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
Special Projects |
Events By Date |
Ongoing Projects |
Special Projects
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 03/10/08
HERE’S A MISSION PROJECT IDEA FOR THIS COMING SUMMER’S VBS
Operation Classroom invites Vacation Bible School directors to consider OC’s new program of PENNIES FOR PEACE as a VBS mission program. Pennies for Peace will fund a program in Liberia to help children with the trauma they experienced during the war. Groups of children are gathered for a day of play therapy, singing, Bible lessons, and food, under the leadership of Rev. Anthony and Jennifer Dioh
Children from your VBS can bring their pennies or change. You might want to have a contest between boys and girls. You may also decide to have a hands-on project of collecting school supplies. A short CD will be available on the importance of PENNIES FOR PEACE.
For more information, contact Operation Classroom at ocmisson@frontiernet.net or log on to www.operationclassroom.org (1/29/08)
By Date
OPERATION CLASSROOM NEEDS YOUR HELP FOR SCHOOLS IN AFRICA
Operation Classroom will have a yellow truck on the north side of the Elliot Hall of Music at Purdue University in West Lafayette for loading your ingathering supplies during the North Indiana Conference session. Plan to be a part of the ingathering of supplies and materials needed for Operation Classroom schools in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Here is what is needed:
- For HOME ECONOMICS (Sewing-Tailoring) – Sewing and tailoring supplies, embroidery supplies and Crochet supplies, cloth remnants.
- Cooking supplies – Measuring cups, measuring spoons, cooking spoons and ladles, cookie cutters, spatulas, rolling pins.
- For children: Children’s multi-vitamins, children’s Tylenol, Cream of Wheat?, Enfamil and Similac
- 1,000 needed – 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, 1 large tube of toothpaste (4.5 oz or larger, expiration date must be 6 months or longer), bath-size bar of soap small bath towel
- For schools – copy paper, soccer balls, tennis shoes (can be used, if in good condition) YES and ET KITS, notebooks, solar calculators and other school supplies.
- Choir and pulpit robes, communion ware, United Methodist Hymnals, 1964 edition of the Book of Worship.
- OC recently was able to purchase more than 24,000 boxes of chalk for 30 cents a box so this need as been taken care of.
OPERATION CLASSROOM SCHEDULES MORE WORK TEAMS THIS YEAR
Operation Classroom is sponsoring a work team to W.PL. Brumskine UM School Oct. 4-19. Kay and Lamar Zeigler are the team leaders. The project is yet to be determined. Contact the OC office or Tom at ttillett@ralis.com for more information.
Kay Hess, OC coordinator of Rushville District will be leading a team to the Bo Centenary School from June 19 to July 11. They will be renovating the main classroom and office building. Bo Centenary has an enrollment of 1000 students. Bo Centenary is in partnership with the Kokomo District. For more information contact Kay at: hess100@juno.com.
The Lafayette District is planning three work teams this spring and summer.
Our first project is a local project at Pine Creek on Saturday May 3. Rev. Bruce Mowery is coordinating project. For more information contact bemowery@hotmail.com
Our second project is the Itabuna Methodist Church in Itabuna, Brazil, from June 27 to July 11. The team will continue the construction of the church which is started in 2005. This will be there third team from the district to work on this church. There is the option of a side trip from July 11 to July 14 to Recifie where the district has had a number of teams. There they will attend the wedding of Erik who was our translator when we worked in Recife. Joe and Carolyn Wagner are the team leaders. For more information, contact the Wagners.
Our third project is Henderson Settlement, from July 20 to 26. All applications for this project are due March 12. The Rev. Anne and Timothy Kumeh will be the team leaders. For more information contact Anne at annekumeh@aol.com
For more information, contact the Rev. Joe Wagner, Operation Classroom, Inc., PO Box 246, Colfax, IN 46035 or call 765-436-2805 or send by e-mail at ocmisson@frontiernet.net. Also visit the Operation Classroom Web site at www.operationclassroom.org.
OPERATION CLASSROOM/OPERATION DOCTOR VOLUNTEER-IN-MISSION 2008
If you have a team going to Liberia or Sierra Leone, please send the dates, place team leader and local church or district to Operation Classroom, P.O. Box 246, Colfax, IN 46035 or by e-mail at wagners@operationclassroom.org or call 765-436-2805.
SIERRA LEONE SCHEDULE 2008
To 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 TRIP
We have an opening for our mission to Cuba, May 17-28, 2008. Cost will be about $1850. We will be working on a seminary construction project in Havana. Please contact Neil Vander Linden (ngvl@charter.net - 864-859-3652)) for further information. A prompt response is needed as visa processing can take three months.
SOUTH INDIANA CONFERENCE UPCOMING MISSION TRIPS
June 2008
Harrodsburg UMC to Henderson Settlement, Ky.
Youth District Mission Trip Location TBA
July 2008
July 12-19 – Mooresville First UMC to Canalli, 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.
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.
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.
INDY WEST PACKING PARTY CHANGE
The May 18, 2008 Indy West District Operation Classroom Packing Party has been changed due to a church schedule conflict at Avon UMC. The new date is Saturday, June 21 from 9-11:30 a.m. at Avon UMC, 6850 E. US 36, Avon 46123.
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.
NORTH INDIANA SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN MISSION SET FOR JULY 9-12
The North Indiana Conference United Methodist Women announces the 2008 School of Christian Mission to be held Wed., July 9 for the Drive-In Day and Wed. evening, July 9-Saturday, July 12 at Manchester College, in North Manchester, Ind. The 2008 theme is “Living the Sacred: Psalm 21:1” including these studies: I Believe in Jesus, Israel and Palestine, Giving Our Hearts Away – Native American Survival. More information to come.
OPERATION UTAH INVITES VOLUNTEERS TO UTAH MISSION TO NAVAJOS
Operation Utah is a 13 day trip, July 9-21, that will take volunteers to southeast Utah. During this mission trip volunteers will stay with the first chartered Navajo United Methodist congregation in the 4-Corners ministry setting, and partner with the pastor and church to make connections with their neighbors in a 20-mile radius.
This trip is for volunteers in Middle School through adulthood. Participants can come as a group, a couple, a family or as an individual. The fee is $750 and covers all expenses except personal spending money.
The links below give good information. For more information, contact Scott or Anita Pattison by phone at 260-347-0056 church or 260-347-3621 home or e-mail them at gspattison@sbcglobal.net
- Operation Utah info on the Web site - http://www.impact2818.com/sh_camps-utah.html
- Photo gallery (Choose Operation Utah) - http://www.impact2818.com/photo-gallery.html
There are three ways to register for this camp: mail, fax and online. The Registration Form must be completed in full. Payments can be made with credit card (Visa, MasterCard and Discover), e-check, personal check, or iCash. (Camperships and local mission committees are good financial help options.) Fifty percent ($375) of the Operation Utah camp fee is required to register. The entire fee ($750) must be paid in full by June 2.
SMITH VALLEY UMC ANNOUNCES MISSION OPPORTUNITY TO COLOMBIA
Dr. Joe Bottorff of Smith Valley UMC in Greenwood, Ind., will be leading a group of Lay Missioners to Cartagenta, Colombia, South America, July 19-26. There is room for four more participants. Cost is $1,495 with a $150 deposit required at the time of reservation. 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
The South Indiana Conference School of Christian Mission will be held on the campus of the University of Indianapolis, July 26-Super Saturday Session or July 27-30 Weekday School. The 2008 Theme is “Living the Sacred.” Studies this year are: Spiritual Growth Study, “I Believe in Jesus” with Bishop Michael Coyner; Geographic Study: “Israel- Palestine” with the Rev. Mary Wilder Cartwright; Current Issue Study: “Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival” with the Revs. Dr. P.T. Wilson and Billie Nowabbi; Young Women’s Study: “Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival” with Rita Gaither-Gant, Kathy White and Barbara King.
This school is designed for mission committee members, lay leaders, pastors, United Methodist Women members, young women, youth and children. Activities will include: Mission studies, worship, music, UMW officer update, mission update, mission education resources, videos, hands-on mission project, fellowship and banquet. For more information check out the “Southwind” newsletter by logging onto: www.gbgm-umc.org/sicumw/
NORTH INDIANA SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN MISSION UPDATED
- Drive-In Day is Wed., July 9
- School is Wed. evening, July 9 through July 12
- Registration deadline is June 30
- Classes:
- I Believe in Jesus--Leader Rev. Dr. Derek Weber
- Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival--Leaders Susan Jennys, Rev. Evelyn
- Taylor-Haney, Rev. Jon Walters, and La Donna WeberIsrael-Palestine--Leaders Rev. Dr. James Dwyer, Robert Epps, Dona Lou Imler, and Nancy Myers
- Yo-Pe-Mi-Ca (youth)--Leader Rev. Jeaninne Walker
- Chi-Mi-Ca(children)--Leaders Mary Margaret Willbanks and Joan Schell
- Further information can be found on the following web site: www.gbgm-umc.org/nicumw/scminformation.html
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GULF PORT HURRICANE RECOVERY IN AUGUST
-
GULF PORT, MISS., August 9-17, 2008
Leaders: 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. We will continue assisting with recovery efforts in the Biloxi, Gulfport, Pass Christian and Long Beach areas. Our tasks will include: dry walling, mudding, sanding, tiling, setting doors, installing cabinets, painting and trim work etc. The cost is $250, which includes all lodging, transportation and meals (except those on travel days and one evening meal. Maximum of 12 participants are needed.
MARION CHURCH INVITES VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN IN BUILDING HOME
Your church is invited to join us. Goal – build several homes in a weekend and with your help that could happen. Last year four homes were built. How many we build this year depends on you.
Members of Mt. Olive UMC are planning on building a home and are trying to get a coalition of congregations to fund and build other houses with us. Crossroads Missions organizes, provides tools and directs the event. In a few short hours all of the walls for an entire house are constructed in panel sections. The wall panels will be loaded onto a truck and donated to Habitat for Humanity organizations. Participating churches can determine where the houses go. The total amount of the donations received by July 15 will determine the number of houses we can buy materials for and construct in August.
Mt. Olive UMC in Marion will be hosting Crossroads Missions who will be presenting Help Build Hope, a worship and community building, while constructing a home, experience August 22-23, 2008
Costs are as follows:
- $1,800 approx. cost of materials per house
- $1,500 per house cash donation to Habitat for the roof
- $2,500 event fee will be divided among participating churches
- Shipping costs are being donated.
If you are interested in helping, please contact Joy Wickline at 765-661-8761.
MADISON CHURCH PLANS MISSION TRIP TO ENGLAND IN SEPTEMBER
A mission trip scheduled for September 22-October 1, 2008 is being led by Debi Partridge of Trinity UMC in Madison, Ind. The trip will consist of touring John Wesley sites in several areas London, Oxford, etc. and then doing a short mission project in York, England. Team members have the option of staying on in England at their own expense. 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
Curtis Bartz of the UMC Detroit Conference will be leading a team to Haiti, Nov 7-14. He serves as an active member of the Michigan Area Haiti Task Force and has led over 15 teams and raised more than $100,000 for projects in Haiti through church support and individual contributions. If you would like to join the Haiti School Project team as we work and worship with our Haitian partners in mission, contact Curtis Bartz, 313- 278-4849 or jbartz@mich.com for information and an application.
TWO MISSION DISCOVERY OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK
Visit the Spice Island, Grenada! Dec. 26 to January 6, 2009. Cost is $1,600. Work alongside Methodist young adults from Grenada. Do construction work, visitations and outreach near the city of Grenville. For fun, visit a beautiful Caribbean beach. Application deadline: Aug.1. Led by Beverly Nolte, bnmedical@aol.com, (515-237-8544), of Des Moines, Iowa.
The Andes are calling you to Chile! The Methodist church in Curacautin needs additional space to handle conference meetings. Join with Methodist young adults from this community to help build part of the addition. See the volcanoes, mountains and thermal baths way down under. It is summer in Chile when the team travels, Jan. 9-19, 2009. Led by Oscar and Joyce Carassco, ocarrasc@umcnic.org, (847-931-0710 X 10) of Elgin, Ill.
For application and more information on both of these teams, log on to www.gbgm-umc.org/northcentralvim/mission_discovery.html or write to umvim-ncj@brookings.net.
WARSAW DISTRICT PLANS 2009 MISSION TRIP TO LIBERIA
Rev. Cindy Reynolds and Rev. Bill Kaster are leading a trip to Liberia January 10-24, 2009. They are looking for ten people who are interested in being a part of the trip to connect with St. Matthews School. St. Matthews School is the Operation Classroom School supported by the Warsaw District. If you are interested, call the Warsaw District Office at 800-783-6111.
Ongoing Projects
MADISON, IND. CHURCH OFFERS PET CARETAKERS’ MINISTRY
Support groups for those grieving after the loss of a loved one, or caring for an ailing family member, are not unusual. But recognizing the strong bond between people and their pets, members of North United Methodist Church in Madison, Ind., go a step further, reaching out to those dealing with the illness or death of four-legged friends. “They need somebody to talk to,” says Bob Schultz, a pet owner and church volunteer who started the Pet Caretakers’ Ministry. “They’re coming in and they want prayer for their pets. And they want prayer for themselves, taking care of them.” The ministry meets once a month at the church, and North United Methodist also has expanded its 24-hour prayer line to include prayers for pets and their owners. – UMNS 02/19/08
NAPPANEE, BREMEN COMMUNITIES SUFFER FROM RECENT TORNADO
The communities from Bremen to Nappanee were hit by a category 5 tornado on Oct. 18. The pouring out of volunteers to provide clean-up assistance was overwhelming. As a result much of that has been completed or well under way.
The next phase will be rebuilding. Most of the survivors of this storm have insurance to pay for repairs, but there remain a number of residences that are under-insured. It is this group of families we, United Methodists, and the Faith Based Community are here to serve. The North Indiana Conference Disaster Response team asks you and your church community to prayerfully consider helping with the financial needs of this community of under insured survivors.
Please help with this recovery. A fund has been established. Make checks payable to: Nappanee Tornado Victims Assistance and send your check to:
Nappanee Tornado Victims Assistance
PO Box 29
Nappanee, IN 46550
Checks also may be made payable to the Nappanee United Methodist Church, mark your check for Storm Relief.
Thank you for your generous contribution to assisting residence of the Nappanee area.
Submitted by Gary Peterson, North Indiana Conference Disaster Response coordinator
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE AT CLARIAN HEALTH
Volunteer Opportunities are available a Clarian Health (Methodist Hospital, Indiana University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children) to assist in all areas of the hospitals. There are more than 100 opportunities, such as helping in the Chaplaincy offices, patient visiting, escorting and many more. Clarian wants to stay connected in partnership with the United Methodist Church, because we realize that healing for a patient is not just physical, but also emotional and spiritual. For more information, please call Volunteer Services at 317-274-SERV or visit our website at www.clarian.org.
INDY METRO MINISTRIES COMMUNITY CENTERS LIST NEEDS ONLINE
The needs of all Indianapolis Metro Ministries Community Centers are listed at www.indymetroumc.org/Metro/Index.cfm?details=89.
NEW MEXICO MISSION SCHOOL IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS YEAR ROUND
McCurdy School, Espanola, N.M. is in need of volunteers to work at this United Methodist-related mission school. The school currently has 16 volunteers in mission on its campus. The school hosts summer work teams beginning in May and extending through October. For more information, contact: Dr. Fred Pomeoy, Superintendent; McCurdy School; 261 McCurdy Road;
Espanola, NM 87532 or call 505-753-7221, Ext. 210, or contact by e-mail at fpomeroy@McCurdy.org. For more information about the school, log on to www.McCurdy.org.
Last updated on 05/05/2008