Missions Announcements

New Year, New YOU! Serve on Committees or Youth Council/Advisory Groups! Or just come and help out for an event! You'll get hooked!~

The Children's Sunday School THANKS YOU for the 2008
Thanksgiving/Advent Food collection. You contributed 97 bags of groceries to the ICCAP Food Pantry.

Tutors Needed!
The Marion Center UM Church would like begin a homework tutoring program for middle school students in the Marion Center School District. The program would be held after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. They are in need of volunteers to assist students as they work. (Volunteers must have required clearances.) If you are willing to give
some time to help out students, they will be grateful for any assistance. Please contact the Marion Center UMC church office at 724-397-5517.

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE MISSION TRIP TO RUSSIA
Please keep the participants in our Conference’s mission trip to the city of Syktyvkar, near the Arctic Circle, in the Komi Republic in Russia in your prayers. The group leaves December 28th and will return January 8th. Their concentration will be celebrating Christmas with children and youth living in orphanages in the Komi Republic.

MISSION TRIPS ON THE HORIZON:

Dulac, Louisiana - Three months ago, many of you watched with great sadness as Hurricanes Gustav and Ike wreaked havoc in Louisiana and Texas. Hurricane Ike pretty much thumped down on Dulac, causing more damage than Rita and Katrina. In response to the great need to recover from Gustav and Ike, the Conference Lenten VIM trip to the Gulf Coast will once again go to Dulac. Ricky Nelson, who for the past two years has worked as a consultant for UMCOR, will lead the March team. You may
contact Larry Buterbaugh Details of this VIM Experience …
Project location: Dulac, Louisiana
Dates: March 20-28, 2009
Cost: $350 (covers gasoline costs, room and board while in Dulac, overnight stay in motel half-way coming and going, T-shirt, insurance)
Transportation: personal vehicles
Housing: bunk rooms in the Dulac Community Center.
Project: To share God’s love by re-building after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Haiti - This past hurricane season the US was hit by two hurricanes – Gustav and Ike. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, was hit by four hurricanes. Diane Miller, Conference VIM/Missions Coordinator, is working at setting up a mission trip to Haiti later this year. Watch for details in the coming months.

New Orleans, Louisiana – Trinity is close to setting the dates for our next mission trip (NOLA VII) to New Orleans as we continue to help with the rebuilding of homes in the city – either April 18th to 26th or May 9th to 17th. Many folks have expressed an interest in participating in this wonderful experience, but don’t delay too long as the UMCOR/Louisiana Conference’s New Orleans Disaster Recovery Center may be closing in the spring of 2010. If you have any questions or a preference between the trip
dates listed above, please contact Rev. George Porter or Larry Buterbaugh.

TEACHER SALARY SUPPORT NEEDED IN HAITIAN METHODIST SCHOOLS
Teachers in Methodist run schools in Haiti are way behind on salary compensation for the year 2008. In some circuits, teachers have not been paid anything for the 2008 school year. Others have been given only half their compensation. They continue to work because of their dedication to the children and their faith in God.
If you can spare $25 or $50, or whatever is possible, please send a check to
“Teachers Salary Support, Haitian Methodist Church.”
There is not an Advance Special for this need and this avenue was offered as a logical, albeit slower way of getting funds to where they are needed.
Donette Lataillade, Guest House Manager, Methodist Guest House, will see to it that these funds get to the right place.
Please mail your check to the following address:
Volunteers in Mission, % Lynx Air, PO Box 407139, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33340