Monday, February 22, 2010

UMCOR Haiti Update

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From: UMCOR [mailto:umcor@gbgm-umc.org]
Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:22 AM
To: Scott Parrish
Subject: [umcor-haiti-news] UMCOR Haiti Update

February 19, 2010
UMCOR Haiti

A weekly report of UMCOR's relief efforts in Haiti.

Thanks so much for the outpouring of support for UMCOR's Haiti relief efforts - the generosity is amazing! As we work with the people in Haiti to address the long term recovery and development needs, we are thankful to move forward with the confidence that the people of the United Methodist Church will continue to partner with UMCOR in the years to come. Especially as Haiti prepares for the rainy season, and then hurricane season, please be in prayer with the people of Haiti and know that your support is critical.

As of February 18, 2010

$12 million has been received for UMCOR Haiti Relief
Hundreds of thousands of kits have been received at UMCOR Sager Brown and are being verified for shipment to Haiti.

Since the January 12 earthquake, UMCOR has carried out an initial assessment of damages and needs, developed a five-year work plan, and shored up strategic partnerships with the United Nations, NGOs and the Methodist Church in Haiti.

The UMCOR work plan anticipates three phases of recovery: emergency, recovery and rehabilitation. Currently operating in the emergency phase -- from the time of the earthquake through April and including the start of the rainy season in March – UMCOR is addressing the most immediate needs of access to food, clean water and sanitation, temporary shelter and emotional and spiritual support.

This week’s highlights include:

While UMCOR has been working in Haiti since before the earthquake, this week, UMCOR re-opened the Haiti field office. UMCOR’s Kate Paik and Larry Powell have been in Port-au-Prince coordinating with the Methodist Church in Haiti and preparing the UMCOR Haiti field office.

Staff Recruitment:
--Anthony Jones was hired as an Emergency Response Consultant and has deployed to Haiti.
--Azim Akhtar was hired as the Operations Coordinator and will deploy to Haiti in the coming weeks.
--Key local staff have been hired.
--Positions are posted for: Head of Mission, Finance Director, Emergency Shelter Coordinator, and Income Generation Coordinator.

Kate Paik commented on the three days of remembrance in Haiti, Feb 12-14 which was "to stop and reflect on the past month of survival. Many were dressed in white and spent the three days, usually from 6 am until 1 or 2 pm, at church singing and praying. It [was] a time to gather their strength from God to go on still once more."

With recent reports indicating that 75 percent of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, will need to be rebuilt; volunteers soon will be needed to go to Haiti. Volunteer teams are beginning to mobilize by filling out the registration form.

Through Justice for our Neighbors clinics across the country, UMCOR is helping Haitian immigrants register for the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) the US government has offered. A workshop was held in New York City on Wednesday to educate people about how to apply.

In addition to health kits, this week, volunteers began assembling and shipping layette kits and birthing kits to address the basic needs of babies born in displaced persons camps in Haiti.

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UMCOR provides emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR's ministries, please visit umcor.org. You can donate to any project by placing a contribution in the offering plate at a local United Methodist church; by sending a check to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068; or by calling 1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted. You can also give online by clicking on any of the "Give Now" links. UMCOR is exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and qualifies for the maximum charitable contribution deduction by donors.

And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.

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BE SURE TO RECEIVE OUR WEEKLY EMAILS. MAKE UMCOR YOUR BUDDY! Some Internet Service Providers like AOL, Yahoo!, Hotmail, and Juno use email filtering software that allows you to add email addresses to a "buddy," "trusted," "safe," or approved list. Please add umcor@gbgm-umc.org to your list so that our messages don't end up in "junk mail" or the "trash."

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: 1-212-870-3816; FAX: 1-212-870-3624
Email: umcor@gbgm-umc.org
Web: http://www.umcor.org

UMCOR. Be There. Be Hope.
UMCOR's mission is to alleviate human suffering-whether caused by war, conflict, or natural disaster-with open minds and hearts to all people.

Western Jurisdiction: Promoting Operation Resurrection 2010 - A Compassionate Response to the Earthquake from the Western Jurisdiction

Methodist Church in Hong Kong: Collected $87,500 from church members to support UMCOR’s relief efforts in Haiti.

Brentwood United Methodist Church: Hosted a concert headlined by Christian artists, Point of Grace and Mark Schultz. The concert raised more than $50,000.

Mission Response Center: Delivered $102,657 in kits to UMCOR Sager Brown. NASCAR shared some shipping equipment and the trailer was loaned by Petty Enterprises.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Union Mission/ Savannah GA

Do you know of the ministry of Michael Elliott at Union Mission in Savannah GA? Check out this blog entry about Simple Acts of Kindness

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Mission Devotions

Just Do It

The Psalmist says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Psalm 95: 7,8).

The church service – in which I preached – was over and an elderly gentleman, with a wrinkled face and silver grey hair slowly approached me. His trembling hand took hold of mine and said, “Young man! I am glad you are serving God at this age (I was in my 20s then). When I was like you, God called me to serve him but I told him that I would do so in my later years. After some years, he again called but I still procrastinated.”

Then, with moist eyes and trembling voice, he said, “I am an old man now and my strength is gone. Please tell me what can I do for Christ now?” After encouraging him that God is able to use us in spite of our age and our limitations, I left the place with a heavy heart. Imagine the guilt and pain of this man, who after a long and arduous journey, has come to the end of the road, only to realize that he has taken the wrong one and that too willfully.

Prabhu serves in India

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Mission Devotions

“Amazing Love”

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

Editor’s Note: Trinity on the Hill Outreach actively supports and sponsors outreach in Harrisburg which is housed at St. Luke UMC. That church is a struggling congregation, yet our mission funding and active laity make outreach possible in this challenging neighborhood. Further, a strong Methodist mission connection is established as the churches work together sharing the love of Christ in a neighborhood which needs all of us.

Working with boys and girls in Harrisburg at St. Luke UMC is a rewarding experience. Weekly I prepare a short Bible lesson relating to the monthly theme. Love and relationship with God as expressed 1 John 4:19 was our starting point.
      
Marsha Jones developed the relationship theme by teaching the children an uplifting praise song, Here I Am to Worship. Another volunteer choreographed liturgical movements to enhance the song. Each of these parts came together by the power of the Holy Spirit as we celebrated our first worship service. Parents and friends joined the children for dinner and worship filling the sanctuary. Various children took leading roles in the service as ushers, acolytes, responsive readers, and singers. You could feel the power of the Holy Spirit as the service built to a crescendo as the children lined each aisle singing and swaying to the praise music. I was overcome with tears of joy witnessing God’s amazing love at work in the hearts of these children.
  Melanie

Monday, February 8, 2010

Recent Mission Devotions

“The Great Commission”
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus proclaims to his disciples, “Go and make disciples of ALL nations…teach them to obey everything I have commanded YOU.”

I have learned that one of the most important parts of my growing faith is serving. I believe you cannot have an active faith without some aspect of serving or mission work in your life. Not serving for self, but serving for Jesus Christ and proclaiming his words and works to all we encounter, whether this is in your school, in your house, or on the barren streets of Africa.

I had a great opportunity to be involved with a ministry deep in the Bronx of New York City two summers ago. I was able to become close and share stories with several teenagers my age that grew up on the streets of New York. Each of them overcame odds by avoiding drugs, gangs, and violence. Seeing each of them actively seek the Lord amidst constant shootings, drugs and peer pressure gave me so much wisdom on living a faithful lifestyle.

These teenagers were vital for my faith because they taught me something that I NEEDED in my faith at a specific time in my life. That is how mission work goes; we preposterously go to bless someone, yet that person blesses us beyond imagination. This is why I believe that serving and missions is one of the core components to actively living a lifestyle like that of Jesus Christ.
Blake (a college student)

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Children's Consignment Sale Benefits Mission!

I'ts true-- I'm not a shopper! Never have been, and likely never will be one. But I'm thrilled to be a retailer twice a year as this sale is so beneficial to mission efforts here and around the world. Think of a church putting on a sale with 300 consignors, computerized check out with 60,000-70,000 items offered, and thousands of people from the community attending the two day event and you get the idea.

The Trinity on the Hill Children’s Consignment Sale (TOTH CCS) is held twice a year in the spring and fall on the church property located at 1330 Monte Sano Avenue in Augusta, Georgia. Proceeds from the sale are divided between the seller (60%) and the TOTH CCS (40%). The net proceeds retained by the church are used to support the local, national and international missions of Trinity Outreach Ministries. In addition, at the discretion of the consignor, any unsold items may be donated to TOTH CCS to be used in various missions projects.

We're gearing up again, and if you want to be part of it now's the time to sign on as we prepare for the March 12-13 event. Find below a few of the key dates or go to
Children's Consignment Sale for all the details and sign up.

Spring 2010 Sale
Sale Dates
Friday, March 12
9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 13
8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (selected items 50% off)

Presale
Thursday, March 11
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Consignor Registration
January 25 - February 28

Barcode Ordering
January 25-March 7

Scheduled Drop-Off
March 8-10

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Mission Conference-- Mission Challenge

Our missions conference at my church, an annual event we call Trinity Outreach Celebration, was PHENOMENAL this year! We had some great preachers with compelling stories, mission training, and a service day that worked our people all over the Augusta/CSRA.

What capped it all off was Sunday morning worship with some international music, an incredible band, and a huge youth choir singing Leeland's "Follow You." But it didn't end there as Rev. Nick Elliott, recently retired after 10 years leading the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission for the southeast, stepped up with a sermon that our church members are still talking about. One long time member and leader of the church, the type guy I appreciate because he isn't prone to empty flattery but tells the truth in love, said "I believe it was one of the most meaningful and effective services Trinity has had." That's astounding because Nick told the truth about hunger, disaster, and need in the world, and our response to this as followers of Christ. He didn't back off, as a matter of fact, it's the most uncomfortable many of us have been in worship in some time. But he didn't merely stop at guilt, and instead moved on to grace and to our responsibility. It truly was a powerful morning in worship which has energized our church in mission.

Check out "A Missionary, Me?" Mission Challenge Worship and click on the January 31, 2010 link. You can choose to listen to the audio of the sermon or watch the video of the entire service if you have time. I wonder if you will be as inspired as we are?!