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 1^st 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



STORM DISASTERS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN USA

STORMS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN USA

DISASTER NEWS

Yesterday, Sunday April 27, 2014, several tornadoes ripped through seven states, including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Louisiana.  According to reports, over 30 tornadoes occurred and caused severe damage in Arkansas and Oklahoma.  

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has reported that so far 19 people have died and 53,000 people remain without power and there have been about a dozen homes destroyed.

Greg Forrester, of UMCOR, has asked that UMVIM volunteers and their local churches repond through prayers and by giving donations to UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response Advance #901670, and by providing UMCOR with relief supplies, especially health kits.  You can find what items are needed to make a health kit and how to send them to the UMCOR Depots in Salt Lake City, Utah and Sager Brown in Louisiana at umcor.org.

Please also contact your UMVIM Conference Coordinator and this website to get the latest updates.  Please do not self-deploy to these affected areas.  When the areas affected are ready to receive volunteers, UMVIM WJ will inform your UMVIM Conference Coordinators.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

-UMVIM WJ Office

THE LORD HAS RISEN; RX/ROUND UP CONSULTATION; MISSION EVENTS; MISSION REUNION; SITES NEEDING VOLUNTEERS

 

BLESSINGS!  THE LORD HAS RISEN!!

 

 

 

 

 

UMVIM WJ hopes you all had a very blessed Easter.  May the rest of your year be filled with hope as you remember that Jesus has risen and lives in you!

 

RX / ROUND UP CONSULTATION - 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.  Please go ahead and register.  Pictures of our guests and speakers will be added as they come in (!) Just an FYI - all five Jurisdictional UMVIM Coordinators will make an appearance and help with the workshops in one way or another!   We will have a Jurisdictional Coordinator's meeting with Una Jones following the RoundUP on Sunday afternoon.  For more information, please contact Lorna Jost at umvim-ncj@brookings.net.

 

 

MISSION EVENTS

 

 

 

Children Disaster Services Training - if you are interested in serving children after a disaster then please attend the training held by Children Disaster Services. Since 1980 Children’s Disaster Services has been caring for children after disasters in shelters and assistance centers by providing volunteers specially trained and certified to care for children who have experienced a disaster.  Using techniques that utilize toys that encourage expression, volunteers provide a calm safe and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos created by a disaster.  Although we are part of Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries, our workshop is open to anyone over the age of 18.  Please visit our website for more information. www.childrensdisasterservices.org

 

Location and Dates

Victor United Methodist Church

106 East Main Street

Victor, New York 14584

June 13-14, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

Liberia Partner Summit, Nov 13-14, 2014. Please save the dates  and join us for this year's Summit: Thursday, Nov. 13 beginning with noon lunch on Thurs, Nov 13 and concluding with banquet and worship on the evening of Fri, Nov 14.  Nardin Park UMC,  29887 West 11 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, MI will host this year's event and is about 30 minutes from the airport.  More information will be available later this summer.  From Keith Zimmerman, Event steering committee member.

 

 

Global Partnership Summit, will be held at the Church of the Resurrection on May 14-16.  This is an gathering. The focus is on Central Asia, Honduras and Malawi, but the nature of the program will be "spot on" for ALL doing Missions and wanting to use the 50/50 Partnership Model... good for both Global and Local missions!!! Visit "In Mission Together"   and click on the Global Partnership Summit Icon. Registration here. 

 

 

 

June 20-22, 2014. Vietnam Consultation. Pastors Ut and Karen To left Vietnam as boat people back in the '70s. Thanks to some generous United Methodists, they received a college and seminary education and served churches in Michigan. About 10 years ago, they felt the call to return to their homeland and be our mission coordinators there. They have been developing house churches, orphanages, and other ministries ever since. We are bringing Ut and Karen to Richfield United Methodist Church, June 20-22 to explore a MN Conference partnership with Vietnam Methodist churches. From Lyndy Zabel, director of missional impact for the Minnesota Annual Conference.

 

 

"Blessed are the peacemakers." Matthew 5:9 Join United Methodist and Palestinian Christian leaders on Thursday and Friday, August 7-8, 2014 for Walking with Palestinian Christians... for holy justice and peace, co-sponsored by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries and Ginghamsburg Church.  Through prayer, fellowship and study, we as United Methodists in partnership with Palestinian Christians will seek to put God's call to love all our neighbors into action for justice & peace. Brochure.  Registration.

National VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) list for April 2014 - check out all the places your UMC is working through volunteers and UMCOR! From Cathy Earl.

MISSION CELEBRATION AND REUNION

 

SITES NEEDING VOLUNTEERS

 

 

TEXAS, Granbury. The Central Texas Conference announces Granbury, Texas now receiving UMVIM teams - this is the site of the fertilizer plant explosion on April 17, 2013. Project coordinators anticipate that the rebuilding of Granbury, TX will take many years, so your repeated presence is welcomed. *We prefer VIM teams of at least five (5) people and up to twenty-five (25) depending on the available living arrangements. Therefore, if you have a team less than five (5), we will combine groups in an effort to reach the minimum number of five (5) team members. There MUST be a team leader for each team, preferably selected by the team members who will serve together. If you stay overnight, you will sleep at a site near Granbury. Your team will be placed where there is available space based on your size. There is no cost for teams who serve for the day without staying overnight. For all volunteers, the suggested DONATION per person per day is $15. This includes orientation, housing at a United Methodist Church or related facility if staying overnight, daily shower access, bottled water, and administrative costs. There is no required materials fee for this disaster; however contributions up to $100 per person can be accepted to help cover material costs. More information and Register here: http://www.ctcumc.org/pages/detail/2220. We appreciate you signing up to serve as a team or member of a REBUILD team to Granbury, TX. You will receive project location and housing information as soon as we have processed your information, including payment. If you have questions or comments, please email.

 

 

MISSOURI, Joplin. Dan Steska, MO DRC writes " We (UMC) are not present in Joplin, in terms of coordinating volunteers or construction, but we have given Rebuild Joplin a large grant to help them in their rebuilding process. We are also directing volunteers to contact them for mission trips. I also believe that a couple of UMC churches in the area may continue to host, also.  Contact information: Thomas Corley, Director of Development, Rebuild Joplin, O: 417.623.0065, C: 417.413.1585.

 

 

 

 

 

 



UPDATE ON MUDSLIDE IN WASHINGTON

 

 

UPDATE ON MUDSLIDE IN WASHINGTON STATE

 

 

 

 

From Jim Truitt:

 

 

Here's what I know as of this morning:

• Mother nature still seems to be doing what she does best and is taking care of things herself. The river has cut a new channel, the water is flowing in a well behaved manner and has rejoined the river bed down stream. This dramatically reduces the probablility of a catastrophic release of water and consequent flooding.
• They are still calling this the rescue/recovery phase while they look for survivors and those that didn't make it.
• As we have seen in almost all disasters, there are more unaffiliated volunteers (SUVs) than the communities can handle. They turned away many of them yesterday and have put roadblocks on the roads leading into Darington. Only registered and specialized volunteers are being allowed in the slide area.
• There have been no requests for ERT type assistance. Based on the information I have from the media, emergency agencies, people on the ground in Arlington and the VOAD, it is unlikely we will be asked to send ERTs into the area. If we are asked to respond, it will not be any time soon.

I know you are anxious to help. So am I. But, they don't need our support right now. They need people with search and rescue training, heavy equipment operators, chain saw operators, and dog teams.

Ok, so you and I can make a donation right? Yes we can. Please make it a monetary donation and not clothing or household goods. As we often see donations of goods are already creating a problem. The survivors and those affected by the slide need money for the essentials of life - food, gas, utility bills, lodging, etc. They don't need a toaster right now.

 

You can make a donation to the PNW Disaster Relief Fund by sending a check to:
PNW Conference Treasurer
PO Box 13650
Des Moines, WA 98198
If you want your donation to be used only for this event, put Oso Mudslide on the memo line.

Please keep all of those impacted by the mudslide in your prayers.  

Jim
 

To respond to this message, click umvimdisasterresponse@comcast.net


NEWS ON MUDSLIDES IN WASHINGTON STATE; FUTURE TEAMS/VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES; CHILE GATHERING

 

After Mudslide

 

Before Mudslide


 

NEWS ON MUDSLIDES IN WASHINGTON STATE

 

 

Reported by Jim Truitt, UMVIM ERT Conference Coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Conference (umvimdisasterresponse@comcast.net):

 

Here's what I know as of this morning:

• Mother nature seems to be doing what she does best and is taking care of things herself. The river has topped the mudslide dam and is cutting a new channel. The water is flowing in a well behaved manner and has rejoined the river bed down stream. This dramatically reduces the probablility of a catastrophic release of water and consequent flooding.
• No homes downstream of the mudslide have been damaged thus far. Upstream there are 7 homes with water up to the eaves. 
• The town of Darington is cut off from the outside world. There is no road access, communications are down, and I'm not sure about power.

Here's what I've done in addition to notifying you:

• I have sent emails to the pastors at Arlington, Stanwood and Darington to let them know we are available when they need us. I have not heard from any of them so far.
• I have notified the Washington State VOAD and EOC that we have ERTs available when needed. The VOAD will work with the Snohomish County EOC to determine what support they need and when. Our partners on VOAD are communicating with each other to make sure we all know what we're doing or can do. I've had an offer from Catholic Community Services to join forces for muck-out and clean up if needed.
• I have kept George Abrams and Stan Norman informed so the Disaster Response Team is fully aware of our actions.
• I have talked to Rev. Daniel Foster, the Puget Sound DS, and informed him of our actions thus far.

There's not much we as ERTs can do right now. We can't respond until the Emergency/rescue phase is over and they say it's safe to enter. Looking at the pictures of the landslide, it appears it will be quite some time before 530 is open to traffic. In the meantime, I encourage you to be prepared to respond on short notice.

FUTURE TEAMS/VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNTIES

 

 

Honduras:  May 23-May 31, 2014.  Medical mission to Limon, Honduras needs physicians, PAs, NPs, RNs, and other medical professionals.  Others are welcomed to assist with Bible stories and crafts.  For more information, please email Lou Altman at laaltman@netscape.net

 

 

  

Kenya:  July 11-18, 2014.  Medical mission needs medical and non-medical persons.  For more information, please email Lynn Renne at Irenne@aol.com

 

 

 

  

Russia:  June 12-25, 2014.  LAVIM Mission to Ekaterinburg, Russia.  Construction and Bible School during week in  Ekaterinburg.  1-1/2 days in Moscow and 1-1/2 days in St. Petersburg.  For more information, please contact James Gillespie at wgilles293@aol.com 

 

 



 

 

 

CHILE GATHERING

 

 

 

If you are interested in learning more about mission work in Chile and/or to celebrate the wonderful ministry that is in Chile, please attend the Chile Gathering in Santa Cruz, CA, Sept. 5-7, 2014.  If you are interested, please contact Beryl and Stan Moore at chile-gathering@cox.net.