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, May 9, 2014

INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER TRAINING; MISSION NEWS AND UPDATES


INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER TRAINING - JULY 9-13, 2014

If you have applied to serve as an Individual Volunteer, then please attend the Individual Volunteer Training event July 9-13, 2014 at Aldersgate Retreat Center in Pacific Palisades, CA.  At the training you will be able to fellowship with other volunteers and learn important information about serving in love through the Individual Volunteer ministry.  If you have any questions, please contact your UMVIM Conference Coordinator or Jay Cooper at jcooper@umcmission.org. 

 
MISSION NEWS AND UPDATES


 
Chile Gathering - Santa Cruz, CA September 2014
All are welcome to attend the upcoming Chile Gathering in Santa Cruz, CA September 5-7, 2014.  Stanley and Beryl Moore will be leading the event and it is sure to inspire!  Please come to learn more about mission and ministry work in Chile and fellowship with others who have a heart for Chile and/or are interested in learning more!  For more information, please contact Stanley Moore at gpamoore@gmail.com.



MFSA - Cal-Pac Chapter Event, May 10, 2014
The Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) will be hosting an event called, "New Beginnings, Doing Justice in New Ways and Places", at Alhambra First UMC in Alhambra, CA, 8:30 am to 2:45 pm.  All are welcome to attend, especially UMVIMers who have a passion for justice for all of God's children.  For more information about MFSA and their ministry for justice please contact Janet at minister@churchop.org.


 
 

Team from Wisconsin coming to serve in Colorado:
COLORADO - September 6-14, 2014.  Disaster Response, just added to Wisconsin Conference booklet. Last September several counties in Colorado were subjected to massive flooding due to a 1000 year flood from 8 days of relentless rain. Eight people were killed, over 2000 homes damaged or destroyed and hundreds of miles of roads and bridges washed out. Wisconsin National VIM will respond with a rebuilding team, leaving by bus from Platteville on September 6th for the two easy travel days to Greeley, Colorado. We will be housed in a church in the area, sleeping on VIM air mattresses and preparing our meals in the church kitchen. The team will be limited to 40 members due to housing room available, so register early to be assured of your participation. We must have at least 30 people registered for the bus before registrations from those wishing to drive out on their own will be confirmed. We will take some time off on Wednesday to take an optional bus trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. Registration cost will be $460.00, which will cover the bus, motels out and back, food on work days and a donation to the project for materials used.
Cost for those driving on their own will be $240.00. TEAM LEADERS - Bob and Carol Clingan, 1738 Decorah Rd, West Bend WI 53095; 262-334-7423. REGISTRAR - Vince Ramsden, 5811 County Rd P, Highland WI 53543; 608-929-4931.

 
Round-Up and RX Connection - August 2014
The final touches are being put on the upcoming RoundUP + Rx Consultation, Aug 8-10, 2014, at Epworth Forest Camp and Retreat Center, North Webster, IN (midway between Fort Wayne South Bend, IN).  The event landing page contains the information on workshops, speakers, displays, etc.  Registration is now open!
 
Besides Willie Berman, other missionaries will be with us to talk about their sites and opportunities for UMVIM teams and collaboration: Rhett Thompson, Panama; Ardell and Gordon Graner, Dominican Republic and Jeff and Debbie Wasilevich, Individual Volunteers (NIC), Bolivia will be in attendance!  For more information please contact, Lorna Jost, at umvim-ncj@brookings.net. 

Friday, May 2, 2014

CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF LINDA CHEVALIER - WJ ERT VOLUNTEER; FUTURE TEAMS FROM CAL-NEVADA;US STORM RECOVERY; NEEDS AND NEWS


 
CELEBRATING AND REMEMBERING LINDA CHEVALIER
WJ ERT VOLUNTEER

Linda pictured here in red shirt on the left
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Western Jurisdiction has lost an amazing volunteer and woman, Linda Chevalier.  Please lift her family up in prayer as they grieve the loss of their loved one while also celebrating her life, which was full of service and love.  She will be greatly missed.
 
Linda's car was broadsided by two individuals, one a felon who were fleeing from Police.  Most likely she never knew what hit her.  The two in the other car are in a Phoenix hospital with serious back injuries.  Linda was on her way home or to the church, not sure.  She had been helping a shut-in with needed services and was returning.  She never made it to the helicopter as she died before they could airlift her.
 
Her funeral service will be May 10th at 11:00 AM at St. John's UMC in Kingman located at 1730 Kino Ave, Kingman, AZ 86409-3083. 
 
An added note.  I just received a call from Catherine Earl, UMCOR, Washington, DC office offering condolences for Linda's family and all of us as we deal with her loss.  I also got a note from Rick Hill who handles all our badging for UMCOR with the same care and compassion.  The UMCOR family is amazing and truly embodies United Methodism and Christianity.
Please keep the Chevalier family and St John's UMC in your prayers.
Blessings,
 
Rev. Bob Cutlipp
Desert Southwest Conference UMC
Disaster Response Coordinator
520-253-0027 (cell phone)
 
 
 
FUTURE TEAMS FROM CAL-NEVADA

 
 
New Community UMC Oakhurst team to UMCOR Depot West (Salt Lake City) April 28-May 2: Ken Rawlings leads and serves with Kent Byers, Victor Izzo, Helen Mansfield, and Janet Rawlings.

The Care-A-Vaners travel to Selma UMC May 4-11: Lynn Caudle leads and serves with Linda and Darrell Perkin, Gayle and John Pickrell-Davenport, Susan and Dave Sargent, Elaine and Gene Hill, Ina and Marv Tanner, and Susie Caudle.

Reno 1st UMC team to Camp Lodestar May 11-17: Patti Bengtson leads and serves with Ralph and Barbara Drake, Richard Drath, Jim and Lucy Gratteau, Dale and Patti Hampton, Marilyn Hewitt, Darlene Luster, Betsy Morse, Gary and Jackie Ray, Jackie Ruffin, Katie Salo, Jeff Spalin, Alycia Stuart, Jay Stuart and Nancy Wong.

Modesto 1st team to UMCOR Depot West (Salt Lake City) May 23-26 to be led by Judy Church.

Chinese Community UMC Oakland team to Kumi Visionary School, Uganda, May 27-June 10: Aeri Lee leads and serves with Connie Branson, Donna Jo Chan, Steven Chan, Emma Hom, Jeffrey Lu, Michelle Lu, Philip Noordmans, Teri Noordmans, Jacinto Obrera, Benjamin Wong, and Rebecca Wong.


For more information about these tams and their ministry, please contact Cal-Nevada UMVIM Conference Coordinator, Phil Bandy, at philb@calnevumc.org or at 916.374.1582.
 
 
US STORM RECOVERY - HOW YOU CAN HELP

 
 
On Sunday, April 27, an outbreak of tornadoes tore through seven Southern and Midwestern states, devastating several communities. The hardest-hit states were Arkansas and Oklahoma. The small towns of Mayflower and Vilonia in Arkansas, and Quapaw in Oklahoma were among the most severely affected. Baxter Springs, Kansas, just five miles from Quapaw, was also impacted.

Across eastern North Carolina, multiple tornadoes touched down over the weekend damaging and destroying more than 300 homes and causing damage in more than eight counties.
Greg Forrester, UMCOR’s US Disaster Response executive, mentioned ways United Methodists can help. He stated, “You can help UMCOR respond to this powerful event by keeping all those affected in your prayers; by giving to UMCOR US Disaster Response; and by working with your church community to provide UMCOR kits, especially health kits.” Forrester also asked for continued prayers for survivors and the efforts of first-responders.

Tornadoes have also ripped through Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, bringing the death toll to at least 28, as of this writing.

So far, as requested by affected annual conferences, UMCOR has provided emergency grants to North Carolina, Great Plains and North Alabama.  
 
 
 
Please visit www.umcor.org to give a donation to UMCOR US Disaster Response Advance and to receive more information about UMCOR health kits.

 
NEEDS AND NEWS

Fiji - Volunteers wanted to serve in Fiji.  Please contact Fiji Mission Coordinator Virisila Batiratu at vshyou@yahoo.com or at 916.756.7280.

Tornado Relief - Seeking teams with members of all skill sets to build and complete homes. Please contact Lori Feist a lfeist@umcna.org

Superstorm Sandy Relief. Seeking teams to assist with addressing long-term needs for those who have been displaced. Please contact Tom Vencuss at tvencuss@nyac.com.  

2011 Mobile Christmas Tornado Relief. Seeking teams to assist in repairing the 35 homes still on their list, specifically with roofing and interior repairs. Please visit their website for volunteer forms and more information.
 Hurricane Irene Relief. Efforts will continue throughout 2014 as the list of needs grow and as funding and volunteer support are coming in. Approximately 70 more cases are still open. Seeking teams with all skill levels, particularly in roofing and interior repair. For more information, please contact Cliff Harvell at cliffharvell@nccumc.org.

Disaster Relief Kits  Kits are a means of providing hope and are tremendous way of connecting the church to missions across the United States and the world. Constructing Disaster Relief kits are an especially effective way for Children's Ministries and/or those who are unable to participate in manual labor to engage in disaster relief. Click here to learn more.



Global Mission Partnership Summit - We are happy to announce that the deadline for the early bird registration rate of just $99 per person, or $79 for groups of five or more has been extended to May 1, 2014.  
 
In Mission Together (IMT), a global partnership network for Global Ministries that equips leaders from local churches for transformational partnerships through cutting-edge training from the US and around the world, will be hosting the Global Partnership Summit (GPS) in collaboration with the Great Plains Conference at the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood KS, May 14-16, 2014.  
 
This once-in-a-lifetime gathering features practitioners from around the world who are leading disciple-making movements based on the Wesleyan model.  They will be sharing their insights and providing training for equipping and empowering your church both locally and globally.  
  Highlights of the Summit include:
  • Keynote address by Adam Hamilton
  • Best practices for mobilizing your congregation 
  • Equipping your partnerships for long-term, asset-based missional impact 
  • Simultaneous global interaction with partners on three continents: Asia, Africa, and North America
  • Lessons from the emerging church around the world

Event Schedule and Registration Information
 

Make you hotel reservations today! Use BizTrip Corporate ID # 312496 for the rates listed below.
 
Drury Inn
10963 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, KS  66210
913-345-1500 

$81.00 Doubles/King
Free Continental Breakfast

 
Pear Tree
10951 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, KS 66210
913-451-0200 

$66.00 Doubles/King 
Free Continental Breakfast
 

Rev. Patrick Friday
Director, In Mission Together, Global Partnership Network
General Board of Global Ministries
pfriday@umcmission.org