WHY VOLUNTEER WITH UMVIM?

WHY VOLUNTEER THROUGH UMVIM?

1.UMVIM is an approved United Methodist ministry.

2. The mission projects are vetted and screened.

3. Volunteer teams can continue their relationship with the project site they served at via The Advance and missionaries.

4. All are welcome to serve.

5. Training, forms, insurance, etc. available

6. It's simple. Contact umvimwj@hotmail.com to get started!

Faith in Action

Faith in Action

Friday, November 27, 2009

TEAM LEADER TRAINING; FUTURE TEAMS; HELPFUL WEBSITES; UMCOR IN THE PHILIPPINES


Photo: Volunteers hand out food in Philippines. Read more about work there below....Photo courtesy, umcor.org.
* TEAM LEADER TRAINING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONFERENCE


The UMVIM Leadership Team will be conducting two Volunteer In Mission Team Leader Trainings on December 5, 2009 at First UMC of Olympia. Topics to be discussed will be the UM Connection, insurance, safe sanctuary requirements and background checks.1) TEAM LEADER TRAINING for National/International Mission10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Fees: $20 for the manual


2) TEAM LEADER TRAINING for Conference Projects10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.Fees: none First UMC of Olympia1224 Legion Way SEOlympia, WA 98501-1655(360) 943-2661 If you are interested in registering for either class,e-mail Ronda Cordill, r_cordill@hotmail.comor call (509) 235-5466.



* FUTURE TEAMS TO GUATAMALA, ANGOLA, LOUISINA, SIERRA LEONE, KENYA, CAMBODIA & HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR VOLUNTEERS


1) Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana - Summer, 2010 (1 week trips during June 6 - July 25) - ongoing reconstruction of homes devastated by hurricanes. Registration deadline March 15, 2010. Cost is $225 per participant, which includes lodging, meals, construction materials and evening activities. Contact Laurie Byland, 225-383-4777, X235; laurie.byland@firstmethodist.org, www.thebluetarp.com.


2) Angola, October 2010, MALARIA NET DISTRIBUTION - a fund of $120,000 was collected for the "Nothing But Nets" program in honor of our previous Bishop, Warner Brown. We are beginning to recruit a team of 8-10 people for the distribution of these malaria nets in Angola. The distribution plan will be coordinated by UMCOR in Angola. We would like to have a representative group of health care workers, pastors and lay persons. Contact Burl Kreps, angoadvo@msn.com, 719-637-0258, 719-337-3066(cell).


3) Guatemala, March 19-28, 2010. Serve with the indigenous Mayan people in the mountains of Guatemala. Build adobe homes for widows, construct chicken coops, play with children, visit the John Wesley School. Contact Laura Richards, corichards@aol.com, St. Luke's UMC, Highlands Ranch, CO.4) UMVIM team leader training, Saturday, December 12, 9 am to Noon, St. Luke's UMC, 8817 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch, CO. Please contact Betsy Keyack, bkeyack@att.net to register. Team leader training also offered on request.


5) Please see the following web sites for more information about UMVIM:


a) www.umvim.info - contains listings of all the UMVIM projects in the USA and around the world as well as information about long term opportunities for individual volunteers.


b) www.umvimwj.blogspot.com - has information about volunteer needs in the western US and teams you can join.


c) www.rmcvim.org - has information about Rocky Mountain Conference teams you can join, going to Guatemala (2010), Sierra Leone (2010), Kenya (2010 and 2011), Cambodia (2011), and India (2011).


d) www.umvim4health.blogspot.com - this is a great web site for health care volunteer opportunities.



* UMCOR WORK IN PHILIPPINES CONTINUES


Philippines continues to comb through remote areas to provide relief supplies to those in need following the devastating Typhoon Ketsana and Parma, which struck the country in September and October.

It took UMCOR Philippines staff and volunteers six hours on a boat to travel to one affected area to assess damages. In one area, on the coastal area of Talim Island, most of the homes and structures were completely destroyed. Three United Methodist churches were damaged and two of the churches remain under water. UMCOR Philippines is working with district leadership to respond to the needs of the church and affected communities.

In addition, about 1,500 food items have been purchased and repackaged by local churches and volunteers assisting UMCOR Philippines. Trained by UMCOR and student council members of the Angono Rizal System University, volunteers prepare water purifiers daily to include in the distribution to displaced families, as health and sanitation is a major concern.

Support the ongoing relief efforts in the Philippines with your gifts to Philippines Emergency, UMCOR Advance #240235.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

UMVIM Sites in the Oregon/Idaho Conference; Desert Southwest Mission Festival Lifts Up UMVIM Ministry; Individual Volunteer Training in the WJ


Photo: Alton Collins Retreat Center & Camp in Oregon. They are accepting volunteers, read more below. Courtesy, www.gocamping.org.



* UMVIM SITES IN OREGON/IDAHO CONFERENCE

Interested in serving stateside? The Oregon/Idaho conference has several great locations for volunteer teams. They are listed below. For more information, contact Brenda St. Clair, the Oregon/Idaho UMVIM Coordinator at jgbrndr@cabelone.net or at 208-520-7527.


CAMP SAWTOOTH/CAMP & RETREAT CENTER, P O Box 68, Fairfield, ID 83327, Dave Hargreaves, SawtoothUMCamp@hughes.net .
Open in June-Sept only. New building projects and trail maintenance. S.A. Max 16 RV. S. A. Max 16, RV.

ALTON L. COLLINS RETREAT CENTER, Rev. Todd Bartlett, director@relianceconnects.com , 32867 SE Highway 211, Eagle Creek, OR 97022 503/637-6411, toll-free 888/567-6411. Grounds, organic garden, and trail maintenance. Adults. limited RV parking.

CAMP LATGAWA / CAMP AND RETREAT CENTER, Eva LaBonty and Greg Clensy, Latgawa@gocamping.org, 13250 South Fork Little Butte Creek Rd., Eagle Point, OR 97524, 541/826-9699. Camp, building, and trail maintenance. S, A, RV.

CAMP MAGRUDER, Steve Rumage, Director, 17450 Old Pacific Hwy. Rockaway Beach, OR 97136. 503/ 355-2310; F: 503/355-8701. director@campmagruder.org
Carpentry, general maintenance, and grounds work. S, A, RV parking. Max 6-12.

SUTTLE LAKE CAMP & RETREAT CTR, - Jane Petke, 29551 SW Suttle Lake Rd., Sisters, OR 97759, 514/595-6663, F: 503/595-2818, suttle@gocamping.org.
Make a difference through carpentry, general maintenance, cutting wood, trail improvements, renovation of small cabins, and construction of wooden bunk beds.
J, S, A.


WALLOWA LAKE CAMP & RETREAT CTR, David and Ingrid Cook, 84522 Church Lane, Joseph, OR 97846. 541/432-1271. wallowa@gocamping.org.
May-June or Sept-Oct : Construction of cedar deluxe yurt cabins.
Summer only: kitchen, maintenance, housekeeping volunteers.
A. Max 16.





* DESERT SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE LIFTS UP UMVIM MINISTRY AT ITS MISSION FESTIVAL


The Desert Southwest Conference held its first Conference Mission Festival November 7th and it was a huge success. Bishop Carcano was present and shared a Spirit-filled message and UMVIM was a focus of the festival. Pastor Mel Muchinsky of Cross in the Desert UMC lead the way in putting the event together and he and his team did an incredible job. Below, please find a report on the event.


REGISTRATION AND ATTENDANCE


Well, the Design Team wasn’t sure if the event would happen or not! Two weeks before November 7th, we only had a dozen people registered. As we came closer to the event, registrations started to come in and on Friday, November 6th we had a total of 128 signed up. Of these, 96 ordered lunches which were prepared by UMOM - New Day culinary school. There were several "walk ins" that morning, bring the total official count to 141. Worship service was attended by 160 people (all right, it was really 162 but let’s round things off).


WORKSHOPS


Eight workshops were presented and, although some people were disappointed with the three cancelled ones, they nevertheless attended the ones presented. Workshops were better attended at 12:30 pm then at 9;15 am - don’t know "why?" but maybe people were finally getting used to the schedule or maybe the "buzz" was that they were all well presented. Several people told me they were considering new mission projects because of these workshops.


Faith in action: volunteers in missionHeather Wilson, Western Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator. The whys, how to’s and needs for VIM volunteers and churches.
"…as a fire by burning": mission motives and methods


Let by David Alberts, former Program Counselor for Missions in the Central Illinois Conference and current senior pastor at St. Matthew UMC in Mesa. Does your congregation need to catch a vision for missions and learn creative means for transforming good intentions into action? Here is real help based upon the vast mission resources available to United Methodists and the experiences of successful mission-centered churches.


Making new disciples for missions
Led by Glen Simpson and Relevance Young Adult Ministries, the official young adult ministry of the Desert Southwest Conference. Young adults gravitate to churches that are making an impact. Today’s generation of young adults are embracing service, social action and missions. In a survey conducted by Lifeway Christian Resources, 66% of young adult churchgoers vs. 47% of young adult non-churchgoers agreed that meeting the needs of others is an essential element to this generation.


Encouraging effective collaboration
Moderated by Candace Sherwood, Community Relations & Events Manager, UMOM New Day Centers. As resources grow scarcer and individual and community challenges more complex, Missions often need to join forces to make headway. Collaboration is more than a buzz word, it's a whole new way of getting work done. This workshop will demonstrate how collaboration offers the chance to access resources and leverage outcomes in ways to make Mission success possible.


General cross-cultural issues
Ministering with a different culture has its challenges! Whether your dealing with people in another culture as a volunteer or rubbing elbows with those right in your own congregation, this workshop will give insight how to establish relationships.


Providing job support as a mission project
Moderated by Lisa Armijo from Arizona Women’s Education and Employment. Started in 1981, AWEE has changed the lives of 60,000 individuals through life and career success planning, training and support. Techniques will be shared as to how churches can respond to people’s needs during this economic recession.


Rethinking church
Hosted by Stepehen J. Hustedt and the Desert Southwest Conference Communications Commission. What if church wasn’t a place you go? What if Church was a thing you do? This workshop will how to reach out to un-churched individuals between 18 and 35 with a secondary audience of 35-50. Research shows that young adults a looking for a church that does what it says it does and has a mission focus. What does this mean to how we tell our story as United Methodists?


Increasing global ministries missionary covenants
Facilitated by Judy Witt, DSC Secretary of Global Ministries. Special Sundays offerings, The Advance, as well as individual & church partnerships with missionaries/countries/specific projects are just some of the opportunities available. Can we help establish ten new covenant relationships in this quadrennium? Come and see!


TABLE DISPLAYS

We had 17 display table reservations but 22 showed up! I nice problem to have; we just made room for more. Besides the "regular" displays, we had some interesting and unique ones from local churches.


Association of Arizona food Banks
Desert Foothills UMC - Agua Prieta
Duet - Elaine Dinse/Meryl Ahart
Faithworks - Glen or Jan Allen
Fountain Hills UMC - Pam Novak
Give Ye Them to Eat - Hendersons
Global Ministries - Judy Witt
Habitat for Humanity
Hope for the Hopeless
In Mission Together - Mel Munchinsky
Justa Center - Scott Ritchey
NOMADS - Dick Bulkeley
Shepherd of the Hills UMC - Cleo Perry - quilts
Shoebox Ministry - Laura Borgeson
Sidewalk Ministry - Billie Fidlin
St. Matthew UMC - Bulgarian UMC - Andy or Kay Rountree
UMOM - New Day - Helping Hands - Candace Sherwood
United Methodist Women - Carla Whitmire
Wesley Center - Betty K. Mathis
WHEAT - Hand to Hand Project - Ada Davis


WORSHIP SERVICE

The service opened with the SON Worshipers from St. Matthew UMC providing prelude music. The congregation joined in with the singing of A New Hallelujah! The Band also sang Children of God and Thank you, Lord. The One Flock Choir sang Multiply Your Love. Two excellent talks were given by Bishop Minerva CarcaƱo and Heather Wilson, UMVIM Coordinator of the Western Jurisdiction. There certainly was the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the service, one would have thought all these individuals and groups sat down and planned the service because of its unity and theme but in fact they didn’t!
The Agua Prieta Liturgical Dance group had an excellent presentation both during the service and later on the Patio. Flags representing different countries throughout the world brought us closer together as a global community (these were loaned to us from Payson UMC). There was no registration fee charged for the event in order to make it accessible as much as possible to all who wanted to attend. To those who wanted a lunch, the cost was $10.00 but anyone could have brought their lunch with them or lunched off the hospitality table. An offering was taken which totaled about $1,300.00 which paid for all the costs of the event! What a blessing!


OVERHEARD COMMENTS


Why did we wait so long to have this?


(After the worship service) I just need to sit here for awhile and reflect on what I’ve seen and heard.


What an inspiring and uplifting worship service!


I’m disappointed that the workshop on immigration issues was cancelled.


What wonderful hospitality - the snack table has variety.


Can we keep the flags up in the sanctuary longer?


I just connected with another group - didn’t know we had so much in common.


We just got two good ideas for a mission project that will be introduced next January.


I haven’t seen some of these people for a long time - it’s great!
 




* INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER TRAINING IN THE WESTERN JURISDICTION JANUARY 2010




If you feel called to serve as a couple or as an individual for 2 months to 3 years as a mission volunteer, then the Individual Volunteer ministry is for you! There are sites all over the nation and the world needing and wanting volunteers. For more information please contact Landon Taylor at ltaylor@gbgm-umc.org and go to http://www.individualvolunteers.info/.




There will be an Individual Volunteer Training event in Pacific Palisades, CA, January 25-27, 2010. Please contact Landon Taylor for an application and more details.

Monday, November 2, 2009

TEAMS NEEDED IN SENEGAL, MEXICO, CHILE, WASHINGTON, & ALASKA; PRAYERS FOR FUTURE TEAMS


Photo: Volunteer helping to rebuild home in Lewis County, WA due to flooding. To volunteer, read below. Photo courtesy Channels Express, Pacific Northwest Conference.
* TEAMS NEEDED IN SENEGAL, MEXICO, & ALAKSA


Senegal:
The United Methodist Church of Senegal is a Mission Initiative of the General Board of Global Ministries. The church has been recognized by the government of Senegal since 1996. They are involved in a variety of ministries including health, Christian Education, and church constructions. Senegal is a 95% Muslim country, but it is very safe and peaceful. It is very easy to reach from the US as it is the most western country in Africa. There are opportunities for construction, medical, educational, and agricultural teams.

Mexico:
Igelsia Metodista Refugio de Paz - Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon. Construction of Sunday School classrooms. Ten teams needed. Youth accepted.


Chile:

The national Volunteer in Mission coordinator in Chile has a church in theValpariso region which needs to build up a place beside the church forsocial or community programs called VILLA ALEMANA, near to Valparaiso. The weather is so good the views are amazing andthe the people very nice and waiting for your help. Please contact Denise Soto Vergara at denise_178@yahoo.com.


Alaska:

North Star United Methodist Church in Nikiski, AK - 4 teams needed and able to accept youth and family teams as well. Will be able to accept teams as of June 2010 to do construction and landscape work as well as create a playground. For more information please contact Rev. Laura P. Skiba at plskiba@gmail.net or klskiba@alaska.net or at 907-394-3674.


Washington:

In a little less than two months, it will be two years since the 500-year flood in Lewis County, WA. Many volunteers from many faiths have given of their time, their talents and their gifts to help the flood survivors recover.


Unfortunately, the task is not complete. There is still a great need for volunteers. Please consider sharing some of your time, energy and talents with those who have had a very difficult two years.


To volunteer, contact UMVIM:Ronda Cordill: r_cordill@hotmail.comJim Truitt: jftruitt@comcast.net


To give financial support, contact PNWUMC:PNW AC TreasurerP.O. Box 13650Des Moines, WA 98198 For gifts in the form of a check, please indicate "Disaster Relief" on the memo line.Thank you for your past support. I look forward to your continued outreach in the future.




*PRAYER REQUESTS FOR FUTURE TEAMS


Individual Volunteers to Tiu Rancho, Bolivia: October 24- November 13
Monica Bruesewitz from South Reno UMC - Nevada, and Margie Marshall will travel to T’iu Rancho outside Cochabamba, Bolivia to work with the GBGM missionaries currently assigned there.

Retired Clergy Team to New Orleans, Louisiana: October 30- November 7
Nadine Dewitt of Sparks UMC - Nevada leads another R.C.A. team back to the Gulf coast to continue hurricane recovery efforts. She will be joined by Philip Angove of Loomis - First UMC Mary Bahlert of Oakland - Lake Merritt UMC Harry Dutt of Bakersfield - First UMC Edna McCoy of Susanville UMC Joe Hurd, Linda Butler, Anita Dutt, Douglas McCoy and John Sublett.

Ca-Nev / Kansas Team to Tatoxcac, Mexico: November 15-24
Jackie Kawashima, Don Kawashima of Wesley UMC – San Jose (and the possible additions of Kelli Kawashima and Desiree Fuentez) will join up with a Kansas team to continue their work in Mexico.

Multi-Church Team to Cuba: November 29 – December 13
Martha Milk will lead a team of 12 to Cuba from Yerington UMC and Woodland UMC. They include Gregg Atkins, Ardith Allread, John Baggaley, Shanna Baggaley, Kris Beck, Ashley Broaster, La Vonda Ristow, Belinda Robinson, LaRae Shaw Meadows, Bob Weiser and Paul Sweet.