Center for Missional Outreach News
UMCOR Responds to Oklahoma Tornado Relief
Last night several tornados touched down in the DFW area, with major damage in the Central Texas Conference. Granbury and Cleburne were severely affected. Granbury neighborhoods are still in lockdown this morning with access restricted to emergency crews. Despite what you may have heard about volunteers being wanted at FUMC Granbury on the morning news today, the neighborhoods are not open right now. Associate Director Marji Bishir has been in touch with the Central Texas Conference since early this morning and we will keep you posted as needs are defined and volunteers are requested.
Click here or on the button below to follow Central Texas Conference news.
As of this morning the Central Texas Conference is asking for prayers and donations. North Texans are urged to give to UMCOR US Disaster Response Advance #901670. Checks made out to your church with this designation in the memo line and placed in your church offering plate will go to UMCOR, and 100% of it will be used to help survivors.
"Serving With A Christian Heart"
Manos Juntas VIM Mexico is a ministry of the Methodist Church of Mexico serving as your connection to the different ministries and churches of the Northeastern area of Mexico. MJM VIM has been ministering Christian help and value to a large number of people in the Northeast region of Mexico in the State of Tamaulipas for more than 15 years. Their facilities are located in the city of Rio Bravo, just 15 minutes away from McAllen, Texas.
Director Willie Berman (Global Ministries missionary 3019612) and the dedicated staff of Manos Juntas are committed to the goals of the ministry and the people they serve. The ministry has a 60- bed dorm to house teams. Many kinds of teams are wanted: medical, construction, VBS, and others. In a recent discussion with Willie, Associate Director Marji Bishir was told that Manos Juntas has never had any conflict or troubles with cartels. US team safety is assured.
Manos Juntas is an Advance project with the General Board of Global Ministries. To learn more about Manos Juntas and how your church might send a mission team there, email manosjuntasschedule@hotmail.com or wberman@prodigy.net.mx
MISSIONARY SERVING THIS PROJECT:
Guillermo Berman Ramirez
PROJECT CONTACT:
Guillermo "Willie" Berman
GBGM Missionary #3019612
Director (Mexican Methodist Border Mission Coordinator)
956-648-8712
wberman@prodigy.net.mx
handstogethermexico.org
GLOBAL MINISTRIES CONTACT:
Una R. Jones
212-870-3767
UJones@umcmission.org
Advance #3020527
International Child Care is a Christian, 501(c)(3) health development organization that serves children and families through many programs in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, including Grace Children’s Hospital and several other UM Advances. ICC has a wonderful mission outreach opportunity that supports these programs while encouraging a great way to improve physical fitness!
Since 2006, the Race for Grace Cycling Team has raised funds for Grace Children’s Hospital in Haiti as well as International Child Care’s other programs for children and families in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The team participates annually in the Hotter ‘n Hell 100 which is the largest one day cycling event in the country and is held the last weekend in August in Wichita Falls, Texas. The team raises funds through sponsorships for their ride. There are multiple options of courses for both the experienced and inexperienced rider and you certainly do not have to be an athlete to participate, just an adventurous and giving spirit.
The team’s dream is to have every UM church in the North Texas Conference sponsor one or more riders! It is an event that can be physically challenging but also fun and rewarding. Team members receive support through housing options, lunch at the Race for Grace tent in Finish Line Village and a Race for Grace team jersey.
For more information, please click here or on the button below.
RACE FOR GRACE DETAILSAt this site, you will be able to learn more about the event, register, or sponsor a rider. Also, feel free to contact the International Child Care USA office at 269-382-9960. The Race for Grace is a fun way to bring health and hope to children and families in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Advance #418520
Many NTC churches buy mission team insurance through The General Board of Global Ministries. The United Methodist Volunteers In Mission office of Global Ministries recently announced that they will be discontinuing their UMVIM insurance program this fall.
Teams that are going internationally have the option of signing up for insurance through the Conference insurance plan. This coverage is free and is highly recommended—but you must sign up for it with each team that you send.
Domestic teams should consider purchasing mission team insurance policies from outside vendors. Many options are available. Contact Marji Bishir at 972-526-5000 for information.
Cameroon Roundtable Lunch
Tuesday, May 21, 12:00 p.m.
Creekwood United Methodist Church
With missionaries Nkemba and Mbwizu Ndjungu and Joel Ncahoruri.
The North Texas Conference has been involved in Cameroon for many years now and the relationship continues. Come learn about the exciting ways that the UM mission in Cameroon is expanding with a new Mission Center in Yaoundé. This lunch is for those who have been involved with Cameroon in the past, as well as for any church thinking about a new global opportunity.
RSVP to Genny Straughan.
Greetings,
The West, Texas disaster is among many in the news this week. The UMC church in West, Texas has been directly affected by the fertilizer plant explosion, and surrounding churches are opening their doors to serve in cooperation with emergency management. See the press release and the Central Texas Conference web site.The Central Texas Conference Disaster Response Coordinator, Rev. Laraine Waughtal, has been actively responding since the outset, and she has requested our assistance in reminding everyone of the following:
- Phone calls to the Conference office and to the local churches in the affected area with offers of help and expressions of concern can overwhelm critical communications. Please refer callers to the Conference web site for information about disaster response, or to the UMCOR Call Center 1-800-554-8583.
- Please do not deploy Early Response Teams, Care Teams, or other volunteers to the disaster affected Conference unless invited by Conference personnel.
- Redirect volunteer energies into building kits (especially clean up kits and health kits), fundraising, and local training and readiness activities. For example, churches can develop or revise disaster readiness and response plans, or host a Connecting Neighbors program for the local church, district or conference.
- Churches should have current rosters and be prepared to share their roster with emergency management in an event wherein people are unaccounted for.
- Churches should have a mechanism for accounting for church members and affiliates following a disaster.
Larraine will keep us posted primarily via the conference web site. In the meantime, she has expressed appreciation for your prayers, and she is comforted knowing that many of you understand the demands of these early days and will help manage the expectations of the volunteers and others seeking to help and express care.
As I draft this, many other Conferences are preparing for or responding to recent flooding, tornadoes, and human-caused disasters. It is good to know the United Methodist Church is present and prepared to offer hope and healing.
Thank you, and keep in touch.
Cathy
Catherine G. Earl, MSW
Disaster Response US, Latin America, Caribbean
United Methodist Committee on Relief
100 Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 315
Washington DC 20002
Office: (202) 548-4002
Mobile: (202) 680-8824
cearl@umcor.org
Friday, April 26, 2013, 6:30 pm
First United Methodist Church of McKinney
315 N. Church Street
McKinney TX 75069
Be a part of this spectacular evening to raise money for Imagine No Malaria, a ministry of the United Methodist Church to help eradicate malaria.
Dinner will begin at 6:30 pm in Dyer Hall. Entertainment will be provided by the Connections Band, a unique "cover-band" comprised of United Methodist ministers and lay persons.
Cost is free, please let us know if you are coming by pre-registering via the link below:
Donations will be accepted for the Imagine No Malaria fund.
