CONTACT INFO FOR SUPER STORM SANDY VOLUNTEERS; FUTURE VOLUNTEERS AND TEAMS FROM CAL-NEVADA CONFERENCE; YOUNG ADULT SUMMER MISSION OPPORTUNITY

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS WANTING TO SERVE IN SUPER STORM SANDY RECOVERY

 

 

Below are the points of contact for Hurricane Sandy Relief. Both of these conferences are currently accepting long term recovery teams.

The majority of the work in the DE/Peninsula AC is in a small fishing village, Crisfield, MD, where 350-500 homes were flooded by the tidal surge. Three ERTs from the Western Jurisdiction deployed to this village in December and January. Crisfield is said to be the poorest town in the poorest county in Maryland. They were originally refused FEMA individual assistance but that decision was reversed on appeal. The Disaster Response Coordinator is having difficulty getting volunteers because all the media attention is on New Jersey and New York. The WJ ERTs were welcomed by the community and well taken care of by volunteers at Asbury UMC. I admit to having a strong bias toward supporting this community. The DRC told me yesterday they are doing both muck out and recovery.

I don't know much about the Greater New Jersey AC except what I hear from George Abrams, our Disaster Response Coordinator who is there as a FEMA Volunteer Agency Liaison, and from one of the Region 10 FEMA Volunteer Agency Liaisons. Both of them have high praise for the NJ VOAD and the efforts of Rev. Doherty. They are well organized and efficient. The GNJAC Bishop has made this a high priority and has stated they need 10,000 volunteers to help with the recovery.

The New York Annual Conference is only accepting teams led by an ERT trained team leader at this time. You may want to check back later if you are interested in going to New York. The PNW Annual Conference has over 100 ERT trained volunteers. If you are thinking about taking a team to NY, we may be able to find an ERT willing to lead the team.

Delaware/Peninsula Annual Conference

Pastor Rich Walton, Sr - Disaster Response Coordinator

email pastorrich@att.net

410-252-5593 (cell)

Greater New Jersey Annual Conference

Rev Derrick Doherty

email MUMC.pastor@comcast.net

work phone 732-671-0707

mobile 732-996-4947

website www.middletownumcnj.org

New York Annual Conference

Rev. Joseph Ewoodzie

email nyacdisaster@gmail.com

914-615-2233

webpage http://nyac.com/pages/detail/1786

If I can be of any more assistance, please let me know.

Jim Truitt

UMVIM Disaster Response Coordinator

PNW Conference United Methodist Church

23441 147th Ave SE

Kent, WA 98042

253-630-1268 (H)

253-797-1680 (C)

umvimdisasterresponse@comcast.net

Facebook.com/umvim.pnwumc

 

FUTURE TEAMS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM CAL-NEVADA CONFERENCE

 

Continue to pray for the on-going food program mission (The Thomas Project) serving children in Haiti.
(Visit) http://www.srvumc.org/global-mission

Hurricane Sandy Teams Please pray for the survivors and the volunteers who are responding to help them.

Individual Volunteers
Bill Borah of Sacramento – St. Mark’s UMC continues to serve in Haiti.

Warren McGuffin of Alamo - San Ramon Valley UMC continues to serve in Haiti.

Viri Batiratu of Centennial UMC continues to serve in partnership with Fiji.

Martha Milk of Yerington UMC serves in Elkton, Maryland.

Montague UMC hosts volunteersJoe & Sheila Morgan, the other members of this church community and those who come to serve.

North Gold Country Circuit United Methodist Churches host volunteersSusan Kopp leads and serves with Danny Kopp, Roberta Foster, Gary Foster and Nita Browning of North San Juan UMC and volunteers as they come to serve.

Hope UMC – South San Francisco hosts volunteersDee Anne Paron, members of Hope UMC and volunteers as they come to serve.

Davis UMC Team to Delhi & Mumbai, India –November 11 – February 8Mary Philip leads and serves with Philip Kurien, Alex Achimore, Karen Fess, Wil Uecker and Catherine Buscaglia of Davis UMC.

Sierra Pines UMC Team to Israel/Palestine –December 28 – March 13Yvonne Turner and Rosann Mackey lead and serve with Fred Skeen, Frederick Washington, Alison Berry, Donald King and Elaine King of Sierra Pines UMC, Barbara Dean of Nevada City UMC, Mary Arakalian of Loomis - FUMC Loomis.

San Jose – Almaden Hills UMC Team to Bani, Pangasinan, Philippines – February 2-16Lilian Guansing of San Jose – Almaden Hills UMC leads and serves with Shirley F. Notario, Joseph Notario, Portia Cuesta, Sofia Natata, Leila Carlino, Mariolou Credo, Racelle Credo, Naomi Baluyut and Sabastian Delos Santos.

Amador County UM Churches Team to Panajachel, Guatemala – February 16-24

Tim Gravatt leads and serves with Gina Gravatt, Kiley Gravatt, Jace Gravatt and Tiffany Thompson of Amador County UM Churches, Darrell Perkins, Linda Perkins, Doug Klosters and Marsha Klosters of Sutter Creek UMC, Glenn Gillum and Darlene Gillum of Ione Community UMC.

 

Global Justice Volunteers

A Summer Volunteer Opportunity for young adults ages 18-30

The Global Justice Volunteers program of the General Board of Global Ministries is a short-term service opportunity for young adults. Participants are from all over the world, serve all over the world and range in age from 18 to 30. Small teams of volunteers spend 10 weeks, in the months of June-August, learning and working alongside local communities exploring the role and responsibility of the church to engage in mission, ministry, and service that seek to transform our world into a more just place.

Cost and Finances

The majority of the program costs are covered by Global Ministries, including: airfare to and from orientation, airfare to and from your placement site, food and ground transportation during orientation and while in service, as well as housing during orientation and while in service.

Global Justice Volunteers are asked to contribute to a general stewardship fund for the program. Each participant will be asked to fundraise $200-$2,000 which will go toward scholarships for Global Justice Volunteers coming from communities with fewer resources. Please note that this amount is flexible. Some of you will raise twice the amount, while others will raise less than $200. Do not let fundraising deter you from participating in the program. The New York-based staff person will work with you to augment this responsibility so it is manageable and works for everyone in every context.

For more information please check out the Participant Handbook or be in contact with the GJV Office.

 

Global Justice Volunteer Program
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 314
New York, NY 10115, USA
(212) 870-3659
Email: mfrazier@umcmission.org
gavitia@umcmission.org

2013 Program Calendar

Candidate Application Deadline: March 1
Placement Site Application Deadline: February 8
Participant Notification: March 8
Program Dates: June 8 - August 11
Orientation: June 8 - June 15
Service Internship: June 15 - August 11

http://vimeo.com/36439983  Watch video of a Global Justice Volunteer describe her experience in mission from this link!

 



CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM UMVIMW WJ OFFICE

 

 

 

UMVIM WJ WISHES YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR! 

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT OF AND PRAYERS FOR OUR TEAMS, UMVIM PROJECT SITES AND UMVIM CONFERENCE COORDINATORS!!!

 

 

Blessings,

 

Heather Wilson, UMVIM WJ Coordinator

SUPERTSTORM SANDY NEWS; THREE WJ ERT TEAMS DEPLOYED TO RESPOND TO SANDY

Superstorm Sandy News

Greater New Jersey, Pennsylvania-Delaware and New York Conferences are all open to combination ERT-volunteer teams. They are asking for a ratio of 1:3 ERT- trained to non-trained team members in hopes of increasing the number of volunteers and the awareness of ERT.

For any questions regarding volunteers, please email Greg Forrester at umvimnej@twcny.rr.com

New York Conference : www.nyac.com - 5 sites open. Teams can register online.

• Greater New Jersey Conference : www.gnjumc.org - 9 sites open. Can register online. Not a lot of assessed locations - your team may have to do some assessments along with relief work.
• Peninsula-Delaware Conference. Schedule teams through the Disaster Response Coordinator, Rich Walton, pastorrich@att.net.
• West Virginia Conference - Contact Jenny Gannaway at jennygannaway@frontier.com

20,000+ Cleaning Buckets have been sent to NY and NJ, however they are still needed. Please consider using a day this Advent Season to create additional Buckets. More information can be found at this link: http://www.umcor.org/UMCOR/Relief-Supplies

 

 

 

The Western Jurisdiction Deploys Three ERT Teams

to Respond to Superstorm Sandy

 

In addition to numerous financial donations, the Western Jurisdiction has three ERT (Early Response Teams) teams that will be serving the victims of Superstorm Sandy this month and in January.  Two of the teams are from the Cal-Pac Conference and the other team is from the Pacific Northwest Conference.  ERT teams provide a caring Christian presence during the early phases after a natural disaster/emergency.  They have been trained and certified via a partership between UMVIM (United Methodist Volunteers in Mission) and UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).  If you are interested in being trained as and ET please contact Heather Wilson at umvimwj@hotmail.com or at 818.333.6730.

 

 

 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: JOPLIN, GUATEMALA, KENYA, HAITI

Volunteer Opportunities

Joplin, MO: Are you interested in serving in the rebuild efforts in Joplin?  They are in need of volunteers through Rebuild Joplin.  If you want to schedule a team contact Maria at Maria.Olson@rebuildjoplin.org.  For more information please visit rebuildjoplin.org. and also connect with your UMVIM Conference Coordinator to let them know that you are serving in Joplin.

 

Guatemala: Additional volunteers are needed for a mission trip to the Western Highlands of Guatemala January 12-19, 2013. The service project will focus on community repairs needed as a result of recent earthquakes suffered by the highland Maya communities, as well as community and preventative health activities. No previous building or health experience necessary, and volunteers need not speak Spanish- translation is provided. The all-inclusive trip cost is $985 plus the cost of airfare. The team leader is Ben Blevins, and Volunteer leader for this team is Marilyn Blagg of the Staunton District. Please contact Marilyn for more details at marilynblagg@hotmail.com.

Kenya, July 2-19, 2013: Seeking team members to play an active part in His Great Commission in Kenya! Kenya Partners, a faith based non-profit arising out of a UM church mission initiative, has openings on the July 2-19, 2013 team to Nakuru Kenya. Combined team of those interested in medical, construction, education, soccer and VBS at boarding school for 700+ students and women's economic empowerment. All work coordinated with UMC leadership in Kenya. Extended stay/internships/alternate dates available. Contact diane@kenya-partners.org 336-210-3765

 

Haiti:  Hollywood UMC (CA) will be taking their 4th mission trip to the impoverished country of Haiti from January 18-26, 2013. They have openings on the team for experienced mission volunteers. If interested in joining the mission team or to make a donation towards their trip, please email the team leader, Michael Kelley.  His email address is: DisasterResponse@HollywoodUMC.org. The all inclusive cost per mission volunteer is $2,000.

ERTs (Early Response Team) INVITED TO SERVE IN GREATER NEW JERSEY AREA IN WAKE OF SUPERSTORM SANDY

ERTS (EARLY RESPONSE TEAMS) NOW ABLE TO BE RECEIVED IN GREATER NEW JERSEY AREA

 

GREATER NEW JERSEY is ready to receive ERTs - the door is open the invitation extended all ERTs.

You must be self-sustaining groups - churches will provide housing but you must do your own meals and be ready for flexible conditions.

Only self-starters should respond as this will be a door to door cleanup in some of the areas. Eight churches have been identified as host sites.

TO RECIEVE A LOCATION AND CONFIRMED DATES:

Greater New Jersey - send email to: DisasterResponse@gnjumc.org

You will be contacted by a representative of the GNJ conference disaster team.

Please list : Name and contact info, Church, Annual Conference, team size, dates available to respond

MEANWHILE - continue to collect supplies for Cleanup buckets and Health kits. We have already distributed thousands and will need thousands more.

Your gift to UMCOR US Disaster Response, Hurricanes 2012, Advance #3021787, will help UMCOR to be with storm survivors over the long term of

their recovery. PRAY!!!

Should you have further questions or concerns please contact the UMVIM NEJ office so as to allow the affected conference Disaster teams the time necessary for their work.

Blessings,

Greg Forrester, UMVIM NEJ Coord.

RESPONSE TO HURRICANE SANDY

RESPONSE TO HURRICANE SANDY VIA UMCOR (UNITED METHODIST COMMITTEE ON RELIEF)

Entire coastal towns underwater. Millions without power. A paralyzed New York City. Damage that can't even be tallied until the water recedes. Yet within the devastation left by Hurricane Sandy, The United Methodist Church is offering sparks of hope.

Joseph Ewoodzie, disaster response coordinator for the New York Conference, was, by the hour, naming more and more communities with what he calls "major hits" by Hurricane Sandy. "Long Island has been devastated," he said. "In Connecticut, Fairfield and Bridgeport were hit really hard. People are rowing boats down the streets."

But as Ewoodzie received calls reporting new damage, he also received news that churches were opening their doors to evacuees, checking on communities, and praying for people who will go home only to find they've lost everything.

In Shelton, CT, where power outages were spotty, the Shelton First United Methodist Church was open for people without power to charge their cell phones and simply touch base, as severe pockets of damage were revealed, said the Rev. Heather McClendon Sinclair, pastor.  "We are using Facebook as a tool for communication, and it has done quite well for us," she said. "Aside from opening up the church, our response at the moment is to use a call list we put together before the hurricane to make sure everyone is okay. After tonight into tomorrow, when the waters recede, we will be stepping up the cleanup response."

As requests streamed in for UMCOR's cleaning buckets and health kits, Ewoodzie wished to remind people that recovery in his state will be going on long after Hurricane Sandy leaves the headlines. "The real ministry awaits us in the months, and even years, to come," he said. "Let us stay with the affected people until they recover. Let them feel confident that we will stay with them until they make a healthy, holistic recovery."

In New Jersey, many evacuees were still out of their homes, said Carol Brozosky, an Early Response Team leader. "The barrier islands are just completely destroyed," she said, "and across the state, the damage is so severe and so spread out that it's difficult at this point to name the worst-hit communities. But clearly the coastal towns really bore the brunt."

UMCOR has issued $10,000 emergency grants to the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, Greater New Jersey Conference, New York Conference, New York Disaster Interfaith Services, and the North Carolina Conference.
Even as the US. reeled from the storm, Haiti and other Caribbean countries in the storm's path were also struggling to recover. The United Methodist Church was helping to meet the needs of storm survivors in Haiti, where Hurricane Sandy killed 51 people.

Because of UMCOR's support and emphasis on disaster preparedness, response in Haiti was strengthened, reported UMCOR’s head of mission in Haiti. "I think organizations based in heavily affected areas were able to respond with what they had on hand—which is good news that preparedness planning is helping to mitigate some of the storm effects," she said.

But needs in Haiti—as well as in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Jamaica—are serious and ongoing. As communications increase, UMCOR continues to support its local Caribbean partners as they meet the needs of hurricane survivors.

Help bring hope to those in Hurricane Sandy's path. Please donate to UMCOR US Disaster Response, Hurricanes 2012, Advance #3021787 . You can also text the word RESPONSE to 80888 to give an immediate $10 donation.
*Susan Kim is a journalist and regular contributor to www.umcor.org.
Photo courtesy washingtonpost.com

YOUTH EVENT; TEAMS NEEDED IN CUBA, NORTHERN COLORADO, MISSISSIPPI; FUTURE TEAMS

YOUTH EVENT, TEAMS NEEDED & FUTURE TEAMS NEWS

 

CAL-PAC CONFERENCE YOUTH EVENT - FOCUS ON MISSIONS & TRANSFORMATION

 

The deadline for the Transformers retreat is this coming Thursday, November 1, 2012 and it is fast approaching. We are looking to have youth from every mission area and need your help to recruit and encourage your youth to attend. The cost of the event is $85, we are suggesting that the youth pay $35 and the church or mission area pay $50.

Transformers is a retreat for youth in leadership and youth leaders to learn about a particular topic and put together a program to bring back to the church and local community to help transform the world.

This year’s retreat will focus on Wesley’s tenet of “Do No Harm”, we will be looking at the topic of bullying and putting together programs to help educate others about bullying and help to eradicate it.

Please see the attached brochure and application. For more information go towww.calpacyoungpeople.org or contact Erin Foellmi at efoellmi@cal-pac.org or 626-568-7360.

Hurricane Isaac Teams Needed in Mississippi:Teams are needed for roofing, drywall and other home repair. Affordable housing through Camp Love ($15/day) is available as well as at several churches. Teams will need to be self sufficient and ready to contribute toward the cost of materials. Inquiries should be directed to Beth Dean, Mississippi Committee on Relief Program Coordinator at: disastercenter.msumc@gmail.com or beth@mississippi-umc.org. Calls can be made to 1.866.435.7091.


UMVIM Team to Cuba Needs Volunteers:
Hyde Park UMC is leading a team to Cuba and has open spots. Dates of trip at 2/23-3/2/2013. Flight will be from Tampa to Havana. For more information, please email Drema Muller at dmuller118@hotmail.com.


UMVIM Team to Haiti Needs Volunteers:
Epworth UMC is sending a construction team to Fond Doux, Haiti to repair damaged areas after Isaac. Dates of trip at December 9-15, 2012. For more information, please call Ed Cerne at 919.408.6359.


Northern Colorado Long Term Recovery Group Needs UMVIM Volunteers:
Need volunteers who are willing to work with tree removal, road repair and winter preparations of private residences that were affected by the High Park and Estes Park fires over the summer. For more information, please email Nancy Boswell at nboswell@q.com.


UMVIM Team Needs a Nurse Anesthetist:
Dr. Young Choi is planning a cataract surgical mission to Honduras January 5-13, 2013 at Hospital Loma de Luz in Balfate. He needs a nurse anesthetist to complete his team. Please email Dr. Choi at yhchoi2005@yahoo.com.


College and Young Adult Mission Camp in January:
M25 Mission Camp in Marietta, GA is hosting a MLK Weekend Camp to serve downtown Atlanta. Students and Young Adults will work with the homeless and also will serve in a soup kitchen. There will be a worship service each night. For more information, please check their website: www.m25camp.org and contact Gabe Barrett at gabe.barrett@mtbethel.org.