First Conference Team Returns from Haiti, Second Team Leaves in August
(L-R) Rev. Michael Lawler (Brundidge UMC), Susan Westerman (Dauphin Way UMC), Chuck Meador (Christ UMC-Jackson, MS) , Butch McPherson (Frazer UMC), Kim Belden (Trinity UMC, Prattville)
(Susan Hunt) The group of 5 gathered at Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery on May 11 at noon to head to Haiti. This was our first conference UMVIM (United Methodist Volunteers In Mission) team to work with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), UMVIM and the United Methodist Church in Haiti after the devastating earthquake on January 12. Our conference team was one of the first 5 teams to go to Haiti in the new system coordinated through UMVIM. Working with the Methodist Church of Haiti will ensure the work we do there will be meaningful and helpful, and the work teams do is what the Haitians have decided they need the most.
The team returned on May 19 with many pictures and stories of the devastation, but with great respect and love for the people there. Rev. Michael Lawler reflected, “It’s the worst destruction I’ve seen anywhere, and I was in two wars. I think the people of Haiti are very resilient, and they’re trying to bring normalcy to the chaos they find themselves in. But it will truly be a long time before they’re back on their own feet. They will need our help to make that happen. When we asked them what they needed most, they answered ‘work.’ If they can go back to work, they can care for their families. I think that says a lot about their spirit. They’re not looking for handouts; they are looking for a way out of their situation.”
UMCOR is employing two Haitians for every American team member who serves there. The people they employ are assisting teams as cooks and interpreters, and also working as carpenters, painters, de-construction workers, and more. Plus, UMCOR is matching the project funds brought by each team ($3,500 per team). Funds are used for building materials and to hire laborers. more>>
UM Volunteers in Mission Haiti News
(Glenn Glover, AWF UMVIM Coordinator)
The United Methodist Church has established the mechanism for sending UMVIM (United Methodist Volunteers In Mission) Mission Teams to assist in cleanup and re-building of housing, schools, clinics and other facilities deemed a priority by the Methodist Church of Haiti. If your church has an interest in sending a team to Haiti any time in the future, please contact Glenn Glover, Conference UMVIM Coordinator, for more information. Note that Team Leaders need to have had prior experience in Haiti and need to be an UMVIM Trained Team Leader. Our initial AWF Conference teams are intended for getting potential team leaders the required Haiti experience.
The Conference UMVIM Leadership Team is also planning more UMVIM Team Leader trainings (normally 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on a Saturday) – see www.awfumc.org/umvimtraining for an updated schedule. If you have several potential team leaders in your area and would like to host a Team Leader Training session, contact Glenn Glover at umvim@awfumc.org or 334-703-1115. We have people around the Conference who are prepared to lead these sessions and will work to accommodate training needs. Team Leader training is required for Haiti, but is useful for anyone who leads international or domestic mission teams.
Conference Thanked for Haiti Response
As the presidents of the General Board of Global Ministries, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and The Advance, we have witnessed the devastation caused by the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Since then, we have seen the tangible generosity of the people of Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference. As of May 1, the people of Alabama-West Florida Conference have given $496,671.23 for relief and recovery in Haiti according to the current records in The Advance office.
While the needs for recovery are immense and ongoing, the response of The United Methodist Church has been swift and profound. The church’s outreach begins with United Methodists in each annual conference. Their generous support has been directed through The Advance to ensure that the transparency and accountability of all of the funds collected remain intact. The gifts given by Alabama-West Florida Conference have enabled UMCOR to be on the ground in Haiti and other places of need. Each United Methodist in Alabama-West Florida Conference is a vital part of the work of Global Ministries, UMCOR, and The Advance. The church’s mission work is made possible by individual support at the conference level.
The incredible response of our connectional church has gone beyond financial support. United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) have been logging the names of thousands of people throughout The United Methodist Church who are ready and willing to travel to Haiti to be a part of the recovery process. Recognizing that sanitation is a key concern for those who have lost everything and are living in displaced person camps, United Methodists worked through their churches, conferences and local community channels to assemble more than 700,000 health kits for distribution through UMCOR Sager Brown.
While we are grateful for the support that has been given to date, we know that the work is far from over. This recovery will take years to complete. You can be assured that through our connectional church, support given through The Advance to UMCOR makes a United Methodist presence in Haiti possible through many years of recovery. You are very much a part of this ministry of love. Whether the work is about the physical rebuilding of structures, the healing and nourishment of wounded and hungry people, or the spiritual restoration of souls facing fearsome challenges, The United Methodist Church and all its members are there as God leads us.
May God’s grace and peace be with us all as we move toward recovery in Haiti.
Bishop Bruce R. Ough
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward
Bishop Janice Riggle Huie
Relief Kits
Bring your UMCOR supply kits to 2010 Annual Conference!
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) has received many health kits in response to the Haiti earthquake in January. This has been a fantastic outpouring of support from many United Methodist churches throughout the connection, including the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference.
Now UMCOR is also asking for other types of kits that will be used in Haiti and other countries – specifically layette kits and birthing kits. This year at annual conference, we will make it easy for your church to respond to this latest request. Just assemble layette kits and birthing kits, as well as school kits, and your clergy and lay delegates can deliver them to the truck in Frazer’s parking lot during annual conference. Coleman American Moving Services has graciously offered to deliver these kits to the Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, Louisiana.
Any other types of supply kits are also welcome with this drive; the layette and birthing kits are in the greatest demand for UMCOR’s work in Haiti. Other kits, such as cleaning buckets and health kits are still in demand in response to the recent disasters in Tennessee, north Alabama and Mississippi. You may also bring supplies in bulk instead of completed kits.
This is a great opportunity for Sunday school classes, UMW and UMM groups, youth groups, individuals and your whole church to continue to respond to the Haiti disaster. To find out how to pack these kits, please click here. Please carefully follow the instructions as listed for each kit. Or click here for more information.
Mississippi Conference Disaster Response Update
May 26, 2010
A message from Rev. Wayne Napier, Mississippi Disaster Response Coordinator.
For more information, and to help, click here:
Thank you to all the United Methodists who are responding in so many ways to this latest disaster. We are often told in our connectional church United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is US -- each and every church and church member volunteering their time, their skills, their money, their prayers. Thank you.
There is much work to be done. Here is our priority list for this week:
- Debris removal for Holmes and Yazoo counties and Yazoo City needs teams and also heavy equipment.
- Corinth needs muck-out work.
We have assisted the state VOAD as well as the Long-Term Recovery committee in Yazoo City and other areas with logistics as well as critical materials and supplies. We will continue to call for volunteers for immediate needs. As we are continuing to respond to the response phase we are at the same time making steps to transition seamlessly to the recovery phase. Please continue to help in "every way you can, as often as you can." We are the church together.
To Give: Donations to 2010 Tornado Recovery can be sent to MS Conference at: P.O. Box 1147, Jackson, MS 39215-1147, clearly marked for: 2010 Tornado Recovery. You may also give through UMCOR Advance #901670
To Help: Calls are now being accepted by calling 866-647-7486 or alternatively 601-354-0515 ext. 21 or email: tornadorelief@mississippi-umc.org
Churches Provide Hope to Communities in Midst of Oil Spill
On Monday, May 10 concerned pastors serving churches along the coastal areas of the Alabama - West Florida Annual Conference gathered to pray. Their prayers were for the ecological, economic, and spiritual impacts facing their areas of ministry as a result of the April 20 British Petroleum (BP) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Pastors gathered in the sanctuary of Navarre United Methodist Church, invited by Rev. Dan Morris, the church's senior pastor. "As United Methodist clergy serving on the Gulf Coast, we have unique settings of ministry that will require special responses. No one knows our situations better than ourselves, and we need the wisdom and inspiration God gives to us when we gather." more>>
Mission Volunteer Opportunities: New Website Feature
The AWF Conference website has an exciting new feature – a listing of mission volunteer opportunities! The best part about this new feature is that any church, organization, or mission agency may submit a mission opportunity and anyone can search these listings to find ways to connect to a mission opportunity. Once a submission is approved through a quick review process, it will appear within the listings.
“Local” opportunities include anything within the bounds of the AWF Conference. These will typically be opportunities with our own mission agencies and organizations.
“National” opportunities are outside of our conference but still within the United States.
The “International” opportunities section is designed to list church mission teams from our conference traveling to destinations outside of the United States which are open to receiving team members from outside of their church.
Each opportunity is also categorized as Disaster Response, Evangelism, Health, or Work team. Just click on the title of each opportunity to find more information.
Find this easily on the conference Website by clicking “Mission Volunteer Opportunities" from the "Features" list on the home page of the conference website. Or get there directly through this link: www.awfumc.org/volunteeropportunities.
This is a useful tool for any size church! Larger churches may have international mission teams that have room for extra team members from other churches. Smaller churches may have a few members looking for a team to join. All churches of any size can find opportunities listed within the conference. This is our connectional system at work! For questions, please contact Susan Hunt.
Support the Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries Summer Camp
Summer Camp for Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries is rapidly approaching and your financial help is greatly needed!
Summer Camp 2010 will start June 7, 2010 and go to July 30, 2010.
We will be providing eight weeks of life skills training, swimming, reading, field trips, bowling, skating, computer training, arts and crafts, all in a safe place for 30 children. In addition, we will be attending a weekly story time at the Westside Library and providing swimming lessons for the children. We also hope to involve the parents in more activities and to have a family day at Waterville, USA.
This year’s Summer Camp will provide a safe place for 30 children for eight weeks. We have prepared a minimum budget to cover each child enrolled. The cost for one child is $60 per week for 8 weeks, or $480 for the summer. The cost to provide this wonderful experience for 30 children will be approximately $14,400.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for Milk and Honey Outreach to continue providing all of these needed services due to increased costs and the current economic climate. Milk and Honey strives to make a difference in the lives of our children who need us the most. Your gift will make it possible for Milk and Honey Outreach to continue providing assistance to our children and youth.
Donations can be made using PayPal by visiting our website and clicking on the “Donations” tab and completing the information requested. Milk and Honey will request PayPal send an invoice to your email account. You will then receive an email from PayPal with instructions to make your payment. You do not have to have a PayPal account to make a payment. It is quick and easy!
Bike Across Alabama with Alabama Rural Ministry
Come Bike Across Alabama with Alabama Rural Ministry! Do the issues of poverty bother you? Do you like to bike? Then consider joining us for a three day ride to raise awareness and funds to repair homes. Our ride begins on Friday June 25 in Livingston and ends on June 27 in Tuskegee, AL. We will ride during the day and participate in a community event later that afternoon. To register go to our website, print off the form, and send in with $50. This covers meals, lodging, a water bottle and t-shirt. Registration continues through May 31. So, come join us on this great adventure and help us share Christ’s love as we ride!
Noah’s Ark: New Mission Opportunities for the Summer
In addition to the many other opportunities to be out in our community making God’s presence known, there are two somewhat new missions you can check into for your group this summer.
First, you have the opportunity to work with Sister Lopez, who feeds the homeless in Panama City. She has been a fixture in the area for years, helping people in a very grass roots way. Her spirit is absolutely infectious, and she leaves you with no doubt about the love of God, as He flows like a fountain out of this special lady. She and the work God does through her are a true inspiration.
The other new opportunity for community outreach is the Chautauqua Charter School. This school for the disabled is doing wonderful work in the lives of those who serve as well as those who are served there. Some of the folks who work with the school and on their Board of Directors have been a huge help to the Ark over the past couple of years and we look forward to partnering with them in their work as well. Click here for an article about the school
If you would like more info on ways you can be involved in outreach through Noah's Ark, give Heather a call at 850-234-6062 or e-mail us at Noah@noahsarkpcb.com
CATAPULT Conference
Christ United Methodist Church
Mobile, AL
September 22-24, 2010
Catapult gathers Jesus followers of any tribe for encouragement and equipping in a post Christendom world. We explore how organic movements, innovations, and creative partnerships help the Church to be signs of the reign of God.
Community sessions reinforce the truth of God’s mission in the world. Breakout sessions equip for participation in the mission of God. Networking creates a web of innovation and encouragement for this North American mission field. Catapult sends you as an agent of transformation in your neighborhood, your church, your city, your world.
To register for Catapult click here. *If you are from a church in the Mobile District, you must call the District office (251.345.3313) to register.
“Beyond These Walls” Mission Conference 2010
Powder Springs, GA
October 7-9, 2010
Looking for means to transform congregations and equip them for effective, life-transforming ministry? As you know, moving people from self-centered to Christ-centered is often the result of an effective missions program. The North Georgia Conference is sponsoring Beyond These Walls 2010 mission conference, October 7-9 in Powder Springs GA. "Best of the best" missions teaching and training will help you mobilize, revitalize, and equip congregations so they can fulfill their divine calling - making disciples of all the nations.
Keynote speakers are Dr. Tony Campolo, teacher and author who epitomizes serving beyond our walls, and Jorge Acevedo, the innovative pastor of Grace Church UMC that operates one of the largest and most effective recovery ministries in America. You will have the opportunity to tailor your learning time by selecting from multiple workshops. The growing list of offerings, along with other conference details, can be found here.
Hallelujah Moment from the Spirit Lake
GOD MADE THE GORILLAS
(Mike Flowers) View a web-formatted version of this story and photos here.
"Ms. Franks, did you know that God made the gorillas?"
"Yes, I did," responded Charlotte Franks, counselor and tutor at the Warwick Public School on Spirit Lake in North Dakota.
Ms. Franks was teaching about gorillas when one of the young boys stood up to ask this question. She then began to talk about the food gorillas eat.
The young boy stood up again. “Ms. Franks, did you know that God made bananas and trees and leaves?” he asked.
"Yes, I did," she answered and went on to talk about the gorillas' water supply.
Again, the boy stood up and questioned, "Ms. Franks, did you know that God made the water, too?"
"Yes," she said. "I did know that. Where did you learn that God made all of these things?"
"I learned it at my playground. There are people that come during the summer with a trailer. They play with us, tell us stories, and teach us that God loves us."
The people are on the volunteer teams from all over the country who share the love of Jesus Christ with the children of the Spirit Lake Reservation. They spend a week at the Spirit Lake Ministry Center. They're making a difference.
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