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HOOSIER UNITED METHODIST
Mission Opportunities
For Mission Monday, January 21, 2008
This newsletter is paid for through your annual conference connectional ministries giving.
Edited by Daniel R. Gangler, director of communication dgangler@inareaumc.org.
FOR THE LATEST IN DISASTER NEWS AND RECOVERY LOG ON TO www.disasternews.net and www.gbgm-umc.org/umcor
MISSION NEWS
Bishop visits northern Indiana flood sites, plans recovery with pastors
MONTICELLO, Ind. – The three northern Indiana communities of Remington, Monticello and Delphi were hard hit by early-morning flood waters on Jan. 8. The United Methodist churches in these communities have joined with other faith groups to provide flood relief for hundreds of flood survivors whose homes had been heavily damaged by muddy waters.
Indiana Bishop Mike Coyner visited with pastors of each of these communities and toured the flood ravaged areas in Jasper, White and Carroll counties on Jan. 19, Coyner offered encouragement, denominational support and prayers for the survivors.
In Remington, Coyner toured the community with Pastor Mary Van Wijk and trustees of the Remington UMC. Street curbs throughout the community were lined with water drenched mattresses, furniture and appliances. Most homes had a dumpster filled with debris sitting on the driveway. More than 200 homes were affected in Jasper County according to Van Wijk.
The hardest hit residents in Remington were 57 families who lived in a trailer park. Only 35 of the families were permitted back in their homes by government authorities.
Two senior residents, Harry and Lois Alberts were awakened by the fire department in their bedroom the night of the flood. They, along with 200 Remington residents, spent the rest of the night in the First Christian Church. The last of 30 residents were still living at the shelter ten days later. The public shelter has since been closed.
The Alberts sustained more than $25,000 in damages due to a flooded basement. Coyner and Van Wijk prayed with the elderly couple in a house across the streets from their house. The residents of that house are in Florida this winter and welcomed the Alberts to live in their house until their house is repaired.
“I am used to giving to people, so receiving all this help is a bit overwhelming,” said Lois Albert. “We are so fortunate friends and family (to help us.).”
Coyner also visited the American Red Cross Center set up in the Remington Public Library to assist residence in completing forms for government assistance once the area is declared a disaster. At the center, Red Cross volunteers assisted residents with their relief paper work and handed out flood buckets, supplied by United Methodists, to survivors needing supplies to clean their homes.
At Monticello, 30 mile east of Remington on U.S 24, Coyner and Van Wijk met up with Pastors Brian Beeks and Alex Hershey of the Monticello UMC and Pastor Todd Ladd of the Delphi UMC to tour flooded areas along the Tippecanoe River between Shafer and Freeman lakes. More than 300 homes were affected in the lake area. Most of these homes were right on the river below electric producing dams.
During the tour, Coyner and the pastors walked through the home of an elderly single woman whose house was inundated by flood waters up to six feet deep, destroying everything in her modest house on the Tippecanoe River below Lake Freeman dam. The house was being mucked out by a volunteer group of students from Indiana University in Bloomington. The volunteers received their assignment through the Monticello UMC which is cooperating with 12 other area churches to provide assistance to area residents affected by the floods.
Ladd said more than 30 volunteers worked out of the Delphi UMC during the past week to provide assistance to area residents. More than 300 families were affected by the flooding in Carroll County.
Following the hour-long tour, Coyner discussed with Van Wijk, Ladd and Beeks how they planned to organize themselves for long term recovery which was estimated to take the next two years.
To date the three churches have distributed more than 500 flood buckets, received $10,000 from the United Methodist Committee on Relief to meet immediate needs of flood survivors and matched several volunteers from across the state.
Southern Baptist and Presbyterian Church USA relief groups also worked with United Methodists and other faith groups in flood relief in the three counties.
Ladd said no more volunteers are needed at the present time, but volunteers will be needed again once houses are cleaned out, dried and ready for reconstruction. Many homes will need to be sheet rocked and floored. Most home owners have no flood insurance to assist them in construction costs. The three pastors discussed the possibility of applying for grants to hire someone to direct recovery efforts lead by the three churches working together across the three-county area. Part of those recovery efforts will be providing counseling and spiritual guidance to overcome post-disaster depression.
Coyner encouraged the pastors to begin listing unmet needs, surveying residents needing assistance, providing volunteer case managers and coordinating work teams when recovery efforts begin later this winter and throughout the spring and summer. He also requested UMCOR to send a staff person for two or three days to assist the three pastors in establishing a flood recovery ministry to the three-county area.
The three pastors did not expect any federal assistance to be available to their communities until May. Governor Mitch Daniels has not yet asked the federal government to declare the area a disaster zone due to the flooding, but is expected to take action for the statewide disaster before the end of the month.
One of the coordination difficulties to overcome is that fact that three separate American Red Cross chapters are working on the same disaster.
In closing, Beeks commented that he was thankful for the connectional nature of The United Methodist Church. None of the pastors felt that he or she was facing this crisis alone.
CHURCHES CAN HELP FLOOD SURVIVORS IN NORTH INDIANA
Churches wishing to make monetary donations to assist victims of the recent flooding in North Indiana may send funds to:
North Indiana Conference UMC
PO Box 869
Marion, IN 46952
Note for Flood Relief in North Indiana – Account 030401
No more flood buckets are needed at this time for northern Indiana.
HIGHLIGHTED MISSION TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
SOUTH INDIANA CONFERENCE VIM TRAINING SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 1
The South Indiana Conference announces a United Methodist Volunteer in Mission (UMVIM) Training Event scheduled to be held Saturday, March 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Camp Indi-Co-So, 558 Sieboldt Quarry Road in Springville, Ind. www.sicumc.org/gocamp/indicoso.asp
If you are interested in leading or participating on a mission trip this event is for you! Lorna Jost, UMVIM Administrator for North Central Jurisdiction will be the event leader. The cost is $30 per person and includes UMVIM Training Manual and lunch. Please send reservations to the South Indiana Conference – VIM Training, 1520 S. Liberty Drive, Bloomington IN 47403 by Feb. 15. For more information, please contact Jenni Walker at jwalker@sicumc.org or 812-893-1760.
EARLY DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING SET FOR INDY ON MARCH 8
The Indiana Area of The United Methodist Church is sponsoring a United Methodist Volunteer in Mission EARLY DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING event on Saturday, March 8 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 West 86th Street in Indianapolis (one block west of North Meridian Street (US Highway 31). Coffee and snacks from 9:30 to 10 a.m., training from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. UMCOR approved trainers
Who should attend? All volunteers interested in Early Disaster Response work, pastors, District Disaster Response Coordinators. Cost $20 per person, includes lunch, snacks and materials.
For more information contact: Bob Babcock, bobbabvim@aol.com, South Indiana Conference disaster response coordinator, or Gary Peterson, gphome.1@verizon.net, North Indiana Conference North Conference.
To register send name, address, city, state, ZIP code, home phone, e-mail address, plus name of church, district and either SIC or NIC, to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46260.
Make check payable to: St. Luke’s UMC, add to memo line “Disaster Training.”
PREVIOUSLY LISTED MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
MEDICAL TEAM NEEDS NURSE PRACTITIONER FOR MAIZ, MEXICO MISSION
Our team needs either a doctor or Nurse Practitioner for our Maiz, Mexico. Medical Mission team from 2/4/-2/11/08. The good news is that this will be a freebie! Our current doctor can not go with us due to a family emergency, so those funds are available. There will be just a ‘name change’ flight charge. Members of the team will be departing from both Tampa, Fla. and Detroit, Mich. They can contact Jane Dunn at 419-376-6017 or 419-863-2908 or e-mail jspowers@gte.net.
COLUMBUS DISTRICT TO HOLD MISSION CONFERENCE FEB. 24
Feb.24, 2008 (Snow Date, March 2) 2 to 4:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in North Vernon, Ind.
Mission Speakers – Don and Marilyn Griffith Workshops include: Operation Classroom with Pat McDonald, How To Start A Food Pantry with Audrey Griffith, Problem Gambling and Recovery (From The Therapist’s Viewpoint) with Lawrence Erhardt, LCSW, NCGC1, Cincinnati’s only certified gambling counselor and Red Bird Mission with Robert Furgerson. For More Information Contact: the Rev. Duane A. Loos, Columbus District Director of Missions at 812-623-2382or by e-mail DUANELOOS@aol.com.
SOUTH INDIANA CONFERENCE UPCOMING MISSION TRIPS
March 2008
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March 7-16 – Bloomington District Mission Trip to Haiti
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March 23-30 – Ames Chapel UMC Trip to Gulfport, Miss.
June 2008
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Harrodsburg UMC to Henderson Settlement, Ky.
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Youth District Mission Trip Location TBA
July 2008
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July 12-19 – Mooresville First UMC to Canalli, Mexico
Summer 2008
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Bedford First UMC to Louisiana
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South Indiana Native American Mission Trips
September 2008
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Sept. 20-27 – Ames Chapel UMC to John’s Island, S.C.
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Sept. 22-29 – Mooresville First UMC to Henderson Settlement, Ky.
MINNESOTA MEDICAL MISSION TO SIERRA-LEONE NEEDS PHYSICIAN
OC Ministries Minnesota Medical Mission Trips to Sierra Leone June 26-July 8, 2008. This mission needs a physician to complete the team. We will be working in a rural UMC health clinic addressing primary health concern, health education and health promotion. Another team will be going September 27-October 7, 2008. This team needs physicians, nurses and other health professionals. The mission of the fall team is the same as the team leaving in June. The cost of each trip is $2800. For further information please contact Doris Acton, RN at doris.acton@nhylandsumc.org or at 952-835-7585.
PLACEMENT REQUEST: HEALTH VOLUNTEER COUPLE
Family physician with one-year experience serving in Zaire and his wife seek a 3 to 12-month Individual Volunteer assignment. Physician is able to do minor surgery, clinical teaching and direct care. Physician’s wife is fluent in Spanish. Both have received Individual Volunteer training. Notify Roger Boe at boeroger@cableone.net for more information.
UNITED METHODIST VIMS NEEDED TO BUILD MONTANA PLAYGROUND
The High Plains Initiative on American Indian Ministries
Build a playground: May 2-5, 2008 in Pryor, Montana on the Crow Reservation
UMVIM teams will be housed in the Pryor High School Gym where there are showers available. Volunteers will need to bring their own bedding, cots or whatever for sleeping. Local churches will feed us. We are still trying to raise an addition $30,000 to do the job as originally designed, but we have enough for a good part of the equipment and will build whatever we have the money for. We are working with Luke Enemy Hunter, Supt. of Schools in Pryor along with the high school social studies and history teacher, Vern Carpenter, and the curriculum coordinator, Jennifer Hickok. The Pryor community has raised enough money for one segment of the playground, which has already been purchased.
On the last day there will be a celebration with drummers and dancers to dedicate the playground. For more information, contact: Barbara Galusha Karst, High Plains Coordinator, bgkarst@vcn.com.
MISSION OPPORTUNITIES REMINDERS
More information about these opportunities as well as a listing of ongoing projects and contact information can be seen at www.inareaumc.org/general_info/mission_opportunities_listings.htm, which has all the details for these opportunities.
UNITED METHODIST VOLUNTEER IN MISSION TEAMS NEEDED IN MEXICO
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Contact information: Jerry Hill jerry.hill@bsumc.com or call 864-320-3165
OPERATION 2008 CLASSROOM TEAMS
Sierra Leone
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January 23 to February 11 – Kissy and Taiama, Don and Marilyn Griffith, team leaders, drdongriffith@aol.com or Griffithmarilyn@aol.com
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May 6 to 22 – Sierra Leone – Koidu Secondary School - U of I, Lang Brownlee, team leader
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June 18 to July 9 Sierra Leone – Bo Centenary School, Kay Hess, team leader, hess100@juno.com
To Liberia
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June 24 to July 11 – Liberia – Tubman-Gray School, Ken and Kitty Decker, team leaders, ken.decker@prodigy.net or kitty.decker@prodigy.net
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October 9 to 28 – Liberia – W.P.L. Brumskine School, Lamar and Kay Ziegler, team leaders, lamar@rnthompson.com
BRAZIL MISSIONARY AVAILABLE TO SPEAK IN NORTH INDIANA
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Through Jan. 31
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For more information and scheduling a date, contact the Rev. Ed Geleske at the Wakarusa United Methodist Church at 574-862-2863.
SOUPER BOWL OF CARING NEXT MONTH
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To register, visit www.souperbowl.org.
AFRICA UNIVERSITY SUNDAY SCHEDULED FOR FEB. 3 IN NORTH INDIANA
SOCIETY OF ST. ANDREW OFFERS FREE LENTEN PROGRAM ON HUNGER
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Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 6. Visit www.endhunger.org/lent.htm to order a free sample Lent kit or call 800-333-4597.
TERRE HAUTE DISTRICT SPONSORING WORK MISSION TO MISS. IN FEBRUARY
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Feb. 24-29, 2008
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For more information contact the Terre Haute District Office 812-237-0101, 800-919-8168; thdist@joink.com or Pastor Bob Kumpf 812-448-2917, Harmonyumc@verizon.net.
HAITI SOLAR OVEN PROJECT BEING ORGANIZED FOR FEB. 26-MARCH 10
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For more information, contact Rick Jost immediately with your interest at rjost@brookings.net or call 605-692-3391. Jost lives in Brookings, S.D.
MINNESOTA OC VIM TRIP STILL NEEDS PHYSICIAN’S ASSISTANT
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Feb. 28-March 14, 2008.
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Please contact Doris Acton, RN, UMC Medical Outreach – Makeni, Operation Classroom Ministries Minnesota at doris.acton@nhylandsumc.org or 952-835-7585.
WARSAW, MICHIANA DISTRICTS PLAN WORK TRIP IN 2008
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March 1-8, 2008
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For more information, please contact Pastor Jean Ness at 260-856-4482 or 574-529-1044 or e-mail jness@ligtel.com.
UMCOR INFORMATION AS YOU PLAN AHEAD
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March 2 – One Great Hour of Sharing
TWO OPEN SLOTS FOR UNITED METHODIST VIM TEAM TO CUBA
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April 18-30, 2008
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For more information, contact the team leader, Larry Burke: ljrdburke@comcast.net
HENDERSON SETTLEMENT OFFERS PROGRAM FOR SENIORS APRIL 20-26
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For more information and registration, please contact the Primetimers office toll-free at -877-882-4724 or by e-mail at primetimers@gbgm-umc.org or log on to http://new.gbgm-umc.org/news/events/?search=Primetimers&C=2927&I=14872
CAMP WORSHIP LEADERSHIP NEEDED
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Contact Carolyn Kern at Mishawaka First UMC by calling 574-255-4707.
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June 15-20
MISSOURI CONFERENCE SPONSORING HEALTH VIM TRIP TO MOZAMBIQUE
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Late June through early July, 2008, sponsored by the Missouri UM Conference
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For more information, call Tom Mitchell if you have questions or want more information. Phone 314-725-4003 or e-mail TomM8132@aol.com.
Last updated on 04/01/2008Compiled as a service of Indiana Area United Methodist Communication in Indianapolis.