Vestal United Methodist in Mission
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LENTEN OFFERING - See the March Evangel for details about the Lenten Offering this year.
HAITI MISSION - EARTHQUAKE!
A bulletin has been prepared to help provide information about how individuals and churches can help in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. It can be downloaded from the Upper New York website, but is not specific to New York. It will serve equally to help provide information in Pennsylvania.
Swift, Effective Relief for the People of Haiti
For years, Haiti has been devastated by hurricanes, flooding, political violence and major earthquakes. Already a country living in extreme poverty, the massive earthquake on January 12, 2010 has caused incalculable loss of human life and destruction to the homes and livelihoods of millions of people.
When disaster strikes, it can be overwhelming to know what to do and where to offer our help. The United Methodist Church is a worldwide body, and our global connections allow the church’s relief efforts to be on the ground in places where need is great almost immediately. In addition, because the administrative costs of the United Methodist Committee on Relief and the Advance (both operating under the General Board of Global Mission) are funded by the generosity of local United Methodist churches, 100% of donations given go directly to the designated relief effort.
You can help.
Financial gifts to support UMCOR’s Haiti Relief efforts can be made through your local United Methodist Church (designate Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325 on your check or envelope) or online at www.umcor.org. You give with the security of knowing that 100% of your donation will go to support relief and development efforts addressing the disaster in Haiti.
In addition to monetary support, The United Methodist Church is working in other ways to support the people of Haiti (reverse).
Remember, you can give 100% of your gift to relief efforts through your local UMC or online at www.umcor.org.
Health Kits
Health kits are an easy hands-on way to assemble and ship some basic necessities. A health kit consists of a hand towel, washcloth, standard sized comb, nail file or clippers, bar of soap, toothbrush, 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages, placed in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag. $1 for toothpaste and $1.50 for shipping (in a separate envelope attached to the outside of the plastic bags. ) Ask at your local United Methodist Church about collecting health kits and other resources for Haiti. VESTAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS A COLLECTION SITE.
Volunteers In Mission
There will be a great need for volunteers to travel to Haiti and help rebuild once the initial crisis has settled. At this time, however, it is not safe or possible for volunteers to go to Haiti. People wishing to volunteer should coordinate within local churches and contact their jurisdictional Volunteers In Mission coordinator to determine when and how to respond.
Prayer
Please pray for all of the people affected by the earthquake in Haiti, for those who have lost loved ones, and the millions of survivors still in need of medical attention, food, and water.
Pass it on
Please give this sheet, or the information on it, to friends and neighbors looking for effective ways to help the people of Haiti.
Learn more about The United Methodist Church’s relief efforts online at www.umc.org.
You can download the insert in PDF form by going to: www.uppernewyork.org
The bulletin mentions a need for Health Kits. Mission Central, the mission warehouse located in Mechanicsburg, PA, is sending more than 13-thousand of these kits next week and would be glad for more to be able to send. For information on how to provide kits or the materials needed to create them, you can go to:
If you do not have access to a computer, please call the church office for copies of lists for materials for health kits and updates about Haiti. Vestal UMC will be a collection site for Health Kits. To contribute funds, please make checks payable to Vestal United Methodist Church/Haiti Relief or “UMCOR-Advance #418325”.
See letters below from Rev. Roger Richards and Bishop Hassinger.
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___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ United Methodist Churches Respond to the Earthquakes in Haiti From Rev. Roger Richards, Wyoming Conference Haiti Partnership Chair The devastating earthquake in Haiti centered near Port-au-Prince has caused tremendous damage and significant loss of life. Patty Kauffman (Hawleyton UMC) of our Haiti Partnership arrived in Haiti on Monday for a meeting organized by the leadership of the Methodist Church of Haiti and their VIM (Volunteer in Mission ) partners. She was there at the time of the earthquake. Representatives from other VIM groups and the Board of Global Ministries also attended this meeting. We have received word from Patty that while there is some damage to the Methodist Guest House in Port-au-Prince where they were staying, she and the others are unharmed. She will keep us informed of the conditions in Haiti and how we can best respond.
From Bishop Susan W. Hassinger, Albany Area Resident Bishop With many of you, I grieve over the news of the earthquake devastation in Haiti yesterday, the tremendous loss of life as well as damage to homes, hospitals, schools, and even the national palace. I call on all persons to pray for the people of Haiti as well as for those who are and will be responding to this crisis. In your worship this coming Sunday, please include prayers for the nation, the people and the first responders. In addition, I ask that every congregation receive special offerings for this relief effort, either this Sunday or the next. In Wyoming Conference, there has been a long-term Haiti Partnership that is considering what is appropriate and possible for their immediate response. We also know that UMCOR (the United Methodist Committee on Relief) as well as UM VIM teams will be part of the clean-up and recovery effort. I would hope that people would give generously, with contributions designated to be used wherever most needed in response to this tremendous need. Persons or churches, who want to respond with financial support for the relief efforts in Haiti, can send them to Wyoming Conference Center (P O Box 58, Endicott NY 13761-0058) made payable to Wyoming Conference and marked "Haiti Relief" or "UMCOR - Advance # 418325.”
Calling all Missions! The Missions Team has been asked to coordinate a "Missions Fair" where we highlight all of the mission activities that are supported by our congregation. We need your help! We would like to start with an inventory of the missions that have been sponsored by the various groups at VUMC throughout the last year. We have requested assistance from our Committee and Team Chair persons. Is there something that you do on your own? Do you volunteer to help provide services outside of something sponsored directly by VUMC? We want to hear from you! Please see the October evangel for contact information or to complete the form to place in the Missions mailbox; or leave it in the church office. Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to hearing from you! Laurie Capwell, Missions Chair
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PROJECT BROOME HOPE |
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