Site
Contents
 |
General Information about the Area Office
North Indiana Conference Office
South Indiana Conference Office
Prayer Guides
(Courtesy of the NIC Prayer Team)
Area United Methodist
Foundation
For resources to assist your congregation in welcoming guests,
click here
Seashore District Volunteer Center VIM project -- Completed
Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
HOOSIER UNITED METHODIST
Mission Opportunities
For Mission Monday, March 10, 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
BOTH INDIANA CONFERENCES TOP VIM LISTS FOR VOLUNTEERS, MONEY
Lorna Jost, coordinator of the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission program for the North Central Jurisdiction, announced to Bishop Mike Coyner last week that the two Indiana Conferences surpassed any other in UMVIM teams and volunteers for the year 2007. North Indiana came out on top with South Indiana a close second.
Jost complimented the Indiana Area saying, “Thank you all for your leadership and tireless work through this United Methodist mission program.”
The North Indiana Conference provided 2,980 volunteers (or 24 percent) from a total of 12,402 volunteers for the North Central Jurisdiction of the UMC.
The South Indiana Conference provided 2,234 volunteers (or 18 percent) from a total of 12,402 volunteers for the North Central Jurisdiction of the UMC.
North Indiana provided more than $1.4 million in contributions and more than $2 million in value of work. South Indiana provided more than $1.1 million in contributions and more than $1.3 million in value of work. A total of $8.9 in contributions and $9.3 million in value of work was given by conferences of the North Central Jurisdiction. – Lorna Jost, UMVIM-NCJ
NIC DISASTER RESPONSE COORDINATOR SAYS THANK YOU TO GIFTS
Gary Peterson, disaster response coordinator in the North Indiana Conference, expresses his gratitude to the congregations and individuals across Indiana that have given more than $10,000 to disaster response through the North Indiana Conference towards those residents affected by the January flooding in northwest Indiana.
Many homes that flooded along the Tippecanoe River in January were flooded again in February. Once case managers have been assigned, volunteers will be able to work with home owners.
Information about volunteering will be posted when volunteers are needed.
Those funds will be distributed in cooperation with the newly formed Disaster Assistance in Northwest Indiana (DANI).
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
FLOOD BUCKETS TO BE COLLECTED UNTIL MARCH 31
Flood buckets and flood bucket materials are being collected by the Monticello UMC, 200 South Main Street in Monticello. If the flood buckets being given have been in storage, please open the buckets to check for moisture or mold. Contaminated buckets cannot be given to residents. Flood buckets will be collected until March 31, according to Peterson. For more information, contact Pastor Brian Beeks of Monticello UMC at 574-583-5545 or Gary Peterson at 260-437-1310.
THIEF STEALS BLANKETS, FOOD FROM MOZAMBIQUE WOMEN’S MINISTRY
A thief stole 32 blankets and most of the food from 42 elderly women who live in reed and thatch huts at the United Methodist-supported Hanhane Women’s Shelter in rural Mozambique. “The houses they live in have no security,” said Rosália Mauricio Queface, administrative secretary for the United Methodist Women’s Society in Mozambique. “Many are alone. Many have disabilities. They were threatened and were afraid to ask for help.” The theft was reported in a church publication in February and points to the need for secure, permanent housing for the women, according to the shelter’s supporters.
Donations to The Mozambique Initiative can be made payable to “Missouri Conference UMC” and marked “Mozambique-Hanhane Women’s Shelter.” Mail to Missouri Conference, 3601 Amron Court, Columbia, MO 65202. – UMNS
GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION IN PHILIPPINES LEADS TO BISHOP SPEAKING
Allegations of a corrupt business deal that would have garnered millions of dollars in payoffs to Philippine President Gloria Arroyo and her husband have United Methodist leaders declaring that now is the time to “exorcise this evil spirit.” United Methodist Bishop Solito Toquero said allegations of “graft and corruption” have caused the country’s leaders to lose their credibility to govern. Since Arroyo took office in 2001, Toquero and United Methodist Bishop Leo Soriano, along with other religious leaders, have spoken out against government corruption and the ongoing violence against church workers and social justice advocates in the Philippines. – UMNS
CHURCH GIVING TO AFRICA UNIVERSITY INCREASED TWO PERCENT IN 2007
United Methodist churches and annual conferences increased their giving to Africa University by 2 percent in 2007 and helped the Zimbabwe school’s endowment reach $44 million. The 16-year-old university, though challenged by Zimbabwe’s astronomical inflation rate, is managing to cope with political and economic crises, according to a report delivered Feb. 26 to the Africa University Development Advisory Committee. “Africa University is the hope of Africa when it comes to education,” said West Virginia Bishop Ernest Lyght, committee chairperson. – UMNS
NEW ORLEANS NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE STRETCHES FOR RESPONSE
Bonita Jethro was born and raised in East St. Louis, Ill., and remembers Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House from her childhood. She moved to New Orleans as an adult; then Hurricane Katrina blew in, sending Jethro back to the city of her youth. She encountered the Neighborhood House again, but this time as a ministry reaching out and assisting survivors of the hurricane. The house is a national mission institution of The United Methodist Church. It also is one of 12 organizations in nine states that received grassroots grants from the Emergency Services Office of the United Methodist Committee on Relief to assist Hurricane Katrina survivors across the United States. Due to the generosity of United Methodists, about $2.3 million was available for the hurricane recovery grants. “The Neighborhood House offers a prime example of an existing community-based ministry that stretched itself to do effective disaster response,” said Tom Hazelwood, UMCOR’s domestic disaster response executive. – UMNS
NEWLY LISTED MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
GARY, IND. TO HOST FIRST EVER TEACHUM FAIR JUNE 15-19
The teachUM steering committee of UMVIM-NCJ is pleased to announce the first ever “teachUM Fair” for June 15-19 at Marquette Park UMC in Gary, Ind. The event will feature workshops specifically for educators and hands on Vacation Bible School for a nearby emerging Hispanic community. Billed as a means of “Increasing Your Comfort Level in Cross-Cultural Teaching Experiences”, this event will feature include workshops by two GBGM staff persons. The Rev. Dionisio Salazar, Assistant General Secretary Hispanic/Latino Ministries will bring the message at the opening worship on Sunday evening and also a workshop on Monday. Both of his presentations center around “Hispanic realities and our United Methodist Response”. Una Jones, Executive Secretary Mission Leaders, will present a workshop on Monday on “Mission Education.” Other presenters include: Beth Ferrell, Mission Interpreter for the NCJ, Nancy Eubanks, Consultant for Individual Volunteer, members of Marquette Park UMC, a multicultural church, North Indiana Conference mission leaders, and members of the teachUM steering committee. In all there will be nine workshops, the opportunity to link to other educators interested in missions and the VBS. For registration, schedule and further information, visit: http://www.gbgm-umc.org/northcentralvim/teachum.html or write/call umvim-ncj@brookings.net; 605-692-3390.
POTATOES FOR VACATION
Here is an exciting new free Vacation Bible School mission project your churches can incorporate into whatever themed VBS curriculum they are using this year. It will teach children of all ages about the problem of hunger in America and help them understand what Jesus’ command to feed the hungry means to them.
Last year VBS children in 182 churches across the nation learned about hunger with the Society of St. Andrew’s VBS mission project. The children were also directly responsible for providing more than 2.7 million servings of fresh, nutritious produce to hungry Americans with the donation of their nickels and dimes to the Society of St. Andrew, a national nonprofit hunger relief ministry and Advance Special #801600.
For more information and to order the material go to www.endhunger.org
PREVIOUSLY LISTED MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
CASE MANAGERS NEEDED TO HELP IN FLOODED INDIANA AREAS
Case Managers are needed to work with long-term recovery effort in the northern Indiana recently flooded areas. Managers will more than likely work with-in their county. Counties included are Carroll, White and Jasper Cass, Fulton, Pulaski and Tippecanoe Counties. The disaster case manager is a special person acting out of the deep concern for the vulnerable and whose role is to ‘enable/empower’ survivors to help themselves as much as possible. The role is to identify survivors’ needs and connect them to resources. The case manager is working one-on-one with disaster survivors who put their recovery in motion. There are volunteer and paid positions available, full-time positions are available for a period up to 18 months. Volunteer positions are needed to assist paid staff, and determine their own work hours. Immediate training is provided. Case managers will work in a team approach – interfacing with the two other main branches of this long-term recovery effort, finance and construction. This calling entails both fieldwork and office work. Case Managers will lead the way and coordinate all services for affected residents. Background checks are mandatory; related work experience preferred; other needed qualities: professional, ability to maintain confidentiality, need to be computer savvy.
For information or to apply, contact the Rev. Mary Van Wijk by phone at 219-261-2273 or by e-mail: mevanwijk@hotmail.com.
UMCOR’S SAGER BROWN DEPOT NEEDS HELP WITH KITS
The United Methodist Committee On Relief’s relief supply warehouse, the UMCOR Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La., needs your support to provide much-needed bedding, sewing and layette kits for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Sager Brown has received fewer kits over the last year and stocks are becoming alarmingly low.
Sager Brown is especially requesting donations for 33,000 layette kits, 64,000 sewing kits and approximately 1,000 bedding kits to meet upcoming needs. Donations for all kits are needed to prepare for uncertain times and future relief efforts. The Sager Brown Depot is accepting complete kits as well as items in bulk.
For more information, log on to www.umcor.org and click on “Help Sager Brown Deliver Kits of Hope.” – UMCOR
MISSION OPPORTUNITY – TRAVEL TO MEXICO WITH COLUMBUS D.S.
The Rev. Brian White, superintendent of the Columbus District, invites volunteers to join him and other volunteers who are working in Mexico this summer to help rebuild a church damaged by Hurricane Wilma. The project is organized by Intercambio Cultural de Yucatan, a ministry headed by United Methodist clergyperson (and Columbus native) the Rev. Jack Diel. The project will run from June 14-21. For more information including a brochure visit the Columbus District Web site www.coumc.org or e-mail Brian White.
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.
PENNIES FOR PEACE MISSION PROJECT IDEA FOR THIS SUMMER’S VBS
-
For more information, contact Operation Classroom at ocmisson@frontiernet.net or log on to www.operationclassroom.org
SEWING MACHINES NEEDED IN SIERRA LEONE
-
For more information, call the Bloomington District office at 800-919-8161 or 812-339-1445.
UNITED METHODIST VOLUNTEER IN MISSION TEAMS NEEDED IN MEXICO
-
Contact information: Jerry Hill jerry.hill@bsumc.com or call 864-320-3165
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AT CENTERVILLE, IOWA
-
Contact the church office at 641-856-3862 or the Trustees Chair at 641-895-0381.
SOUTH INDIANA CONFERENCE UPCOMING MISSION TRIPS
-
March 2008
-
March 23-30 – Ames Chapel UMC Trip to Gulfport, Miss.
-
-
June 2008
-
Harrodsburg UMC to Henderson Settlement, Ky.
-
Youth District Mission Trip Location TBA
-
-
July 2008
-
July 12-19 – Mooresville First UMC to Calnali,, Mexico
-
-
Summer 2008
-
Bedford First UMC to Louisiana
-
South Indiana Native American Mission Trips
-
-
September 2008
-
Sept. 20-27 – Ames Chapel UMC to John’s Island, S.C.
-
Sept. 22-29 – Mooresville First UMC to Henderson Settlement, Ky.
-
DISASTER MINISTRY CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS JUSTICE IN DISASTERS
-
March 29-April 1, at the Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, Tenn.
-
A Domestic Disaster Ministry Forum registration form and information may be downloaded from www.cwserp.org/reports. (Follow the links for 2008 Forum Brochure and 2008 Forum Registration Form.)
NORTH IND. TO HOST VIM TEAM LEADER TRAINING AT KOKOMO APRIL 12
-
April 12, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Luke’s UMC, 700 East Southway Blvd. in Kokomo, Ind.
-
For more information: Contact Bonnie Albert, bonkay@hotmail.com, or phone 219-464-1447.
-
Registration deadline is Friday, April 4. To register, send name, address, phone number with area code, church, city. Make checks payable to North Indiana Conference, memo VIM training and mail to P.O. Box 869, Marion, IN 46952. For registration form, log on to www.nicumc.org.
PERU CHURCH ASKS FOR ASSISTANCE IN APRIL 13 MISSIONS FAIR
-
April 13
-
For more information and ways you can support Main Street UMC Mission Faith, contact Miles Straly, mission commission chairman, home phone: 765-472-2273, cell phone: 317-850-1448 or by e-mail: mstraly@mcremc.net. Home address: 1859 S 400 W, Peru, IN 46970.
TERRE HAUTE DISTRICT OFFERS TRIP TO MISSION DISTRIBUTION
-
April 16-18
-
For more information on these mission opportunities please contact the Terre Haute District Office at 800-919-8165 or 812-237-0101.
UM MISSION INITIATIVE SUMMIT SCHEDULED FOR TEXAS APRIL 17-18
-
For details and registration visit: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/news/events/?i=16762
TWO OPEN SLOTS FOR UNITED METHODIST VIM TEAM TO CUBA
-
April 18-30, 2008
-
For more information, contact the team leader, Larry Burke: ljrdburke@comcast.net
OPERATION CLASSROOM PACKING PARTY IN TERRE HAUTE DISTRICT
-
April 24, at 9 a.m. at Breden Memorial UMC, 2228 S. 7th St. in Terre Haute
-
Please contact the Terre Haute District Office, 1403 Chestnut Street, Terre Haute, IN 47807. Call 812-237-0101 or 800-919-8168.
HENDERSON SETTLEMENT OFFERS PROGRAM FOR SENIORS APRIL 20-26
UNITED METHODIST VIMS NEEDED TO BUILD MONTANA PLAYGROUND
-
May 2-5, 2008
-
For more information, contact: Barbara Galusha Karst, High Plains Coordinator, bgkarst@vcn.com.
RX CONNEXION TO HOLD ANNUAL CONSULTATION IN LINCOLN COUNTRY
-
May 2-4
-
Fees: $75 - Meeting Registration, 3 meals, snacks (no breakfast)
-
Lodging: $65 - Reserved Room at near-by Baymont Inn or $15/night Limited lodging space is available at the Midwest Distribution Center
-
Optional Tour: $10 Lincoln Springfield Tour Saturday evening
-
Registration Deadline is April 15 (tax day).
-
For more information or to receive a registration form, visit www.gbgm-umc.org/northcentralvim/rxconnexion.html or write umvim-ncj@brookings.net for a copy.
OPERATION CLASSROOM SCHEDULES MORE WORK TEAMS THIS YEAR
-
Pine Creek – May 3. Rev. Bruce Mowery is coordinating the project. For more information contact bemowery@hotmail.com.
-
Bo Centenary School – June 19-July 11. For more information contact Kay Hess at: hess100@juno.com.
-
Itabuna Methodist Church, Brazil – June 27- July 11. For more information, contact Carolyn Wagner.
-
Henderson Settlement – July 20-26. Applications are due March 12. For more information contact Anne at annekumeh@aol.com
-
W.PL. Brumskine UM School – Oct. 4-19. Kay and Lamar Zeigler are the team leaders. Contact the OC office or Tom at ttillett@ralis.com for more information.
OPERATION 2008 CLASSROOM TEAMS
-
Sierra Leone
-
May 6 to 22 – Sierra Leone – Koidu Secondary School - U of I, Lang Brownlee, team leader
-
June 18 to July 9 Sierra Leone – Bo Centenary School, Kay Hess, team leader, hess100@juno.com
-
-
To Liberia
-
June 24 to July 11 – Liberia – Tubman-Gray School, Ken and Kitty Decker, team leaders, ken.decker@prodigy.net or kitty.decker@prodigy.net
-
October 9 to 28 – Liberia – W.P.L. Brumskine School, Lamar and Kay Ziegler, team leaders, lamar@rnthompson.com
-
MISSION TO CUBA HAS AN OPENING FOR MAY 17-28 TRIP
-
Please contact Neil Vander Linden ( ngvl@charter.net – 864-859-3652)) for further information.
MINNESOTA MEDICAL MISSIONS TO SIERRA-LEONE NEEDS PHYSICIAN
-
June 26-July 8, 2008
-
September 27-October 7, 2008
-
For further information please contact Doris Acton, RN at doris.acton@nhylandsumc.org or at 952-835-7585.
MISSOURI CONFERENCE SPONSORING HEALTH VIM TRIP TO MOZAMBIQUE
-
Late June through early July, 2008, sponsored by the Missouri UM Conference
-
For more information, call Tom Mitchell if you have questions or want more information. Phone 314-725-4003 or e-mail TomM8132@aol.com.
NORTH INDIANA SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN MISSION
-
July 9 for the Drive-In Day
-
July 9-July 12 at Manchester College, in North Manchester, Ind.
-
More information and registration to come.
KOKOMO CHURCH INVITES OTHERS TO UTE INDIANA NATION VIM TRIP
-
July 17-July 29
-
If you are interested in finding out more information about this opportunity call the cell number below. I look forward to hearing from you! Seeking God’s Horizon, Paul Rogers, cell phone: 765-863-0127.
SMITH VALLEY UMC ANNOUNCES MISSION OPPORTUNITY TO COLOMBIA
-
July 19-26
-
Contact Pastor Joe for more details at 317-432-6706. Our focus on this trip is medical, women’s prison, children’s ministries and support of vocational youth education.
SOUTH INDIANA SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN MISSION SCHEDULED FOR JULY
-
July 26-Super Saturday Session
-
July 27-30 Weekday School.
-
For more information check out the “Southwind” newsletter by logging onto: www.gbgm-umc.org/sicumw/
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GULF PORT HURRICANE RECOVERY IN AUGUST
-
Gulf Port, Miss., Aug. 9-17
-
Contact Peg and Arley Ellingson, 203 S. 1st Ave Hinton, IA 51024, phone: 712-947-4551(h), 712-947-4553 (o), 712-203-8068 (c) or e-mail: pellingson@usa.net.
MADISON CHURCH PLANS MISSION TRIP TO ENGLAND IN SEPTEMBER
-
Sept. 22 through Oct. 1
-
For more information, call Debi Partridge at 812-273-4601 or email her at partridge2@verizon.net . The price for this trip is $3,000 and the team is almost full.
DETROIT CONFERENCE VIM TEAM PLANS TRIP TO HAITI FOR NOV. 7-14
-
Nov 7-14
-
Contact Curtis Bartz, 313- 278-4849 or jbartz@mich.com for information and an application.
WARSAW DISTRICT PLANS 2009 MISSION TRIP TO LIBERIA
-
Jan. 10 through 24, 2009
-
If you are interested, call the Warsaw District Office at 800-783-6111.
Compiled as a service of Indiana Area United Methodist Communication in Indianapolis.
Last updated on 04/01/2008