Wednesday, June 6, 2012 from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM (CT)
Plano, United States
We hope that this day will be a treat and special experience for you. No matter what mission you choose, you will walk away from this day with greater knowledge about the local needs for the mission, why it exists, and what societal problems the mission is trying to resolve. Every mission site is related to the United Methodist Church, with the exception of the Paul Quinn College site, an African Methodist Episcopal church institution.
Please select the project that you are most interested in. There are descriptions for each project so you can make an informed choice and pick something that you feel passionate about. The variety we have put together should make it easy for you to find a ministry in which you can engage. Each has a slightly different focus.
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Projects
Exploring Microfinance and Microcredit Concepts
This panel discussion will include local UMC panelists who are already active in microfinance and microcredit. Microfinance is the provision of financial services such as loans, savings, insurance, and training to people living in poverty. It is one of the great success stories in the developing world in the last 30 years and is widely recognized as a just and sustainable solution in alleviating global poverty. Panelists include: 1. Highland Park UMC - Lisa Stewart and Roy Vandiver discuss their church's program in the Phillipines and their new effort in Costa Rica. 2. UMC Missionary Steve Hodges of the Sudan COME project who will be skyped in and speaking about their unique program 3. Jeff Swan - member of FUMC McKinney and regional director of Opportunity International, an international 501C3 with 12,000 staff worldwide and clients in more than 20 countries. Jeff will be helping participants try out IO with $10 gift cards they can use to help a neighbor in need. 4. ZOE Ministry - Rev. Arthur Jones from St. Andrews will be talking about the ZOE model and how they help orphans start businesses to support themselves and their siblings.
Seven Loaves Food Pantry
Seven Loaves provides supplemental food to residents in all zip codes of Collin County. According to the North Texas Food Bank, there are over 55,000 people living in poverty in Collin County, half of which are children. Over 10,000 children in Plano school district are on free or reduced lunch, and many are homeless. These people often don't know where their next meal is going to come from. Help is made possible by the generosity and servant hearts of supporters of this important ministry. The hands on work will be to pack family boxes of food for Seven Loaves and hygiene kits to take to Costa Rica.
Crossroads Community Services
Crossroads Community Services (CCS) is an urban outreach ministry of First United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX. CCS opened its doors as a downtown community-based urban ministry in May 2001. Volunteers choosing this site will be working in the clothing closet and will learn about the needs of the urban poor. You'll get to see downtown Dallas and visit one of our oldest and largest churches.
How Can We Impact Global Health?
Global health as a focus area seems so impossible for us to attain. Have you ever wondered what you can do as a local church in this area? We will have an expert from UMCOR here to teach and guide us in how we can do something beneficial in the areas of health and water well drilling projects. The philosophy of UMCOR is that health is attainable, accessible, and sustainable by people for themselves and their communities if they are given the opportunity. We want to empower people to take charge of their own lives and health, so that sustainable achievement in improving health is possible.
Paul Quinn College Farm
The Food for Good Farm at Paul Quinn College (AME) is a dynamic and innovative joint venture between Paul Quinn College and PepsiCo’s Food for Good Initiative. The partnership has three primary goals. The first is to help address the lack of affordable, healthy food options available to economically depressed areas in the City of Dallas. The second goal is to create a replicable model for achieving sustainable urban re-development built around providing safe food options to economically depressed communities. The final primary goal is to create a facility that will deliver preventative health care (that focuses on nutrition and exercise) to the underserved community surrounding the College. Volunteers chosing this site will be planting either tomatos or strawberries. Bring a hat, gloves, and water bottle. Wear old sturdy shoes.
North Texas Food Bank - Hunger Class
This is a small group interactive class that will cover many subjects related to Hunger and Poverty, especially related to North Texas. It will be facilitated by Richard Amory of the North Texas Food Bank. Topics covered include: 1. Realities of Impoverished Communities in North Texas, 2. Women and Children in Poverty, where is hope? What are the possibilities? 3. How do we connect with the local school systems to offer support through NTFB 4. Contrast between Food Banks and the newer concept of Food Co-Ops as described in the book Toxic Charity (p. 53), 5. How to Achieve Measurable Results in hunger and food security, 6. Other trends locally that seem cutting edge in the area of hunger, especially faith-based models that have impressed NTFB. 7. How to partner effectively with NTFB, 8. What to avoid when partnering with existing community food pantries, how to evaluate their effectiveness or non-effectiveness.
Beautification of Dallas Bethlehem Center
Dallas Bethlehem Center needs volunteers who are interested in painting, cleaning, planting for beautification to the outside of the facility and readying the building for the 2012-2013 school year. Need: 10-15 volunteers Attire: Light clothing, gardening gloves, sun hats Activities: Cleaning tables/chairs; toys; countertops; weeding, planting; bagging/removing leaves; organizing books in library.
The Church & The School System: Partners Working Together
This workshop will include presentations by leaders in UMC churches that demonstrate how they partner with the local schools in their communities. 1. Former teacher Rev. Dretha Burris will present on FUMC Rowlett's partnership with the Rowlett schools. 2. Rev. Jack Wallace and lay leader Tom Sample will present on how FUMC Mount Vernon has created a program with their school system, including a feeding program.
C C Young Retirement Community- Where the Spirit is Ageless!
Once you arrive at CC Young, all participants will be given an orientation in Young chapel. From there, participants will be split into groups to go do arts & crafts, play bingo, play a Fathers Day trivia game, or facilitate balloon volleyball. A great choice for kids, teens and parents to do together. Afterwards a short debrief session will be provided to answer your questions about ministry with the elderly.
Presented by
Our Goal
The Association of Professors of Mission and Perkins School of Theology
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