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

Thursday, October 14, 2010

HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER EVENT; COORDINATOR NEEDED IN NICARAGUA; UMVIM NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY


Leon Cathedral in Leon, Nicargua. Read below to read how you might become an Individual Volunteer to serve in Leon.
HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER EVENT


Greetings!

This is to announce the next meeting of the UM Joint Commission/Hands Across the Border on November 5th & 6th in El Centro and Mexicali. Passports are a plus for crossing back to the US, but if you have a government issued ID (with a photo) along with a certified copy of your birth certificate, our experience is that it has been a 100% successful method for crossing the border.

The meeting will start out at 7:15 p.m. on Friday the 5th of January at the El Centro United Methodist Church at the corner of 8th and Olive in El Centro. Take Interstate 8 east from San Diego. In El Centrop, take the Imperial Avenue offramp and head north for any blocks until you reach Olive Ave. Turn right and go to 8th St. (about four blocks). The church is on the corner.

We will meet on Friday night for desert, a devotional, a brief meeting and fellowship. The brave among us can sleep in their sleeping bags on the floor of the church. The rest can stay in one of the many local motels.

On Saturday morning, we'll meet for breakfast at 7:00 a.m back at the church. From there we will have transportation for those of you requesting it that will take you to the Stephen O. Parrish Center at the Santo Nino Church in a neighborhood of Mexicali. We will participate (hopefully) with members of the Light of the Canyon UMC in Anaheim Hills in a work project. We will also have a brief business meeting, have lunch and receive an update from the pastors in Mexico about what is happening in their churches. The bus or van will return to El Centro. We expect to leave Santo Nino around 2:30. From there we will proceed to the border and then back to the church in El Centro. We will ask for your voluntary donation to cover the cost of transportation and food. This plan is subject to change based upon how many responses we receive. In any case, transportation across the border WILL be available.

The Stephen O. Parrish Center is working to provide medical and dental services to the surrounding community. It also provides social services and training to the neighborhood. This is a great opportunity to see how churches on both sides of the border cooperate to help our neighbors. Those attending will return with great stories to share with their congregations. I sincerely hope that you will attend.

Should you have any questions, just give me a call. My number is (909)234-3835.

Blessings,

Murray Hawkins, President
UM Joint Commission/Hands Across the Border
murray@mexicomissionproject.org




COORDINATOR NEEDED IN NICARAGUA


Immediate Need - Team Coordinator Needed for El Ayudante, Leon Nicaragua

El Ayudante in Leon, Nicaragua (
www.nicamissions.com) has an immediate need for an Individual Volunteer (or a married couple) to coordinate our mission teams in Leon and handle other administrative responsibilities. This role involves overseeing and working closely with mission teams as they serve in Leon, while overseeing the staff and other logistics of the ministry (team houses, transportation of teams in country, etc.) . A one year commitment would be preferred. Conversational Spanish is preferred, but not necessary. Housing, some meals, a vehicle and a stipend will be provided by the ministry. Requirements: A love of God and people, organizational and administrative skills, people skills, a team player, a multi-tasker and experience in short-term international missions.

If interested, email Daphne Moses: daphne@northsidemethodist.org.

Daphne MosesMemphis Conference UMVIM CoordinatorAssociate Pastor Northside UMC2571 N. Highland, Jackson, Tn 38305731-668-0617



UMVIM NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY


TEAMS NEEDING MEMBERS



RUSSIA: A West Michigan team will be working July 18-July 29, 2011 and are looking for individuals to travel and sponsor the work. Approximate total cost: $3,000 per person. January 2011 is the date for commitment. Contact is
Jody Pratt, / 269-792-0481.ST. KITTS: Tired of hot, sultry temperatures? Looking forward to Iowa's winter months? Got a plan for volunteer work in January/February 2011? Consider travel to the Caribbean island of St. Kitts where a United Methodist volunteer team will work on repairs at the Dieppe Bay Methodist Manse, paint at Challengers Methodist Church Hall and hold VBS for church/neighborhood kids. Trip dates are Jan. 29 to Feb. 12, 2011. Only 12 seats available with cost of $1,450. Contact Beverly Nolte, 515 266 4186, for more information and application form. All construction skills welcome with plenty of meaningful work available. Enjoy Caribbean hospitality while working for the Lord.

CHILE: There is still have room on all three of the trips to Temuco, CHILE this winter. Teams will repair the sanctuary of the Second Methodist Church, which was rendered unusable by the earthquake. Dates in 2011: Nov 6 - 21; Jan 8 - 23; Feb 5 - 20. Contact
Don Herringa, 920-854-5572, 11393 Mink River Rd, Ellison Bay, WI 54210.
UMCOR Sager Brown: June 4 - 12, 2011 - Baldwin, LA. Travel will be on a Ludolph motor coach. Former teams have involved males and females from age 12 to 80+. Sager Brown has reserved dorm style rooms for thirty people. Three or more people of same sex may be housed together. Total cost is $800 per person plus at least $50 project money. This covers ALL transportation, lodging and meals for the nine days. Down-payment must be received by January 10, 2010. Contact
Gladys McCracken , 123 West Hwy 14 Bypass, Brookings, SD 57006-4215, 605-692-5985.

HAITI, Jeremie. An UMVIM team from the Detroit Conf., Oct.12 -20, 2010, has an unexpected opening. If you are interested in joining the team to work on some much-needed high school rooms, contact
Pat Grainger or Keith Thomas or call Curtis Bartz (313) 278-4849. HAITI, Feb 9 - 17, 2011. Contact Rev. Don Dexheimer , Rockford District, NIC Conference (815-623-2292 X 103 ). We will partner with the Methodist Church of Haiti to rebuild facilities damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. The work we do, construction, medical, and VBS, will be determined by the skills of the team members. We are looking for team members who are willing to make a commitment to return to Haiti later with their own team. the need to multiply leadership is great.

HAITI: Mar 30-April 7, 2011. Mission Discovery, team leader training offered while on the trip. For young adult leaders who will commit to returning to an international location with a young adult team within 2-3 years. Team Leader: Lorna Jost, 605-692-3390. Write for an application.



HOLY LAND TRIPS & THE BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS



Dear Friends,

Educational Opportunities (EO), the travel agency that brings the largest number of UM's to the Holy Land targets UM pastors and churches, offering good travel rates for visitors (before you read the fine print!) and many free trips for clergy and their families. For many years they have worked to take UMVIM teams to different parts of the world. Unfortunately, for tours to the Holy Land, they work very closely with certain Israeli Jews who do not want visitors to hear about or be exposed to "the other side of the coin." This violates our resolutions and our faith. Please encourage your UMVIM teams to comply with our UM resolutions on Holy Land Tours (below). Since this is the Holy Land, we do not conduct your "typical" UMVIM trip here. We split the time between the service project, building relationships with the indigenous Christian population, and visits to our partner projects and the holy sites. Preparation for the trip that involves required reading and a commitment to action upon their return are key components in these trips. I am happy to coordinate UMVIM trips with EO, however, they MUST be in compliance with the standards and guidelines our denomination has so carefully laid out. I encourage you to continue to be in touch with me prior to sending a team so that we can place them well, and ensure their visit meets the recommendations outlined by our denomination. Together we can make sure the visits are educational, enlightening and spiritually renewing, not just an act of charity. With appreciation, Janet Lahr LewisUnited Methodist Liaison in Israel and PalestinePO Box 1463191146 JerusalemIsrael-PalestineWk: +972 2 277 0047Mobile: +972 (0)54 669 7736Emails:
jlahrlewis@yahoo.com, jllewis@annadwa.org

Please read: Resolution 292: Holy Land Tours From the Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church 2008, pp. 767-769. Copyright © 2008, The United Methodist Publishing House, used by permission.