EARLY RESPONDERS REQUESTED FOR ALABAMA

Devastation from tornado in Alabama.

Request for Trained Early Responders

from Rev. Matt Lacey
North Alabama Conference

North Alabama invites UMCOR Emergency Response Trained [ERT}. If you have been ERT trained, here are the criteria which we are asking you to follow:

Team leaders MUST have a valid UMCOR ERT badge in the last 3 years. Team members must have a valid conference or UMCOR ERT badge in the last 5 years. To volunteer, please visit this site to register.

We are taking these criteria very seriously due to the nature of the damage of these massive storms. Please remember that we are a connectional system, and are going through the proper channels to insure everyone's safety and well-being

If your church wants to give an offering, please give through UMCOR's website by clicking here, or making a check out to the North Alabama Conference labeled with the Advance number 3021326.

I encourage you to follow the conference website, or find North Alabama missions on Facebook at www.facebook.com/missionsnal

This is a trying time for many, and we are called to, with God at our side, help to heal a hurting world. We will release any further information as we receive it. God Bless.

Rev. Matt Lacey, Director of Mission and Advocacy, North Alabama Conferencemlacey@northalabamaumc.org

MORE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: ORPHAN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT & HOME REPAIR MINISTRY

Farai Mashonganyika, Field Officer Zimbabwe (far right) Farai oversees our work in Zimbabwe. This includes delivery of food, medical care, and clothing supplies and coordination for visiting work teams. Farai is married and has three children.

MORE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES: ORPHAN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT & HOME REPAIR MINISTRY REQUESTING VOLUNTEERS

ZOE Ministry is a General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) Advance whose ministry focuses on working with orphans in Africa. ZOE Ministry has a handful of slots open on two upcoming mission trips to Rwanda: June 20-29 and August 21-30

The trips will cost approximately $3,200 and will introduce missioners to ZOE's remarkable orphan empowerment project. This project equips orphans to live self-reliant, faith-filled lives within three years, thus breaking the cycles of poverty and dependency. To learn more about this ministry please visit www.zoeministry.org. For more information on the upcoming trips please e-mail info@zoeministry.org

Operation Inasmuch of Mitchell County, NC is an interdenominational home repair ministry led by area United Methodists and is now accepting applications for spring, summer and fall mission teams. Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains near Spruce Pine, North Carolina, the ministry provides assistance to needy, elderly and handicapped residents. Dormitory style housing is provided for teams of up to 50 members. The housing units have a fully furnished kitchen. Teams must furnish their own linens and towels. Adult and youth teams are encouraged to apply. Teams may come for a weekend, a week or longer. For more information contact Neil Brown, 828-766-5922 or brownneil@bellsouth.net

UMVIM TRAINING

UMVIM TRAINING IN IDAHO - ALL ARE WELCOME

Faith in Action! United Methodist Volunteers in Mission training Who:

· Anyone wanting information and preparation for serving on a domestic or international mission team with the United Methodist Church

· Anyone planning to lead or assist a youth or adult mission team, either internationally or in the USA

When: Saturday; May 14, 2011 9:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. Where: Boise First United Methodist Church Cathedral of the Rockies 717 N. 11th, Boise 83702

For more information and registration, contact Scott and Bev Pressman, bspressman@gmail.com

SUMMER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN COSTA RICA AND THE SOUTHERN USA

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN COSTA RICA AND SOUTHERN USA

1.Rice and Beans Ministries, Costa Rica, from Fred Curry:

The first team is May 3 to May 10th . food and prayer ministry , vbs, light construction , we always have medical opportunities. The second team is may 14 to may 21st ..food and prayer ministry , vbs, light construction , we always have medical opportunities.

For airfare purposes we can be flexible on the enter dates. Just contact me for more info.

Third we need more people for our Base Camp July 9th to July 16th or 17th ... we will be working with 3000 to 4000 children in 28 communities in 4 days... we will visit 400 to 500 or more families in food ministry... contact me for more info.. we need 30 more from the usa for this week.. we have participants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, USA and Panama ... we are inviting people from Mexico and Guatemala as well ... also here is the newest promo video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cU46DYXakA Fred Curry: fred@rabmin.org www.riceandbeansministries.com 2. Tennessee Home Repair/Flood Recovery, from Todd Fitch: I have up to 10 spots open. Minimum age 14. Individual Youths must have chaperone. I could really use one or two who are comfortable leading a home repair team of 4-5 mixed-age volunteers.

Cost is $175 plus road food and (shared) gas. Dates of travel: July 10-15, 2011

- Leaving from Christiansburg VA 10 July. Working somewhere within 1 hour of Nashville, TBD by UMCOR TN Conference. Won't know specifics until June. - Type of Work TBD by UMCOR TN Conference. Won't know specifics until June. Most likely Home Repair and/or Flood Recovery. They will try to match jobs to our mix of skills. I'm accepting volunteers until May 15. Todd Fitch: todd.fitch@comcast.net

3. Slidell Louisiana, from Henry Jarrett

I have some open spots on the work team I am leading to Louisiana July 24-31st. My church-Fairmont United Methodist Church is going to Slidell Louisiana and work with the Epworth Project which is helping build and rehab homes in the greater New Orleans area. Their website is www.epworthproject.com. Team members can ages 11 and up and there is no skill required. We do have about 5 spots open and I am asking each team member to contribute $350 to cover roundtrip airfare, insurance and ground transportation. I would need to know something by May 1st of possible. They can contact me at 919-606-5674 or by email at jarretth@bellsouth.net or my personal mailing address PO Box 18311 Raleigh NC 27619-8311.

SERVE IN EL SALVADOR; FUTURE TEAMS; TEAMS NEEDING VOLUNTEERS

SALVADORE MISSION PROJECTS

Looking for a place to serve? Check out Salvadore Mission Projects (SMP). It is the perfect destination for your workteam. You can find all the information you need to schedule a team at our website, www.salvadoranmissionprojects.com. While you are their please sign up for our 12 for 12 sup-port program. Your help is needed and will be greatly appreciated.

FUTURE TEAMS

Davis UMC Educational Team to Turkey – March 24 – April 6 Linda Deos and James Cramer lead and serve with Helen Roland, Eva Brock, Rosa Washington-Olson, Marcus Clark, Margo Clark, Elaine Ginosar and Alice Lakin of Davis UMC.

California – Nevada Conference Team to Haiti – March 27 – April 7 Suellen Rowlison leads and serves with Sara Munday, Carol Olmstead, Robert Olmstead, LeRoy Peters, John Prock and John Roberts of Placerville - Federated Community UMC, Julie Hastings and William Coye of Fullerton – FUMC and Manoj Kumar.

Los Altos / Palo Alto UMC Team to Camp Lodestar in Wilseyville, CA. – April 1 - 3 Leslie Carmichael leads and serves with Megan Alvey, Christopher Arnesen, Jacquelyn Chang, Jarrett Fishpaw, Meredith Forney, Emily Grendon, Andrew Kittle, John Larson, Kaitlin Medeiros, Patricia Parfett, Jessica Prudence, Allen Sourvignier, Brent Taylor, Hal Taylor, Derek Webb and Samuel Yun of Los Altos -Los Altos UMC and David Carmen of Palo Alto - FUMC.

Central Delta Area Team to Haiti – April 6 - 15 Bruce Burr leads and serves with John Curry, John Gabby and Jacy Franceschi of Dixon UMC, Patti Bartlebaugh and Lisa Shay of Brentwood UMC, Bob Buckner of Montegue UMC, Hope Harvey of Davis UMC, Lavonda Williams Ristow of Woodland UMC and Larry Gilbert of Alamo - San Ramon Valley UMC.

Los Gatos UMC Team to Colonet, Mexico – April 8 - 15 Larry Loper leads and serves with Cynthia Loper, Julia Loper, Gregory Loper, Justine Kwan, Tom Waldrop, Linda Waldrop, Susanna Waldrop, Kenneth Kasper, Bryan Mekechuk, Nikolas Mekechuk, Ryan Reyna, Jacob Ley, John Lynch and Amy Loofbourow of Los Gatos UMC.

Multi-Church Team to Slidell, Louisiana – April 9 - 23 Joe Hoffman of Dutch Flat UMC leads and serves with David Orland of Rancho Cordova UMC, Beth Murphy of Colfax UMC. Barbara Smith, Frank Sweeney, Sherrill Sweeney, Pat Kaiser, Carl Swain, Barbie Swain, Haley Hobbs, Sally Flores, Joel Pineda, Sandra Lashly, Kelsey Bartolomei and Noelle Gauldin of Pioneer UMC of Auburn.

Livermore – Asbury Team to Slidell, Louisiana – April 10 - 16 Roger Everett leads and serves with Dick Crawford, Sharmyn Crawford, Bobbie Johnson, Coleman Johnson, Art Molvik, John Van Scyoc and Philip Woolworth of Livermore - Asbury UMC, Alex Coffing and Ruth Coffing of Minneapolis, MN.

Irvine, CA. – University UMC Youth Team to Florin UMC (Sacramento) – April 17 - 23 Sarah Heath and Bob Theemling co-lead and serve with Ted Watkins, Jack Lucas, Jason Jackson, Jeff Moretti, Trent Williams, Kim Sciutto, Brittany Abel, Brooke Abel, Kate Jensen, Kelsey Heflin, Alex Wong and Andrew Reyes of Irvine, CA - University UMC.

CARE-A-VANERS Team to S.L.C. Utah UMCOR Depot – April 30 – May 14 Rod Castor leads and serves with Gloria Castor of Sunnyvale - Trinity UMC, Ina Tanner, Marv Tanner, Elaine Hill and Gene Hill of Campbell - Campbell UMC, Susie Caudle and Lynn Caudle of Grass Valley - Sierra Pines UMC, Jeanne Murchie and Jim Murchie of Manteca - St. Paul's UMC.

TEAMS NEEDING VOLUNTEERS

Haiti – 5/8/2011 – 5/16/2011Leslie Carmichael (of Los Altos UMC) 650-941-0260 carm-lee@pacbell.net

Haiti – 6/5/2011 – 6/13/2011Hal Taylor (of Los Altos UMC) 650-967-5531 hitaylor@sbcglobal.net Haiti – 6/15/2011 – 6/24/2011Bruce Burr (of Dixon UMC) 530-383-3820 grumpyburr@sbcglobal.net

Bulembu, Swaziland -- 8/9/2011 – 8/24/2011Team Leader = Becky Perry (of Boulder Creek UMC) 831-338-4998 perry95006@yahoo.com More Info GO TO: http://www.cnumc.org/volunteeropportunities/detail/79

TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF PLANNED TEAMS FROM THE CAL-NEV CONFERENCE AND TEAM LEADER CONTACT INFORMATION GO TO: http://www.cnumc.org/volunteeropportunities

FUNDRAISER FOR JAPAN; NEWS FROM JAPAN VIA UMCOR; FUTURE TEAMS FROM ROCKY MOUNTAIN

Sunday worship at Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church, courtesy sjumc.com.

FUNDRAISER FOR JAPAN RELIEF

Fundraising Concert for Japan Relief March 26, Saturday 3:30 pm Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church, 6929 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95823
Cost: $15 suggested donation(Children and Youth under 18 years old $10 suggested donation)

Performers:Ms. Miwako Isano - International Opera Singer (Performing - Pie Jesu, Japanese Folk Songs; Akatonbo,Hamabe No Uta, Nara Yama) Ms. Mari Jacobson - Award winning pianistRev. Nobu Hanaoka - Former SJUMC pastorSakura Chorus—Japanese Women Chorus Group

Please join us to support the victims and survivors!We are sending teams to Japan!
To support Mission Teams to Japan, Make a check payable to SJUMC (memo line Mission Trips)

To support humanitarian needs in Japan, make a check payable to SJUMC (memo line UMCOR) or online http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/

Would you like to help the fundraising events? Would you like to be a part of the mission team to Japan? Please send an email to JapanRelief@sacjumc.com (with your name, phone number, email address) or call the office.

UPDATE FROM UMCOR'S REV. CYNTHIA HARVEY ON JAPAN

Dear Friends,

I join you in lifting up the people of Japan in prayer during this time of crisis. We grieve with them and stand with them in solidarity. Once again, I am struck by the extravagant generosity of United Methodists who are supporting UMCOR’s efforts to bring healing and hope to Japan. We have received thousands of phone calls, emails, Facebook posts, and donations from people whose hearts are aching for the people of Japan and who are looking for meaningful ways to respond. Many churches in our connection are collecting offerings to raise money for UMCOR. I want to share with you how we are responding on your behalf to the great needs.

UMCOR’s Response: On Friday, March 11, the General Board of Global Ministries reached out to missionaries and partners in Japan to confirm their safety and ask how we can help. The Wesley Center, affiliated with United Methodist Women, is offering shelter to those who are displaced. UMCOR set up an Advance account for the Pacific Emergency. Once we understood better what the scope of the disaster was, we changed the name to “Japan Emergency” and updated the description:“

UMCOR is working through relief and church partners in Japan to respond and provide immediate assistance and long-term rehabilitation. With these partners, UMCOR is meeting the most basic humanitarian needs in northern Japan such as providing clean drinking water, food, cooking and eating supplies, clothing, and fuel for heating.”

We are honoring the request of the Japanese government who has asked that outside groups not come to Japan. UMCOR staff generally does not go into disaster areas as first responders and we are working through trusted partners who have existing networks on the ground in the affected areas. We have sent an emergency grant to church partner, United Church of Christ in Japan. They are using the funds to distribute food, clean water, clothing, and heating fuel. Local churches are being used as distribution sites to provide basic necessities to survivors. UMCOR also sent an emergency grant to GlobalMedic, a trusted partner and first responder, to provide relief to affected survivors in the form of medical care, and access to clean drinking water, supplies, and food.

We anticipate working with our partners to direct your gifts to earthquake and tsunami survivors in Japan as needs and plans for response are identified. All grant requests go through a rigorous approval process and require a reporting of how the funds are used. It is important to us that we are good stewards of your gifts. We are always accountable for how UMCOR funds are used. Two independent charity watch groups, Charity Navigator and American Institute of Philanthropy, have affirmed UMCOR’s trustworthiness by recognizing us with the highest ratings.

Volunteers: While our hearts may feel that we must do something besides “just” writing a check, please keep in mind John Wesley’s appeal to do no harm. The situation in Japan is not conducive to sending volunteers. It is important to allow the well established government organizations to organize the response, particularly while they are in the crucial rescue phase.

Relief Supplies: Many supplies are available in Japan and sending funds directly to our partners supports the local economy while ensuring that they are getting exactly what they need. I am always sad when I visit Haiti and other disaster affected areas and see the unopened boxes of clothes, medicine, and equipment that go unused because well meaning people have misdirected their good will. A practical example was pointed out to me by a physician in Haiti, who explained that it is important to purchase medicine in the country because the directions for use will be in the native language. An additional concern is that sending an unsolicited shipment into the disaster area runs the risk of hampering relief efforts, clogging runways, and creating an added burden to the system because there is no efficient way to distribute the shipment. Please consider your local thrift store for these kinds of thoughtful donations.

Kit Ministry: We are fortunate that because of faithful giving throughout the year, the UMCOR depots are well stocked with health kits. Through authorized channels and a coordinated effort with the Japanese authorities, when the time is appropriate, UMCOR is prepared to send thousands of health kits to Japan in response to this emergency. Because we have a surplus of health kits our priority is keeping our depots stocked with other kits such as cleaning buckets, layette and school kits. We welcome your contributions so that we can send them where they are most needed around the world.

I am reminded daily of the suffering of people in places like Cote d’Ivoire, Armenia, and here in the United States where springs storms and flooding are creating new challenges. The relief supplies you lovingly assemble and collect are a blessing to the people who receive them.Continued prayers: UMCOR is committed to standing with the people of Japan into the recovery phase.

We will continue working through our church and relief partners to provide shelter, food, and clean water to survivors of this crisis. Regular updates can be found in the UMCOR Hotline, on our website, and on Facebook. Please continue to hold the people of Japan in your prayers. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love into the world by our United Methodist Church.

Grace and peace,
The Reverend Cynthia Fierro Harvey, Deputy General Secretary

FUTURE TEAMS FROM ROCKY MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE

Arizona/Mexico Border Trip- August 25-28th. We will go through Border Links, an educational group in the Tucson area. An info meeting will be held on this trip April 11th at 7pm at St. Andrew. All are welcome.

Puerto Vallarta- November 6-12th. We will be working with the non-profit "Compassion for the Family" to build a domestic violence shelter in San Poncho, Mexico just outside Puerto Vallarta. An info meeting will be held on March 28th at 7pm at St. Andrew. All are welcome.

Please contact Erin Swyers at 303-994-5643 or erin_swyers@hotmail.com, if you have any questions or interested in joining a team!

JAPAN, VOLUNTEERS, & RELIEF SUPPLIES

Woman sits among the ruins in Japan. Photo, courtesy kansascity.com.

NEWS FROM UMCOR ON JAPAN, VOLUNTEERS, & RELIEF SUPPLIES

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is serving as the denomination's conduit for financial contributions. A request for an offering on March 20 is being made by the denomination's Council of Bishops. To give, click here: Pacific Emergency Advance number is 3021317. One hundred percent of every Advance gift goes to the designated cause.


"Our emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation in Japan will involve our long-term mission partners with whom many of our missionaries and other mission personnel already work," said Thomas Kemper, General Secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries, of which UMCOR is a part. "Japan is a highly developed nation, and we will depend heavily on our partners to help us focus our resources in areas of greatest need."

Volunteers
The situation in Japan at present is not conducive to relief volunteers coming in from other countries. Neither UMCOR nor the General Board of Global Ministries facilitates volunteers in disaster zones unless they are requested by local partners or government agencies. No such requests have been received to date from Japan.


Relief Supplies
The situation in Japan following the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami remains volatile because of uncertainty about radiation from the damaged nuclear reactors.

UMCOR welcomes layette and school kits but is uncertain whether or where such items will be permitted to enter Japan. Any kits received will be distributed where they are most needed in the world.

The Rev. Cynthia Fierro Harvey, UMCOR's top executive, urged prayers for those affected by the disaster. "Once again, in the wake of disaster and in the face of widespread need, we rely on the ever-expansive generosity of United Methodists and all people of goodwill to help us respond to those whose lives have suddenly been turned upside down," she said.