Batey 7. Many residents are refugees from Haiti who entered the DR seeking work during the sugar cane season. As immigrants, they are generally not recognized or supported by the government. To address this problem, several UM churches are partnering with offenders and ex-offenders through the Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministries to construct a school made of three shipping containers. An UMVIM construction crew, led by Darrell Long, will install a foundation for the school and provide a roof to cover the containers, to be located along the medical clinic’s back property.

This school will be used for the education of children, the vocational training of women and various purposes of the local church/clinic. Support for employment and education will increase
opportunities for children and family. Collaboration with church volunteers also encourages community residents to take a more active role in improving their living conditions, education,
medical services and neighborhoods. The local church will supply teachers and vocational skill possibilities.

Needs and opportunities:
• Prayer: for trained workers, energy, supplies and finances;
• Building Materials: nails, screws, caulking, iron support beams, plywood, lumber (2x4’s for desks and decking), welding equipment, angle iron (1/4” thickness), Door and window supplies;
• Funding to purchase supplies and some air fare.
Get involved.

Contact:
mcollins@wnccumc.org,
darrell@berothoil.com or
chaplainstilwell@forsythjpm.org

COALITION FOR MISSIONS - What does this mean for Missions in WNCC?

As you are probably aware, the Commission on Mission/Outreach will no longer exist
upon passage of the proposed reorganization of structure. In its place will be a non-elected
group under the Congregational Excellence Team called, a “Coalition for Missions.”

The coalition will be a non-elected ad hoc group working on the signifi cant mission
causes of the Western NC Conference and connect the mission work of the conference
with the General Board of Global Ministries. Representation will continue through the
conference staff and the chairpersons of the different groups within the coalition (i.e.
Project AGAPE, VIM, Disaster Response, …). These groups will still have rights to petition
for funding and Western NC Conference emphasis. The coalition will share the concerns,
needs and wishes for its different components and for the local churches to get involved.
Whether it will be a loosely-connected body, or a strong federation of mission organizations
will be determined by the coalition’s activities.

Under the new framework, what would be gone is the “commission” made up of
district lay and clergy representatives to set the agenda, budget and prospects of mission
work throughout the conference. The desires, interests, individual mission emphases and
passions for taking the Word of God into the uttermost parts of the world in word and deed
will remain. Under the new set-up, mission would be seen as a benchmark (or a fruit) of
the excellent local church.

This format comes from an understanding that a church is called into mission! Mission
is not a function or activity of the church, it is the church in action! Mission may involve
one-on-one mission projects, teams, missionary support, food packing, working with local
schools and so on. Mission is putting the love of God in action in this world, locally,
nationally and globally.

Over the past few months, a speakers’ bureau has received training to keep the
conference engaged in mission awareness. Approximately 85 persons have expressed an
interest in serving on that bureau. Many of these speakers have been given a PowerPoint
program and other items to help local congregations discern what the church is presently
doing in mission and what they might attempt in the future. While each speaker has his/
her passion for ministry, the speakers will not be advocating any one mission or Advance
project, and will not be asking for fi nancial support.

Thank you for your continued mission support!

Work for WORLD HUNGER at Annual Conference

The membership of the WNCC came through with flying colors at the Annual Conference! 106,087 meals were packed for Stop Hunger Now and approximately $15000 in canned goods were delivered to the food banks and food pantries.

Approximately 450 volunteers helped to pack the food. After a slow start on Thursday afternoon, the youth representatives and their friends were present that night and "caught up" the count. The flow of volunteers through Friday was steady averaging 60-90 persons for each 2-hour session.

Canned goods were delivered to the Kern Center for collection (actually we found food scattered throughout Lake J). We filled up the Disaster Response Truck and waited until Friday afternoon for the Manna Food Bank truck from Asheville to pick up food. Using five volunteers, food was exchanged to the Manna Food Bank truck and it motored off for Asheville. Prior to Annual Conference, the Office of Mission/Outreach received calls from several churches that they had full pickup trucks with food. We instructed these trucks to go "straight to the food banks" rather than have the trucks bring food to LJ and then turn around and take it back. In addition, we received calls from churches with food pantry needs. After consideration, we sent some of the collected foods to these food pantries.

THANK YOU for your consideration and help in this matter!!!

Canned Food Drive and Food Packing

Here are the plans and some sample ways to get churches involved:

Canned Food Drive: We are setting a goal for churches of the WNCC to bring canned food to the annual conference from their churches. This food will be sent to the Winston-Salem, Charlotte, and Asheville Food Banks for distribution. The food banks are in need for “protein-based foods”: Beans, tuna, canned meats, stews. The food banks are having their “faith-based” food drive in the month of April. Working with them, we are urging WNCC churches to collect foods in April (and May) to be brought to the Annual Conference during the June meeting. We will then deliver one-third of the foods to the Asheville Manna Food Bank on Friday/Saturday and then the following week take the other two-thirds to the Winston-Salem and Charlotte Food Banks. The food banks report a 31% increase in the need over the past year. It is my hope that this will be just the beginning!
· Ask churches to pick one adult, one youth and one child to take charge of the event.
· Have contests within the church Sunday School classes for collection of food.
· Place a basket at the altar for the food collection.
· Set reachable, yet challenging goals for each church to meet.
· Get the word out in voice/print/emails.
· Go to the “Bread for the World” web site (www.bread.org) or the Church World Service (www.churchworldservice.org) to get stories about the need – share in district and church newsletters.
· For church members, print copies of the Winter edition of the Missions’ Alive (http://wnccumc.org/mis/pdf/MissionsAliveWinter2009.pdf).
· Have a day of celebration where people will bring food and dedicate it prior to bringing it to AC.
· Have a “stone soup day” (a pot with a large, clean stone in it, and members of the congregation each “add” to the soup for people the share in a meal) – then have a donation towards the Food Banks.

Stop Hunger Now Food Packing Drive: We have reserved the Kern Center (youth area) for Thursday and Friday of Annual Conference. During this period of time we will have 8 2-hour packing sessions. Each session will need 40 (or more) volunteers. Prior to AC we will need to get churches/members to pledge “meals” at .25 cents each. We will need to have a good idea of how many meals we need by the first week of May and will need to have money in-hand for the meals by the end of May. I believe a goal of 150,000 meals is very reachable. We also need to get the word out that we need “volunteers” to sign up for packing. We will set up a “sign-up” through email for each of the 2-hour packing sessions (beginning first week in April). The youth packing session will be Thursday evening (tentative at this time). Volunteers may be delegates, spouses, guests – anyone, young and old can participate!
· Have district challenge a neighboring district for numbers of meals to be collected (this can also be done as church challenging church).
· Each district needs one/two people to be in charge. We have asked the District Mission Coordinators to help – but have not heard from all of them. Laura Diviney will still be making these contacts while I am out of the country over the next two weeks and she will inform the districts who have said “yes, we will help.” If the District Mission Coordinators are not willing to lead, we ask the District Superintendents to please appoint someone. This person needs to keep track of the number of pledges and collect the funds.
· Set reachable, yet challenging goals for each church to meet.
· Get the word out in voice/print/emails.
· Let pastors meet my personal challenge – Mike Collins will pay for 400 meals ($100) and challenge other pastors to meet this pledge.

The Mission Luncheon: Annually we have a missions’ luncheon at the Waynesville’s First United Methodist Church. It will take place this year on Friday, June 12th beginning at 12:00 PM. We urge you to be present and to let others know! The cost will be $11 per person. Checks are made out to “WNCC Treasurer” and may be sent to: Office of Mission/Outreach, P.O. Box 18005, Charlotte, NC 28218. More info on this will follow the first week of April.
· Please note the Time Change (this has been done so that we might coincide with the schedule of the AC)

The overall coordinator for the Food Collection and the Food Packing is Sherry Sink. Sherry can be reached at 336.882.1736 or sherika12754@aol.com.

Starvation in Kenya

Starvation in Kenya
by Mary Beth Coudal

Several children in Nakuru Camp, Kenya for the internally displaced enjoy a nutritious meal.Image by: Melissa Crutchfield Source: UMCOR

New York, NY, February 20, 2009--Several weeks ago, Felix was admitted to the Maua Methodist Hospital, in Maua, Kenya, with severe tuberculosis. Felix weighed 20 pounds and was three feet tall. He was nine years old. Missionary Jerri Savuto sat by Felix's bedside, watching him gasp for breath.

"How hungry, alone and desperate he must have always been. I reached out and touched him and smiled at him," said Nurse Savuto. "His eyes looked up and met mine and then his little face broke into a smile. He gained weight and seemed to be doing much better but died four days ago." Jerri Suvuto is one of six United Methodist missionaries serving through Global Ministries in Kenya.

As many as 10 million Kenyans, a majority of them children like Felix, are dying due to pervasive drought and famine. The Kenyan newspaper, The Daily Nation, projected that October 2009 will be the first opportunity for a substantial rainfall. Ms. Savuto worries that many in Kenya will not live to see that next big rain.

As malnourished children are admitted to Maua Hospital, with their families' unable to pay, the staff goes without pay and the facility lacks money for necessities. So, too, families flock to Kenyan churches for food, prayer, and comfort, yet parishioners are no longer able to support their pastors. They subsist on donations. The Methodist Church in Kenya is seeking funding to continue the mission of the hospitals and churches.

Bishop Stephen Kanyaru M'Impwii, head of the Methodist Church in Kenya, visited the New York headquarters of the General Board of Global Ministries on February 19-20, 2009, to highlight the need for increased relief efforts. He met, among others, with the Rev. Edward W. Paup, general secretary, to convey the urgency of the famine.

"I'm not telling you what I've heard," Bishop M'Impwii said. "I'm telling you what I've seen. Starving people have died. It's very serious. Even in the capital, there are very many, many orphans."

"We are currently supporting churches in Kenya to respond to the famine in Nairobi, Coastal Province, and the Rift Valley (Nakuru)," said Melissa Crutchfield, an International Disaster Response executive with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). "These activities include provision of food aid for some of the most vulnerable populations, including nursing mothers, vulnerable children, orphans, school children, people living with HIV and AIDS, and internally-displaced people from the election violence last year. The grants are also providing some medicines for a clinic in Nakuru, and agricultural inputs like seeds and tools, so that farmers in that region can begin to grow for themselves again."

A report from the United Nations indicates childhood malnourishment is at the level of one in five in Kenya, a number which exceeds emergency requirements. "The number of people who are starving in Kenya seems to increase daily. Our pediatric ward continues to have so many starving, emaciated children admitted," reported Missionary Jerri Savuto.

One of those emaciated children is four-year-old Martin. Tall for his age, he must have received nutrition earlier in his life, according to Ms. Savuto. "But now the family has nothing. He was admitted with malaria, pneumonia, severe anemia, and starvation. We can help these children recover from their illnesses and even gain weight, but then we have to send them home to the same situation. The hospital has started a program to send food home with families of children like this," Savuto said.

Ms. Savuto also reported that in the capital, Nairobi, she saw many Maasai herds of cattle roaming through the city streets searching for a patch of green to graze upon. She wrote:
Their cattle are dying and they are migrating. We need your help. Please pray for us and please remember the hungry everywhere. You may not see them, for often they are invisible, but they are there, standing quietly, pleading with God to help them. I know God hears them. Do you?
Donations to assist UMCOR's response in Kenya can be dropped in local church collection plates or mailed to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. The check should be made to "UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response," with "Kenya Famine" on the memo line.

For credit card donations, visit UMCOR's web site at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ for online giving information or call (800) 554-8583. Give now.

Mary Beth Coudal is the staff writer for Global Ministries.

WNCC-GBGM Seminar in NYC - Nove 2-6, 2009

WNCC / GBGM Seminar in New York City
November 2-6, 2009

Again this year we will host a Mission Seminar to New York City. Somewhat different from past years, we will not drive to New York, but fly. Each participant will be responsible for his/her own flight arrangements, though we will “suggest” arrival (Nov 2) and departure (Nov 6) flights and times. Each participant will be responsible for his/her own meals (a meal or two may be provided through GBGM) and transportation within the city. Housing and seminar costs will be taken care of through the General Board of Global Ministries and deposits.

We will have room for 20 participants. Upon their return, these participants would be responsible for sharing information gleaned from the seminar. Spaces are limited to 20 persons. First priority will go to persons involved in International, National, Conference or District mission activities of the WNCC. If we go over 20 persons, we will place names on a “waiting list.” Deadline for registration is September 15, 2009. A non-refundable deposit of $50 must be sent with registration (Note: if you are on a waiting list and not chosen, your deposit will be returned).

ACCOMMODATIONS
Alma Matthews House
275 W. 11th Street
New York, NY
(212) 691-5931

OTHER INFORMATION
Traveling Around Manhattan
We will be getting to and fro destinations in New York via the subway system. Each person will need to purchase a seven-day Metrocard that allows for unlimited subway and bus rides. As of the date of publication, cost of the card is $24. The cards can be purchased at the subway station on our first venture out. Credit cards are accepted at Metrocard machines.

General Board of Global Ministries and Interchurch Center at the UN
Here is the contact information at GBGM:
Jodi Cataldo, Executive Secretary, Emerging Churches’ Resources
475 Riverside Drive, Rm 1312
New York, NY 10115
(212) 870-3615, jcataldo@gbgm-umc.org

Here is the contact information at the Interchurch Center:
Interchurch Center at UN
777 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
(212) 682.3633

Free Time
Tuesday-Thursday seminars will conclude at approximately 3:30 PM and the group/individuals will be on their own for dinner and the remainder of the evening. You may choose to head out on your own or form small groups according to interests: Museums, Broadway plays, Ground-Zero, … Check out www.nyc.com for more information. Cost of Broadway shows range from $75-100 (discount prices) and tickets can be purchased at the TKTS booth near Times’ Square. There is no guarantee that tickets for the show you wish to attend will be available, but you can get a great discount. Tickets may be purchased ahead of time through links provided at www.nyc.com.

Room-mates
Unless we hear otherwise, we will assign roommates (we have 8 doubles and 4 singles). Baths are “shared” down the halls of the Alma Matthews House.

Schedule
Monday:
Arrival in New York City

Tuesday - Wednesday:
7:30 AM – Leave Alma Matthews House for the 14th Street Station
8:30 AM – Breakfast at GBGM
9:30 AM – Seminar begins at GBGM
Noon – Lunch at GBGM (Tuesday will be Buffet with GBGM)
3:30 PM – Seminar ends for the day

Thursday:
Breakfast on your own – there is a great bakery just around the corner from Alma Matthews (or get something the night before and place in the refrigerator at the house).
8:30 AM – Leave for the UN via bus or subway
9:30 AM – Worship at the Interchurch Center at UN
Morning Sessions
Lunch will be brought in at a cost of approximately $15 per person
Afternoon Sessions
3:30 PM – Seminar ends for the day
An arrangement can be made for a group tour of the UN for those interested
Make arrangements for van pickup as individuals or group to airport on Friday

Friday:
Departure to NC

Canned Goods for Annual Conference

The Commission on Mission/Outreach (COMO) invites the total conference to begin collecting "canned goods" (Protein-based, i.e. beans, tuna, stew, canned meats) for annual conference. These canned goods will be provided for the Food Banks within North Carolina. More information will follow.

Your WNCC Commission on Mission/Outreach

For Contact Information for these persons, please contact Laura

at Ldiviney@wnccumc.org

Building Teams - Rev Alec Alvord
Gastonia Laity - Ms. Elizabeth Baker
Medical Teams - Dr. Mike Barringer
Winston-Salem Laity - Ms. Glenda Beauchamp
Scandinavian Caravan - Rev. Al Beck
Marion Clergy - Rev. Allen Boliek
Lake Norman Clergy - Rev. Betty Brown
Congo Committee - Rev. Shirley Canty
Town & Country Committee - Rev. David Christy
Statesville Clergy - Rev. C. James Church
Youth Representative - Ms. Molly Clay
Lexington Clergy - Rev. Benjamin Clodfelter
AMERICAN DESK - Rev. Joseph Collins
Coordinator of Mission/Outreach - Rev. Mike Collins
Winston-Salem Clergy - Rev. Joseph Collins
Waynesville Clergy - Rev. Brian Combs
Project AGAPE - Rev. Cecil Donahue
Greensboro Clergy - Rev. Cecil Donahue
High Point Clergy - Rev. Robert Dowling
At-large Member - Mr. Roy Dunaway
Salisbury Laity - Mr. Gary Emerson
Youth Representative - Mr. Will Florence
Golden Cross Representative - Rev. Gayle Ford
North Wilkesboro Clergy - Rev. Sarah Fouts
Health Care Representative - Ms. Barbara Geddie
Gastonia Clergy - Rev. Greg Gordon
Shalom Ministries' Representative - Ms. Beverly Hammond-Smith
At-large Member - Ms. Diane Hamrick
Mission Response Center - Mr. Ed Gross
Mission Personnel - Rev. Jeff Hassel
At-large Representative - Rev. Susan Heafner-Heun
High Point Laity - Mrs. Bonnie Horney
Statesville Laity - Michael ouser
UMW President - Amy Johnson
Lexington Laity - Ms. Louise Jones
Greensboro Laity - Mr. Max Kern
Ashville Clergy - Rev. Naomi King
Lake Norman Laity - Ms. Mona Kita
Youth Representative - Mr. Dan Mainous
Albemarle Laity - Mr. Ron Menchelli
Church & Community Worker - Mr. Dwaine Morgan
Asheville Laity - Ms. Madeline Moseley
EUROPEAN DESK - Ms. Libby Myers
Salisbury Clergy - Rev. Donald Newman
Albemarle Clergy - Rev. Clyde Penry
Palestine Advocacy - Ms. Martha Phillips
Northeast Clergy - Rev. Douglas Pryor
UMW Mission Education & Interpretation - Mrs. Virginia Robinson
CARIBBEAN/SOUTH AMERICA DESK - Rev. Donald Routh
Northeast Laity - Ms. Helena Scales
GBGM Board of Directors' Member - Mr. Bob Shepherd
Church & Community Worker - Mrs. Vickie Sigmon-Hayes
Hunger Initiative - Ms. Sherry Sink
AFRICAN DESK - Mr. Donald Turner
Waynesville Laity - Mr. Darwyn Van Gorp
Disaster Response - Ms. Sandy Waldron
ASIAN DESK - Rev. Shelly Webb
Refugee Concerns - Rev. Carol Williams-Gilbert
Charlotte Clergy - Rev. Nina Wynn
Marion Laity - Ms. Tracy Yancey
North Wilkesboro Laity - Ms. Aliene L. Young

Project at Gideon Grove UMC

The Gideon Grove United Methodist Church near Stokesdale has a "Community Garden" planned for this year at the trailer park near by. This will add to the church's project of planting.

The church has been planting a garden for years. They are growing in pounds of produce raised yearly and looking forward to SPring planting. The Society of St. Andrews has not gleaned but picked the first harvest giving them the highest quality produce for their mission. They started in a small area of the church yard with approximately 100'x200' and raised 4,000 pounds of potatoes. Last year they planted 2.5 acres.

They are looking for "seed potato" connections. If you have any connection to help them get donations for seed potatoes, please contact Randy at drbraswell@earthlink.net

Breakfast at Glenwood UMC

Glenwood UMC in Greensboro provides a free pancake breakfast every Saturday morning to the poor of our community. May 2009 will mark the 5th year we have provided this "all you can eat" hot meal to all those that show up at our church between 8 and 10 am each Saturday morning.

We never know how many people will show up on any given Saturday morning but we have become accustom to serving between 200 and 300 men women & children.Glenwood UMC is a small (70 people on Sunday morning) urban church which is located only a few blocks from government low cost housing.

A number of homeless people show up each Saturday morning with all they own in bags of some sort. Besides the food, some of our church members minister to our guest as opportunities present themselves. Some people have made confessions of faith at the breakfast. Much of the labor involved with the breakfast is provided by people in the community that have no other connection to the church.

Some people attending the breakfast have become active members of the church.Included in the breakfast are hot pancakes, sausage, ham, bacon, butter, milk, coffee and usually a choice of two kinds of fruit juice. Some people are so hungry the consume as many as 24 pancakes which is available to them by repeatedly going through the serving line.Several Methodist Churches in town take turns bringing over their youth groups to assist with the breakfast to give them a "hands-on" opportunity to serve the poor of our community.

The primary problem with the people we serve is under or unemployment. To respond to this need, we started classes to help them find sustaining employment. Last year we had a 32 class-hour Christian based program to assist them in finding employment. We are preparing to start another class this spring.

Peace,
Bob Sadler, Chair - Evangelism/Outreach,
Glenwood United Methodist Church,
Rev. Sarah L. Smith, Pastor,
Rev. Jean Nall, Assistant Pastor
1417 Glenwood Ave. Greensboro, NC 27403

The Hunger Connection

The United Methodist Church is a connectional church. Sadly, we have failed to use the connection effectively. Beginning at the end of January the Mission /Outreach Office will begin “organized and unorganized connections” through conference calls, internet blog-spots, and skype calls with those interested in working in partnership on the world hunger issues. To be part of these conversations, contact our office and indicate areas of interests: Asia, Africa, Europe, Caribbean/Latin America or USA.

Many churches are already involved in mission activities with the hungry. Some are doing Relief Work — providing for immediate hunger needs (food packets, Second Harvest). This type of ministry is needed and welcomed. Immediate needs must be met. Other churches are involved in Development — helping people to help themselves in the future (agriculture, business, ponds).

Working together, using The Advance for Christ’s Church and the Western North Carolina Conference’ Advances (WEB ADDRESS) provides options for smaller organizations and churches to get involved with larger organizations and churches. 100 % of all contributions through The Advance go to the program the donor has sponsored. Let’s put the connection to work.

Information on the connection will be in the wncc-enews.

Why are prices High?

1. Poor Harvests, lack of fertilizers, and restrictive trade policies — The world production of cereals has not kept pace with the demand. The cause is from droughts, flooding, and a lack of fertilizers (a petroleum product) in many parts of Asia and Africa. As stocks have dwindled, some countries have now placed export restrictions on food to protect their own supplies. This is especially punishing poor countries that depend on imports for much of their food. Stocks of cereal products have dropped from 650 million tons to just over 400 million tons.
2. Increasing price of fuel — Food products track energy costs. As the price of oil rose over $140 a barrel, the cost of running a farm rose. Petroleum is a key ingredient in making some types of fertilizer, which is increasingly essential to agriculture in countries where the “ground has been used up” due to the lack of crop-rotation and the constant use of land.
3. Diversity of crops for bio-fuels — The expensive fuel costs created more demands for alternatives. In the United States, farmers are devoting more land to corn at the expense of other crops and turning more of the corn they grow into ethanol. Both corn and grain prices have been driven higher (increase of corn used for fuel — 2000: 4%, 2008: 24%).
4. Increase in demand — As countries become richer (China and India), people tend to purchase foods such as fruit and meat more than staples, such as rice. As a result, more grain has been diverted to feed livestock than people. Staples for people have risen as a result, as have the prices of meat products, ad the demands go up.

Future Anticipations: Prices are not expected to go down anytime soon. Even though oil costs have gone down, the demands for bio-fuels and the move towards protectionist trade policies have kept prices high. There will be areas of the world with significant food shortages (Asia and Africa) while other countries in the same region may have increases in food production kept within the home-country. Countries with poor agriculture practices will suffer the worst.

Sources: United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization; Agriculture Department; Energy Information Administration; World Bank; International Food Policy Research Institute; and Global Food Price Index.

World Hunger Report # 1 -- Kenya

John Calhoun, United Methodist Missionary in Kenya writes: “Inflation is running at about 15-20% annually with prices rising even higher each month. Food Stables, such as bread, maize, and wheat flour, sugar, milk products, and meats were all up 20% (the first five months of 2008).”

“One factor is the skyrocketing cost of fuel. A gallon of unleaded gasoline now costs about USD 6.12. Naturally, this makes transportation of food products very expensive. At the present time Kenya is not suffering starvation or famine. But the cost of food is eating away at the average income. In the rural areas, there is fear of serious shortages to come.”

Mission Initiative: WORLD HUNGER

2008 has been particularly hard for millions of people the world over. High energy prices took their toll, especially among the poor and the working poor. As costs for transportation went up, so did the cost for the most basic of products needed by humanity — food.

Added to the rising cost of food is the impact by disasters — a cyclone in Myanmar, droughts in Asia, and man-made disasters in Africa. In addition, fore-closures of properties in America have closed many family farms in the Mid-west portions of America.

In the face of what is being called the worst food emergency in our life-time, the Commission on Mission/Outreach is calling for the churches and membership of the Conference to place missional priorities on meeting the needs — locally, nationally, and internationally.

Rice, the stable for most of the world has doubled and tripled over the past year. The food banks of North Carolina have been innodated by people needing support — many people who have never needed help in the past. The hard facts of the crisis world-wide exacerbate already appalling and inexcusable realities:
· One out of three children in America go to bed hungry;
· One in four children in America go to school without breakfast;
· A child dies of hunger every five seconds in the world;
· One in four children in the developing countries is underweight;
· American diets of the working poor have shifted to more fatty foods and away from healthy foods.

In this edition of Missions Alive, on the conference webpage, at the District Leadership Conferences, and in the WNCC enews churches and members will be made aware of ways they may be able to end some of the world hunger in the world. Some help will be through “relief” efforts, but it is hoped that most of the help will be through “development” efforts.

For additional information or speakers for local churches, contact the Office of Mission/Outreach. Also, see the Mission/ Outreach Guidebook for Advance Special information