Spring 2009 New Orleans Mission Trip – NOLA VII
Eighteen participants in Trinity's seventh work trip to New Orleans will be leaving May 9th & 10th. This is the second largest Trinity-sponsered contingent to give their time and talents and unconditional love to individuals whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina floodwaters in August 2005. All team members will return by May 17th.
The group asks for your prayers for safe travel and safe work, and for the opportunity to give hope to those still struggling almost four years later.
We also thank you for your financial contributions to this special outreach ministry. Those still wanting to contribute make do so by marking your envelope "NOLA".
Conference/Other VIM Experiences:
VIM Leader Training - Have more than a casual interest in Volunteers In Mission? Then you may want to attend one of the VIM training events scheduled for this year. Check your calendar and see how the following dates match up:
May 30 – Conference Center, Cranberry Township – 9:30-3:30 – emphasis on teams incorporating Youth. Trainers: Diane Miller, Renaye Hoffman, Beth Nelson, and others with specialized skills.
July 13-17 - School of Mission, Grove City College. This training will include learning how to construct handicap ramps by modules. Trainer: Greg Forrester.
COST: $10 will cover the cost of lunch, the VIM Handbook, and the CD for the first person who registers from a church. For additional participants from a church, $5 will cover the cost of lunch. For those who take the training at the School of Mission in July, $5 will take care of the Handbook and the CD. If you indicate the July 13-17 training on your registration form, I'll send you information about registering as a commuter or resident for the School of Mission.
Any one of these training events will provide your VIM Leader Certification. If you've got questions, give me a call.
Diane Miller, WPA Mission/VIM Coordinator, 724-652-9182
Native American VIM - The Native American Fellowship Dayspring Church is building a log cabin church. Did you know that Illinois has more American Indians than North and South Dakota combined? This is a ministry to urban Indians, not those living on a reservation. Dates: June 20 through June 27, 2009. Carol Lakota Eastin is the pastor of this Native American congregation. The church has been erected; the congregation is worshipping in the basement fellowship hall. By June they will be in need of help with plumbing, electrical, drywalling, painting, finish carpentry, landscaping, and pond construction. This new church is located on 43 acres of donated wooded land at the edge of the city of Peoria. Check out the church website: http://www.nafdayspring.com/component/option,com . For those of you interested in Native American Spirituality or the Native American study Schools of Mission offered in 2008 and again in 2009, this is a VIM trip for you. For families, there is an option of enrolling your child (children) in the American Indian Youth camp out – teepee camp – father's day through Wednesday where they would experience Bible study, native crafts, and the Water Park (3rd grade through high school) … Contact Diane Miller for a Registration Form. Cost of this VIM trip: $350/person. OPENINGS ARE STILL AVAILABLE. THIS COULD BE A GREAT FAMILY EXPERIENCE.
Cooperative School of Christian Mission – the best kept secret in mission education, inspiration, and hands-on mission. This is not just for United Methodist Women or adults. Schools of Mission are for people with a passion for mission. In addition to the adult schools, there are simultaneous schools for children and youth during the week session, and for children during the week-end session. Child care is provided if requested. Besides dozens of short mission presentations to choose from, the following are offered courses: Giving Our Hearts Away, Native American Survival; Sudan; and VIM Leader Training which will include learning to make handicap ramps by modules. The Plenary will focus on Food and Faith, with Rev. Neal Christie from the General Board of Church and Society as the presenter. Dates: July 13-17 and July 17-19. Location: Grove City College. Cost varies according to which event you register for, and whether you commute or bring children. Early bird special – price increases by $10 if registration is postmarked after June 30. Contact Registrar Mary Jo Grumling: grammamj@verizon.net or 814-467-7633
United Methodist Action Reach-out Mission by Youth has space available in several camps this summer and we are here to help you every step of the way. We will assist you to promote and sign up participants from your church, train your adults and prepare you to pack and travel to camp. Our program is new to the Northeast but the organization has a 30 year track record of serving people in need while promoting spiritual growth and leadership in youth. Our camps are located in United Methodist churches with passionate well trained camp staff who are attending camp with their own youth groups. In other words, they are just like you.
Projects include painting, yard work, porch and stair repair, construction of handicap access ramps and other small residential projects. Safety is a high priority in all that we do. Camp participants will be motivated each day with devotional time and uplifting evening worship. Fun activities are planned in the evening. Participant fee is $250 and includes all meals, activities and building materials.
Space is still available in the following Northeast Camps:
May 31-June 6 – Dover NH for Young adults one year beyond high school and older
July 12-18 – Toms River, N.J Camp for Grades 7-12
July 19-25 – Melrose, MA and Williamsport, PA Camps for high school students
For more information contact Lorraine Macpherson 978-692-5786 or lorraine@umarmy.org
Haiti VIM – There is great need in Haiti for rebuilding due to the four hurricanes that hit the island last season. Team leaders for this VIM trip will be Diane Miller, and Calvin and Gayle Cook. Gayle worked in Haiti as a missionary for a few years. She and Calvin are Connellsville District VIM Coordinators. Dates for this Conference VIM trip are to be determined, but we're aiming for the end of August.
Israel/Palestine VIM – a combination pilgrimage and volunteer experience. Since this will be the one and only trip that many participants make to the Holy Land, it will include visits to historical and traditional sites in Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem. Participants will learn about the Bible with experienced tour guides in the locations of the Bible stories. We will visit Qumran, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea and take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The volunteer experience will unfold as participants register and we determine the gifts and skills of our team. Right now we're exploring the option of helping with the olive harvest, though this will not be possible if the current drought continues. My experience with VIM teams has always been that the teams embody the gifts and skills to meet the needs where we are. Projected Cost: $3000. Dates: October 11-24.
The Nyadire Connection (TNC) – VIM experiences in Nyadire, Zimbabwe. This outreach ministry is acclaimed by UMCOR as a unique mission model in a very challenging setting (Zimbabwe). Check out their web site (and within their web site, their newsletters) for information about this mission that reaches out through education, ministry to orphans, health care, agriculture, and providing potable water: http://www.nyadire.org/ . You can also download a registration form from this web site. Contacts: Rev. Kimberly Greway (kgreway@mlumc.org or 412-531-7131), Drew Harvey (drewharvey@verizon.net or 412-344-3684) and Sara Dickey (sarich@aol.com or 412-914-0121). Trips are cancelled if leaders deem it unsafe to travel. TNC has four trips scheduled for teams of 6-8 volunteers:
- June 18-July 4
- Aug 6-22
- Oct 8-24
For more information on any of the above, contact …
Diane Miller, WPA Mission/VIM Coordinator, 724-652-9182
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