Bulletin Board Archives

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Missions

"Thank You, Methodists": A Bishop Solidifies the Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo

United Methodists in the Democratic Republic of Congo believe food security is a key to peace. In the weeks since one of their bishops, the charismatic Ntambo Nkulu, moderated a September 2004 peace accord in North Katanga, they are emphasizing an agriculture ministry in the southeastern part of their nation, with the bishop in the lead. 

Read the full press release (Word doc).

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UMCOR Hotline

USA and Caribbean: UMCOR Disaster Response Is On the Job

Hurricane Jeanne has delayed long-term case management initiatives in mid-Florida while UMCOR volunteers and workers clean up after the fourth major storm in six weeks thrashed the state. The Alabama-West Florida
disaster response team has established a call center and distribution center. Plans for case management are in the works. Floridians are settling into the post-hurricane realities of miles-long lines for gasoline and the stifling heat and darkness that accompany widespread power outages. Read complete Hotline.

UMCOR continues its urgent call for flood buckets, the supplies volunteers use to clean up post-hurricane debris and water. Specifications are online .

New-- now you can donate to this appeal online ! Gifts of money enable specially trained disaster workers to minister in hard-hit areas, direct assistance such as rent payments, and purchase of building supplies. UMCOR anticipates that long-term recovery from these severe storms will take several years. Please give generously to UMCOR Advance #982410, Hurricanes 2004.

Russia: Beslan Receives Assistance from UMCOR-Armenia

UMCOR has taken two actions in response in to the tragic siege of a city school in Beslan, Russia, where over 300 died last month. UMCOR-Armenia received an invitation from the Armenian Ministry of Social Welfare to
contribute relief supplies for a container to be delivered to Beslan. UMCOR provided 60 school kits and 147 health kits. UMCOR school kits typically contain scissors, colored crayons, pens and pencils, paper, and
other writing materials. Health kits include such supplies as hand towels, wash cloths, combs, and sterile bandages. To learn more about how to assemble health and school kits, you can find specifications online.

Read complete Hotline.

UMCOR also offers these resources:

  • A special bulletin insert highlighting UMCOR's disaster recovery ministry is available for download and printing here. Please distribute this flyer at Sunday services.
  • Continuing updates about UMCOR's response to Hurricane Frances and other tropical storms will be posted here . Included in these updates will be photographs taken by UMCOR and links to photographs posted by Florida Annual Conference. Photos related to UMCOR's response to Hurricane Charley are available now for use on web sites or in church multimedia presentations.

Gifts of money are critical during initial stages of response. In the emergency phase of UMCOR's response, donations will pay for specially trained disaster consultants from UMCOR's network, as well as from the Florida Annual Conference of the church, and to locate as many survivors as possible and talk with them one-on-one about their FEMA benefits and other needs. Also part of the initial response are development of long-term recovery plans with each survivor and comfort for those who are afraid or just having a hard time coping with the aftermath of a disaster.

Donations may be made to UMCOR Advance #982410, Hurricanes 2004. Checks may be dropped into any United Methodist Church offering plate, or mailed to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Credit card donations may be called in toll-free to the UMCOR information line, 1-800-554-8583. Please give generously and pray for all those in the path of these storms. United Methodist Committee on Relief General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church Room 330, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 Voice Phone: 212-870-3816; FAX: 212-870-3624 Email: umcor@gbgm-umc.org Web: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ ---

UMCOR Hotline is available here.

Mission Opportunity in Central City, CO

St. James UMC, oldest Protestant church in Colorado in beautiful mountains of Central City CO, requests UMVIM teams to help with parsonage and church repairs.

Parsonage: kitchen remodeling (major work on cabinets, sub-floor), drywall repair due to bathtub leaking, replace unsafe deck, paint outside. Work can begin after July 1 when parsonage will become vacant.
Church: water leakage in wall.

Church will provide materials, lunches, and a weekly potluck. Lodging in 3 parsonage bedrooms; 3 RV spaces available.  Contact Jackie Jones at 303-258-3003 or 303-810-9793 (cell).

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Hallelujah Moment from Senegal

(Hallelujah Moments are celebrations of United Methodist mission from the Mission Education Unit of the General Board of Global Ministries.)

Beauty abounds in the landscape, the people, and especially in a successful nutrition program.

Senegal is a colorful country set against the barrenness of reddish desert sand. The people dress with bright clothing, taking great pride in their dress. The ocean surrounds three sides of the capital city of Dakar; it is simply beautiful with a mighty undertow and huge waves hitting the rocks. There is a French Quarter in the city of St. Louis. There are modern buildings as tall as 10 stories and there are grass-thatched huts in the villages of the interior. There are five-star hotels, and there are shantytowns.

In the village of Pecc Maxa we watched the nutrition program in action. First we heard the wellness team instruct the mothers on how to provide vitamin-filled foods for their children by using available ingredients; then the mothers were shown how to prepare the meals. We saw over 150 children fed. We met a 2-year old baby who, three months ago, weighed less than 3 pounds and was severely malnourished. This baby now weighs 6 pounds, 11 ounces.

Hallelujah indeed!

Rev. Monty Baker, Mission Exploration Team to Senegal.

Senegal Initiative Advance Special #12594A. 

For more information on the Mission Education Program, General Board of Global Ministries, visit http://gbgm-umc.org/me/.

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Chicuque Hospital News

A special newsletter for Rocky Mountain Conference from Jeremias Franca, the Administrator for Chicuque Rural Hospital in Mozambique. Learn more about the mission programs that you have been helping to accomplish, and the ongoing needs and projects. Click here for the newsletter (Word .doc).

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Year-end Report from UMVIM, Western Jurisdiction (2003)

Together, annual conferences in the Western Jurisdiction have made remarkable contributions through Volunteers in Mission teams, trips, and projects. In 2003,

  • 212 persons participated in 16 medical teams.
  • 4137 people participated in 331 construction/education/other mission teams.
  • Teams and individuals contributed over 13,000 workdays on 247 different projects around the world.
  • Financial and material contributions, including project costs, in-kind giving, and team expenses, totaled $3.35 million.

Thanks for all your efforts in 2003. While these statistics represent facts and figures they do not tell the story of how LIVES ARE CHANGED AND TRANSFORMED - the lives of the volunteers as well as those we work alongside. Together we can make 2004 a fabulous year for mission service within the UMVIM program. -- Kurt and Jan Kaiser

UMCOR Video: Multiplying Hope

Experience firsthand examples of works of recovery and life-changing ministry supported by your donations. "Multiplying Hope" is a new 7-minute video (also available in DVD format) that illustrates the ways United Methodists are in the lead to ease the pain when catastrophes strike. The production was created to support the One Great Hour of Sharing offering--but it's appropriate at any time of the year for a mission minute or sermon starter. Order this wonderful resource by calling toll free 1-888-862-3242 today.

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UMCOR Begins New Afghan Project

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will refurbish up to 60 schools and health clinics in the Kabul region of Afghanistan with a grant valued at $4.6 million, the agency announced this week.

Paul Dirdak, chief executive of UMCOR, said that the funds were awarded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). UMCOR is the nonprofit humanitarian aid agency of The United Methodist Church, administratively linked to the General Board of Global Ministries.

One of the reasons USAID selected UMCOR as the general contractor of the quick-impact project is the agency’s performance in past projects, Mr. Dirdak said. Other USAID criteria include program budget, implementation plan, and competitiveness. Strong denominational support allows UMCOR to seek sources of funding outside the church. Donations from United Methodists started the mission in Afghanistan in 2002.

Full News Release here.

UMCOR to Energize Albania Development

Farmers in Albania will soon harvest and market a crop long absent from their region—sunflowers.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will sell about 4.2 metric tons of crude sunflower oil and use the proceeds to implement sunflower production in Albania. UMCOR is the international non-profit humanitarian aid organization of The United Methodist Church, related to the General Board of Global Ministries.

Currently Albania imports most of its sunflower products, so introduction of the new commodity has the effect of stimulating the local marketplace. Monetization also energizes the local economy through generation of new jobs. The United States Department of Agriculture donated the oil to UMCOR.

Read the complete release here.

Hallelujah Moment from Nicaragua

(Hallelujah Moments are celebrations of United Methodist mission from the Mission Education Unit of the General Board of Global Ministries.)

Farming and gardening program improves landscape and diets in San Francisco Libre

The following story comes from a program of Women and Community, SFL--an ecumenical women's association in the dry, impoverished county of San Francisco Libre, Nicaragua.

Patio Economy: The organic layer of the land here is depleted so participants learn many ways of enriching the soil. Rainfall is sparse, even in the rainy season, and water comes from wells. People are so poor here that many farm families don't even have chickens.

Training and support is provided for women who are attempting vegetable gardening, raising chickens and/or pigs. An experimental solar irrigation project with five women's farm cooperatives is in its initial stage. This year we're providing food for 30 poor farm families in exchange for improvement of a half acre of land and nurseries and planting of 250 trees.

Women and Community Projects of San Francisco Libre: Advance Special #013285-6RA

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Haiti: Expanded Programs Deliver Hope

UMCOR has created a new bulletin insert about Haiti's civil crisis, and a new video. Take a minute for mission to talk about the Methodist Church of Haiti's expanded emphases on assisting families and children in this difficult time. Health care, spiritual care, school fees and hot lunches are the priorities. Or use the document as a resource for a sermon on Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; or Luke 9:12-17. Promote healing in Haiti by encouraging generous gifts to UMCOR Advance #418325, Haiti Civil Emergency, and to UMCOR Advance #418790, School Hot Lunch Program. Church leaders are encouraged to download the resource here and distribute it to their congregations. 

Missionaries Need Support

Because of insufficient financial support of missionaries by local churches, the General Board of Global Ministries is being forced to curtail the number of missionaries being sent out beginning this year. Churches are invited to support any of these missionaries or in case of interest in other geographic areas to contact Joanie Calhoun (719)535-2851.

Here is the latest list of missionaries supported by RMC churches:

  • Phyllis Asher- Nepal
  • Monte Baker-Alaska
  • Emmanuel Barte-Cambodia
  • Timothy/ Yuko Boyle-Japan
  • Marilyn Brock-USA
  • Jim Campbell-Alaska
  • Don/ Mini Cobb-USA
  • Shirley Crouse-USA
  • Bill Davis-China
  • Craig/ Karen Dial-USA
  • Luis/ Janet Garcia-Chile
  • Gordon Greathouse-Brazil
  • Dee Dee Heffner-USA
  • Chris Hena-CIS(Russia)
  • Tom/ Nancy Hoffman-Russia
  • Peter Hudy-Bolivia
  • Maria Humbane-Zimbabwe
  • Paul Jeffrey-Guatamala
  • Janice McLain-Kenya
  • Emmanuel Mefor-Mozambique
  • Rachel Muembo-Sierra Leone
  • Dr. Wala Mungombe-Liberia
  • Carol Partridge-Macedonia
  • Jin Hee Park -USA
  • Yolanda/ Jose Riveria-Argentina
  • Alma Villagrana-USA
  • David Warden-USA
  • Meri Whitaker-USA
  • Cathy Whitlatch-Nat'l Hispanic Plan-USA

UMVIM News (January 2004)

Western Jurisdiction United Methodist Volunteers in Mission has recently added to the "Links" listings for Youth and Family mission opportunities. Check it out!

New insurance company for Mission Volunteers Program Area: Federal Insurance Company of the Chubb Group provides coverage to US permanent residents as well as citizens for same premium but with a $250.00 deductible. You may download and print the insurance application form and explanation of coverage from this site.  As always, this form is available to download directly from the UMVIM Western Jurisdiction website (click on Resources and then Downloads in the buttons on the left). 

Global Justice Volunteers Opportunity

The Global Justice Volunteers program of the General Board of Global Ministries is now accepting applications for the Fall 2004 term. Global Justice Volunteers is an opportunity for young adults (18-25) to spend the summer volunteering with people around the world who are working for change at the grassroots level. Details here.

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