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)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
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
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!
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!!!
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!!!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Starvation in Kenya
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.
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.
Monday, February 16, 2009
WNCC-GBGM Seminar in NYC - Nove 2-6, 2009
WNCC / GBGM Seminar in New York City
November 2-6, 2009
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
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
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