East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church SPRING 2010 | Volume 10 | Issue 3
east ohio
joining hands
- informed, inspired and in touch.
times of crisis joining together in
The Vision of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church is to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ.
*Kay Panovec is the director of communications for the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church
East Ohio Joining Hands Spring 2010
Vol. 10 No. 3
East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church Office of Communications Editor/Director of Communications Kay L. Panovec kay@eocumc.com Graphic Designer Sue Zakovec sue@eocumc.com
Crises can make us stronger, or pull us apart By Kay Panovec*
At some point in our lives, we will all have to face crisis. Some are deeply personal. Others are unexpected. And some happen in our church, our community, our country. Every generation is shaped by shared disaster or crisis, those moments in time we cannot forget: the Vietnam War, the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luthr King Jr., the Challenger explosion, Sept. 11, the tsunami, and more recently, the devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.
Subscriptions/Administrative Assistant Lois Speelman lois@eocumc.com Contributing Writer John Booth Under the direction of: The Conference Board of Communications, Rev. Steve Bailey, Chairman Mail: Editor East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720 Phone: ext ext. ext.
800.831.3972 118 Editor 105 Graphic Designer 119 Subscriptions
Web site: www.eocumc.com Submission of articles is encouraged. The deadline is May 15 for the Summer 2010 issue. Our theme is “Innovation” East Ohio Joining Hands USPS (005-882) is published quarterly by the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church, Office of Communications, 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W., North Canton, Ohio 44720. Periodical Postage paid at Canton, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address corrections to: East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720
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How we respond to crises such as these is what defines us. A generation’s experiences help to shape their ethics, values, work styles and world views.
This issue of Joining Hands features the work of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM). We also will take a look at our conference’s most recent work in Liberia and New Orleans. How we respond in times of crisis -- as individuals or as a church body – not only helps to define who we are, but “whose” we are. As Chrisitians, we believe nothing is stronger than God, no earthquake, hurricane or manmade disaster. We are never alone. Crises can bring people together or tear them apart. Reaching out to those affected – in prayer, in service, with donations – can make the world seem like a much smaller place. When we turn away from crisis or deny that crisis exists, it can pull us apart. It is true of crises within the church, too. As our church, our denomination, ages, will there be future generations to do the work we all find so vitally important such as disaster response? It’s easy to get overwhelmed especially in difficult times. Problems mount and solutions seem to wane. But as believers, as followers of Christ, the scripture reminds us that nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
United Methodists have a long history of responding quickly in times of natural disaster. Years after HurWho shall separate us from the love of Christ? ricane Katrina, United Methodists are still on Shall trouble or hardship or persecution the ground repairing or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? damaged homes and No, in all these things we are more than healing broken hearts. And while United Methconquerors through him who loved us. odists continue to make donations for the - Romans 8:35,37 relief efforts in Haiti, hundreds of others are raising funds to provide on-the-ground support and planning to work along side Haitians for years to come. Cover: Dr. Brian Good of Salt Lake City, Utah, examines Medina Alexis at Grace Children’s Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Holding Medina is her mother, Ketly Alexis. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.
Only one way out of crisis: By John L. Hopkins*
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s a child I remember when there was a crisis, people would say that that person — or family — has trouble. It was as if trouble was an unwelcomed visitor that hovered during difficult times. If you could solve the crisis or get rid of the cloud you did not have trouble. A real crisis was when you had trouble and could not fix it — make it right — yourself.
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters and the flood sweeps over me. Psalm 69:1-2 So how do we respond when we don’t know what to do, when we don’t know how to make a situation right by ourselves? That calls for faith, don’t you think? Having faith is not so much knowing all the answers but knowing how to live when you don’t know what to do. Trusting God is partly a discipline but mostly a gift of grace.
O Lord, God of my salvation, when at night, I cry out in your presence, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry. Psalm 88:1
My ministry, as a local church pastor, hospital chaplain and now as bishop, has afforded me many opportunities to walk with people through times of great loss and personal crisis. Here are some of my learnings:
GOD
Remember how God has brought us through difficult times in the past. The whole Biblical story is about a God who has brought us this far and will not turn back on us now. Personally, we can also recall the deep valleys and dark nights of the soul where we didn’t know what to do and God brought us safely to the other side. Use the Rule of Three. When I served as a hospital chaplain, I developed the Rule of Three. Every time I was with a person or a family in a crisis I would ask myself, “What will this situation look like in three minutes? Three hours? Three days? Three years? Thirty years?” This practice enabled me to function in the moment knowing that time would provide a perspective that would later be helpful. It kept me humble, focused and hopeful. Ask this question: ‘What is God going to do now?’ At times we realize our inability to respond to the overwhelming physical and emotional drain of a crisis. There are times when prayer is not comforting, scripture does not speak to us and anxiety overcomes us. When our ability to respond is taken away, it is time to pay attention to what God is doing. In living through a crisis, you don’t have to know the end of the story to find your way through. What is necessary is to participate in writing the next few pages or the next chapter. Sometimes just a word or a sentence is enough. Remember that even in a crisis God is the author that completes our story.
*John L. Hopkins is the resident bishop for the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.
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Crises abroad get much support, but United Methodists must not overlook our own peril.
How does the East Ohio Conference join hands in crises?
T Haiti As of March 15, 2010, East Ohioans have contributed $476,458.49 toward Haiti Relief efforts through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
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ogether, we have such impact in the world. At a time of disaster such as Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and most recently, Haiti, we respond to those in need with such great abundance. It is truly amazing how we respond with money, service and prayers! We have much to celebrate in the denomination around our ability to reach out to the hurt. However, it is the more subtle crises that we aren’t as amazing in our response. To lose 25 percent of our worship attendees in 10 years in East Ohio could be termed a crisis and to lose an entire generation in the pews definitely would be considered a crisis. These crises have not happened overnight but rather over a span of decades. We have been lulled into an “it’s not about the numbers” or “it will get better” attitude and as a result, no response of any consequence has been initiated. Yes, we have pockets of promise and growth but they are the exception and certainly not the norm. As many of our congregations get older, the next 25 percent loss in worship attendance will happen with a much greater acceleration. If we reach that point, it will be next to impossible to turn the denomination around in East Ohio. Churches must take a hard look at their reality. They must step back and be prepared to step away from their building. They must
decide how they best can do ministry and outreach. Our pastors need to find a way to be rejuvenated and think about doing ministry differently than they have ever done before. The laity of the church needs to take a hard look at what they can provide to the church. No more sitting back and letting someone else handle it. What are they passionate about? What ministry could they offer to the church and their community? The crisis we find our denomination in is so huge that not one thing, program, person or group is going to fix it. We all need to find the fire again! We feel the fire and sense of urgency to respond to those impacted by disaster. Why can’t we find that same urgency and fire to bring people to Christ? We need each other to keep us accountable, to keep the fire going and to transform the world. East Ohio joins hands in crises. Absolutely! I just hope that we are able to work together in the crises that we find ourselves in as a denomination. *Jessica Vargo, CPA, is the treasurer for the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.
You may still respond to the need in Haiti
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United Methodist Committee on Relief responds quickly By Jessica Stewart
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n 1940, Bishop Herbert Welch saw a need for The United Methodist Church to address the sad and horrible affects that World War II had on the world. And so, UMCOR was created to fill that space. UMCOR has been The United Methodist Church’s nonprofit global humanitarian aid organization for the past 70 years. Since the beginning, “UMCOR’s mission is to alleviate human suffering — whether caused by war, conflict or natural disaster — with open minds and hearts to all people” (UMCOR, 2010). UMCOR’s work addresses hunger, poverty, sustainable agriculture, international and domestic emergencies, refugee and immigrant concerns, global health issues, and transitional development. Their work in these areas has reached both domestic and international fronts. Currently, $15 million has been donated to UMCOR’s relief efforts in Haiti and none of that money has gone to waste. UMCOR plans now are to help with the current emergency phase. UMCOR just leased a building and hired staff to start their fiveyear recovery plan. The organization is also collecting health kits for Haitian survivors and layette kits for newborns of Haiti. UMCOR also has been working in the Philippines with Typhoon Relief. There, they supplied about 1,000 families with food, mosquito nets, blankets, medical relief and reconstruction assistance. Presently, UMCOR is also in Pakistan providing aid to displaced people. It has been supporting Church World Service and Muslim Aid in the delivery of food, shelter, blankets and other supplies. UMCOR recently held an event called “Voices of IDPs (internally displaced persons)” in Islamabad; it was to bring
awareness to the rising conflict in the country, hear from the victims of the conflict and try to find solutions. Some of UMCOR’s past responses have included Ethiopia Famine Relief. There, they responsed with emergency food and longerterm food security programs. During the Turkey earthquake, UMCOR helped with the rebuilding of homes and providing assistance in livelihoods and health programs. With the North Korea famine, UMCOR funds provided food for children in orphanages, as well as warm winter clothing, and heating fuel. During the disaster of Sept. 11, UMCOR was quick to respond with funds and direct aid for several years to families and individuals changed by the events of that day. UMCOR makes sure that every dollar donated goes straight to people in need. Although 10 percent of the budget funds administrative costs, that 10 percent isn’t paid using the donated money. It’s paid through the One Great Hour of Sharing offering and undesignated giving (UMCOR receives no global shared ministry funds or world service funds). With UMCOR’s efforts in philanthropy, it was credited with the highest marks from Charity Navigator and American Institute of Philanthropy. Due to recent events in Haiti, Charity Navigator released an article listing the best organizations providing relief to the survivors of Haiti, and UMCOR was among the honored organizations (Help Survivors of the Earthquake in Haiti, 2010). For more information or to donate, visit: umcor.org.
enerous United Methodists and people of good will across the country and around the world contributed more than $15 million directly to UMCOR for relief and recovery work in Haiti following the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake. Donations sent to conference treasurer offices, once processed, will add to the tally. “The response of the church has been remarkable and generous,” said Bishop Joel Martinez, interim general secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries. “We know much more is to come, both in financial support and the support of volunteers,” he added. This ongoing support will allow UMCOR “to be there in Haiti for the long haul,” Martinez underscored. UMCOR has begun implementation of a five-year work plan that contemplates three phases of assistance to Haiti: emergency, recovery and rehabilitation. Gifts to support UMCOR’s work can be made online at www.umcorhaiti.org. For gifts by mail, make checks payable to UMCOR and mail to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, N.Y. 10087. Please indicate Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325 on the memo line of your check. One hundred percent of gifts made to this advance will help the people of Haiti.
UMCOR has helped keep hope in the future alive by providing seeds and agricultural tools to displaced families as the rainy season gets under way in South Darfur. Adel Dut will plant sorghum on land outside the camp. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/UMCOR
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Ed Kupka assembles baby layettes.
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Lisbon First answers call to help Haiti relief with Illinois trip
team of six from Lisbon First United Methodist Church traveled more than 560 miles to south central Illinois in January in response to God’s call to help the least and the lost. The Midwest Mission Distribution Center, a project of the North-Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church, is a marvel of organization and productivity. Materials to construct health kits for Haiti poured in from all over the Midwest. In addition to the Lisbon UMC members, Charolette Davis, Ed Kupka, Rick May, Pat Tressler and Mary Lee Vandevander, a team of 50 volunteers was kept busy unpacking, counting, packing and preparing items for immediate shipping. In that one week, approximately 3,000 health kits were sent to Haiti in response to United Methodist Committee on Relief’s request. In addition, the volunteers assembled baby layettes, flood clean-up buckets and school kits. The group was impressed with the spirit of joy and commitment of everyone at the distribution center and felt connected to the work of the church in a powerful way. Future trips already are in the works, because there is more work to do.
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North-Central Jursidiction project in tenth year Midwest Mission Distribution Center, (MMDC) is celebrating its tenth annivesary in mission offering work programs for adults and youth ages 11 and older. The experience is non-denominational and intergenerational groups are welcome: youth fellowships, college students, adult fellowships, district and conference groups, civic organizations, Mission work at the center is full of variety. You might work in the main building making kits, sewing, receiving, sorting, packing and shipping disaster response goods or working to prepare and load items for shipment or you might be in the office doing paperwork or doing general maintainance and grounds keeping on the campus. MMDC distributes to places as close as Illinois, where MMDC is located, or as far as to the other side of the globe. Shipments have gone to 21 states and to as many as 30 countries in Central & South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, the Russian Federation, Indonesia and Europe. To find out more about Midwest Mission Distribution Center visit www.midwestmissiondc.org.
Trauma nurse Bill Johnson, of Grand Rapids, Mich., encourages Castellane Drouillon to stick out her tongue during an examination at an outdoor clinic set up by volunteers in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Volunteers in Mission provides aid far and wide to people, places in need
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nited Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) helps people in situations of need locally, nationally and internationally. The missions are sponsored by a United Methodist host church, partner church or agency. Locally, the East Ohio Conference belongs to the North Central Jurisdiction, which also includes Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, and offers a variety of programs. Among them is Mission Discovery, a program specifically created for young adults. Recently, Mission Discovery was in Costa Rica. There, they worked on construction of a new Methodist Church. They also were able to build strong leadership skills from the experience that will help them with their future goals. Mission Discovery also is planning a trip to China in June where participants will continue to build upon leadership skills and experience the Chinese culture. A program that takes advantage of the medical talent in the church is RxConneXion which connects medical professionals with places in need of medical help. This program has done work in Nicaragua and Guatemala. In Nicaragua, RxConneXion saw more than 1,500 people. They also distributed shirts, toothbrushes and diapers to those in need. In Guatemala, they did dental work and were able to help 42 people with dental problems. UMVIM’s way of helping with education is TeachUM, a program that uses
educational professionals. The volunteers teach students English as a second language, they also do camp counseling for children, create Vacation Bible Schools, and also teach in United Methodist classrooms all around the world. TeachUM is the newest addition to the North Central Jurisdiction, but still very busy. So far, the program has done work in Alaska, Bolivia, Florida and Haiti. In Haiti, volunteers worked at the five-day Bible school. There, they taught students English songs and did crafts that complemented the Bible verse of the day. In Alaska, volunteers staffed Birchwood Camp in Anchorage. The children at the camp had opportunities to swim, boat, hike, sing and do crafts. They also had Bible study and devotions to round out the daily routine of the campers. Lastly, NOMADS are volunteers that travel to places in need with their RV’s where they stay from one to 12 weeks. The NOMADs use their skills to assist with churches, camps, mission agencies, disaster areas and local neighborhoods. NOMADS currently have two disaster response projects going on in Galveston, Texas, and in Moss Point, Miss. In Galveston, they helped to reconstruct three homes, and in Moss Point they helped with four homes. In the summer of 2009, the NOMADS also aided with flood relief in Iowa. They worked on 26 homes in Iowa after the flood.
For more information about UMVIM-NCJ and how you can get involved visit: http://tinyurl.com/ UMVIM-NCJ and for donation information visit: http://tinyurl.com/donatetoUMVIM
Every 30 seconds... ....an innocent child in Africa dies of malaria. ....we have a chance to make a difference. Malaria causes immeasurable suffering across the African continent. Without treatment, malaria’s flu-like symptoms - fever, chills, vomiting, headache - can lead to convulsions, organ failure and death. All of this needless suffering is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, transmitted through the bite of a tiny mosquito. Imagine No Malaria is a ministry of the people of The United Methodist Church to eliminate death and suffering from malaria in Africa by 2015. Just as the cross is a sign to us of God’s love, we are called to be a sign of God’s love and commitment to the world. A sustainable victory. The key to winning this fight is empowering people in Africa to achieve a sustainable victory over malaria, which we will accomplish together through: Prevention: Distributing insecticide-treated bed nets (Nothing But Nets), and working to drain standing water where mosquitoes breed. Education: Teaching people how to effectively use bed nets and how best to protect themselves from malaria. Communication: Using radio and cell phones to deliver lifesaving information about malaria. Treatment: Improving access-to-care by training community-based health workers, and delivering life-saving medicines so hospitals and clinics can care for those in need. Get all the latest news and updates. For more information about the Global Health Initiative and Imagine No Malaria, please visit the denominational website at umc.org.
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Mission leadership unites UMVIM efforts for powerful impact Since 1999, Rev. Dr. Matt McClung has led 17 mission trips to Costa Rica and made additional trips to Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and, most recently, Liberia.
“One of my big goals ... is to really try to have a truly connected effort when it comes to UMVIM,” he said. “For whatever reasons, there have been churches and pastors in the past who have said, ‘We’re just sort of going to do our own thing with missions.’ Our role is not to tell a church or a pastor or a group of people where they can go. We’re just going to be a resource to encourage people and connect people.”
And yet as the East Ohio Conference United Methodist Volunteers in Mission coordinator since last fall, he’s working hard right here at home to clarify UMVIM’s role and to make sure the conference and its churches are putting forth their best efforts, both individually and collectively, in their mission work worldwide.
For example, he said, if one church is planning a mission trip abroad, the conference UMVIM committee can serve as a conduit and put that church in touch with others who may have made trips to the same country or region. UMVIM also hosts annual team leader training days at the conference office – this year’s is April 24 – and periodically offers specialized training for mission teams that might be part of early response outreach efforts, as in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The conference also offers $50 and $100 scholarships to help individuals go on mission trips. Currently, McClung notes, there’s a lot of interest in working in Haiti as a result of the devastating earthquake. “It’s a good opportunity for us to become a little bit more connected,” he said. “We’re going to have to work together as a conference to know who and what churches are going to be going to Haiti when the time is right, and who has been trained properly to lead the teams.” When the president of the United Methodist Church in Haiti determines the proper time, McClung said, “We’ll be asking churches to pair up with projects according to the needs Haiti says they have. We have a lot of people who have been to Haiti before ... (and) we need to have a concerted effort within the conference to make sure the things get done that need to get done.”
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UMVIM also hosts annual team leader training days at the conference office – this year’s is April 24
of crisis
At its heart, a mission trip is about making a difference, about effecting change and often, mission trips are about finding oneself changed as well.
More than a mission: Liberia journey connects lives
Last month, 26 people traveled to Liberia as part of an East Ohio Conference United Methodist Volunteers in Mission team and spent nearly two weeks visiting three mission locations in the western African nation. They worked, they taught, they learned and they shared, and while they left their own footprints in the communities in which they served, the team members came home imprinted with indelible memories, impressions and visions of their own. Kayla Bryant, 22, a member of Church of the Redeemer in Cleveland Heights, had never gone abroad on a mission trip, but as a college graduate preparing for medical school, she had an interest in the public health education aspects of the journey. Along with five other team members, Bryant worked in the town of Ganta, assessing the needs of the local health clinic and leading workshops on HIV and AIDS, malaria, and the importance of hygiene and clean drinking water. She was amazed daily by the depth of faith and trust in God she witnessed. “One of the days we visited a leprosy clinic and met a shoemaker who made shoes for the patients there,” Bryant said. “It was really an amazing ministry he was doing for the people with leprosy, because a lot of them lose limbs and need special shoes for walking. When we were getting ready to leave, he pulled up his pant leg and showed us that he also made his own leg.”
On another occasion, a group of children gathered around her and asked for the bottle of water she carried. And though she was uncertain about which child should receive the precious drink, her heart was warmed when the boy she handed it to proceeded not to guzzle it himself, but to pass it around and ensure that all the children had a drink. The mission trip reinforced her desire to work in medicine, but it also provided a bigger perspective. “I worry a lot about my future and about whether I’m making the right decisions,” Bryant said. “But this trip really showed me that I can put my trust in God and not worry so much.” Linda Crowell of Aldersgate UMC in Warrensville Heights, which also supports Liberia ministries through its Children’s Mission project, was among the seven people who went to Liberia three years ago to help identify the clinics and ministries that the conference might work with. She spent this return trip as a team leader in the town of Gbarna, also holding public health clinics and working with health care providers. Seeing turnout that often more than doubled what they had planned for was inspiring, Crowell said, as was the enthusiasm, graciousness and gratitude the team experienced. “It was powerful, moving and profound,” she said. “To see the eagerness with which they took notes and asked questions. I feel that if what we shared makes a difference in one person, which translates to one family, or one community, then we made a difference.” Retired pastor Gary Olin served on the team that attended Camphor Mission Station and completed tasks such as assisting construction workers, planting trees and
helping to organize the library. “You can talk about what it’s like in other parts of the world, in developing countries, but to experience it on the ground, to connect with people, to see their faces to feel their embrace, to hear their longings, to see their great passion to become more self-sustaining, and to know and understand their deep faith ... is a tremendous learning for us,” he said. “It’s a spiritual renewal.” Olin also had very personal reasons for making this particular trip: Camphor’s Judy Olin Memorial Missionary House – a threeunit guest house, which is now two-thirds finished – was named in memory of his late wife, the Rev. Dr. Judith Olin, a former district superintendent. “I was personally very gratified to see the good work and to understand how important this building will be to the future of the mission,” Olin said. “More people can go there, more people can serve there, and we can have a better connection with people from North America and The United Methodist Church.” And that, he said, is what makes mission trips about more than simply providing money to places in need. “There’s great power in the connection,” he said. “I know people’s names, I’ve seen their faces and they’ve seen mine. We’ve talked. We’ve shared our faith. We talked about the ways we’re different and the ways we’re connected. It’s important for North American Christians (to understand): We don’t have a corner on the work of the church. We are just one piece of this huge and wonderful church.”
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katrina The Last Guard: United Methodists stay with toughest Katrina cases
By Robin Russell, Managing Editor, United Methodist Reporter
NEW ORLEANS — As the recovery work from Hurricane Katrina drags on into its fifth year, most relief money and volunteer help has shifted from places like New Orleans to more media-saturated, current disaster regions like quake-affected Haiti. Many people even find it hard to imagine that post-Katrina recovery work is still taking place. The most destitute families in Louisiana and other hurricane-affected regions have yet to receive help: Some 2,500 family units in New Orleans and surrounding areas still live in trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); others have not yet returned from nearby states where they fled to escape rising floodwaters. Entire blocks
A UMNS file photo by Mike DuBose
of houses in New Orleans’ impoverished neighborhoods are still boarded up in disrepair. A few die-hard United Methodist volunteers, however, have not yet given up on “the least, the last and the lost” hit hard in 2005 by back-to-back hurricanes Katrina and Rita. United Methodists, in fact, are the last guard of post-Katrina recovery work. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the Louisiana Conference of the UMC Disaster Response Ministry (LADRM), affiliated with the Louisiana Conference, have held their ground,
sticking it out with the most difficult recovery cases, even as most charitable organizations have run out of funds or moved on to other pressing needs. Staff and volunteers are now helping Louisiana residents who have fallen through the cracks: the elderly and the disabled, those without flood insurance and those living paycheck to paycheck who can’t afford to fix up their own homes. “Methodists are the last ones standing,” says Rev. Darryl Tate, LADRM’s executive director. “I’d heard that before, but now have first-hand experience with it.” Steady funding Part of it is UMCOR’s longterm commitment to recovery work that goes beyond providing immediate relief in disasters. With its motto of being “the first to move in, the last to leave,” the denomination’s humanitarian aid agency is known as the “guru” of case management, working with family units until they are back in their homes. After Hurricane Katrina, federal and state agencies tapped UMCOR to help oversee case management for affected families. In Louisiana, UMCOR received the same grants as the United Way. Tate estimates that two-thirds of the State of Louisiana has benefited from United Methodist assistance. Because UMCOR is in it for the long haul, Ken Ward (left) and Dale Kimball say people like Leona Cousins, 95, are the reason they have worked long hours six days a week with the United Methodist Slidell (La.) Disaster Recovery Station, helping rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. A UMNS file photo by Mike DuBose.
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the agency practices good stewardship. “We’ve been very frugal with our money. That’s why we’re still helping,” Tate said. Eightyone cents of every dollar that The United Methodist Church has given to the Louisiana Conference has gone to client services, including case management and construction work, with only 19 cents per dollar toward administrative costs. “For recovery work, that is real good,” Tate said. United Methodist help in New Orleans is all the more remarkable since the denomination is well in the minority in a mostly Catholic city. Before Katrina forced evacuations, about 10,000 United Methodists called New Orleans home; about 6,000 to 7,000 have returned. United Methodists also have been key players in organizing interfaith disaster response teams, working alongside Lutheran and Catholic charity organizations. “Disaster recovery broke the denominational walls down,” Tate said. “We’re like brothers and sisters.” Volunteer help from United Methodists has been steady over the five years of recovery effort. As of December 2009, more than 70,000 volunteers from every state and annual conference in the UMC, as well as 33 countries worldwide, have helped out. They have given more than three million volunteer hours, which represents $54 million of in-kind free labor.
What happens when a disaster strikes in your area?
New Orleans mission trip repairs homes, changes lives
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hen a disaster strikes, each county has an Emergency Management Agency responsible to be the first on the scene. This agency works closely with non-governmental agencies including The Red Cross to establish shelters.
By Jessica Stewart
The only thing hanging on Gertrude King’s finished walls is a picture frame that displays pictures of the people who helped to build her finished walls. In 2009, Rev. Dairel Kaiser (Keene UMC) and his team helped to rebuild homes that were destroyed or damaged from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. King’s home was one of the many that United Methodist Volunteers In Mission (UMVIM) worked on that year. In 2010, with the Three Rivers District NOLA Mission, Kaiser was able to revisit Ms. King at her home. “A special opportunity this year was to return to the homes our team had worked on last year in the ninth ward,” said Rev. Jim Humphrey, district superintendent of the Three Rivers District. Kaiser was able to see King’s completed house and visit with her and see pictures of him displayed on her walls. In addition to the framed picture of her favorite teams, she also displayed notes and correspondence from those who had written to her. It was a meaningful experience for both Kaiser and King. New Orleans has made improvements, but there is still a lot to be done. Rev. Tom Scott, a team member from the 2010 Three Rivers District trip, said, “There is still a large need down there.” This was Three River’s second year in New Orleans. They have seen a lot of progress, but many people are still waiting to return to their home nearly four and half years after Katrina. The volunteer teams helped to rebuild some of those homes. Marcia Bowman, a team member from the trip, was quoted saying, “Through the devastation and lost hopes and dreams,
In the first few days after the disaster, pastors and church leaders need to make a quick assessment of the level of damage to church facilities and parsonages, and to the local community. Report such damage to your district office or district disaster coordinator. people come back and want to rebuild their home. I am not so sure I would do that.” The Three Rivers District mission teams did such jobs as dry walling, laying tile and laminate flooring, installing cabinets, painting and plumbing. This year’s team attracted volunteers from the ages of 14 to 78 and with all different levels of experience. “A lot of the places don’t look damaged but you recognize when you are down there for a little bit that there are Venetian blinds up in all of the windows and they are all shut,” Scott said. “Every time you go past the house you realize that that is an abandoned house.” For the volunteers that go to New Orleans, the trip creates an instant spiritual effect. “Spiritually, there is a sensitivity I think that raises in us when you go back home and sing the songs, the words mean something different. When you sing ‘Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow,’ you know what some of those folks have faced and the words take on a little bit of an extra meaning,” Scott said.
If the district disaster coordinator feels help is needed, Early Response Teams are activated. Early Response Teams are specially trained volunteers who understand the spiritual and emotional crisis a disaster creates. They are equipped to stop the damage and stabilize the situation but they do not do long-term repairs. Early Response Teams cannot go into the disaster until the Emergency Management Agency has determined that conditions are safe for limited numbers of volunteers. Volunteers In Mission are people who do long-term clean up and repairs. The VIM team normally does not get involved until after the insurance and government disaster assessments have been completed. People with a heart for helping in disaster often volunteer and train for more than one of these areas. If you have an interest in helping people to recover spiritually, emotionally, and physically from a disaster, contact your district office or district coordinator. FOR MORE INFORMATION: East Ohio’s Early Response Team contact: Doug Herr at 330-723-0551 or by email dherr@zoominternet.net. Disaster Response contact: Bill Sutherin at (330) 426-9608 or by email william_sutherin@att.net To volunteer for United Methodist Volunteers In Mission contact: Matt McClung at 440-428-3981 or by email tennisrev1174@aol.com
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There are many options available to those who have been inspired by stories of the mission projects and programs made possible by The United Methodist Church. Summer mission opportunities are just around the corner.
mission projects
joshua
sower
nehemiah
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The JOSHUA Summer Work Camp in Steubenville was created in 1990 to address the poor housing conditions of the residents of the city. Since 1990, JOSHUA (Journeys Of Service Helping Upper Appalachia) has grown to include work teams from Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, New York and Ohio. In 2008, JOSHUA with the help of 16 teams completed 64 projects for low income families, communities and Urban Missions. For information on JOSHUA and how to book JOSHUA accommodations visit: www.urbanmission.org/josh.htm The SOWER Work Mission near St. Clairsville focuses its efforts on repairing low income homes for individuals, families and churches. During the five-day camp at SOWER (Sharing Our Witness Enriching Relationships), participants scrape, paint, rebuild porches, repair roofs and build handicap-accessible ramps. Work weeks are still available for teams. For information, visit: www.epworthcenter.org The Nehemiah Project in Cleveland invites people --- young and old, from urban, suburban and rural settings --- to participate in a weekend or weeklong programs that help to rebuild the city of Cleveland. Volunteers have a variety of projects to work on, repairing porches and ramps, painting houses, cleaning and painting classrooms, doing yard work, working in food pantries and soup kitchens and helping with Vacation Bible Schools. For information, visit: www.nehemiahmission.org
In a society that is so wealthy, how can we tolerate knowing that our most vulnerable: our children, elderly and the disabled are in such great need? - Bruce Hitchcock
urban mission Urban Mission has dedicated its service to providing food, shelter, and other services to families of low income. Located in Steubenville, Urban Mission has grown to be the largest charity in the Upper Ohio Valley. “Mission’s main purpose is to meet the direct/practical needs of people in poverty,” said Bruce Hitchcock, executive director. Urban Mission helps with programs such as grocery distributions, a soup kitchen, Hutton House Homeless Shelter, Joshua Summer Work Camp, Free Clinic, Neighborhood Community Development Center, Christmas programs, InKind Donations, and the Hospitality Room. Urban Mission is proud to say that it is able to help people in crisis. Emergency food and shelter are available with grocery distributions, the soup kitchen and the Hutton House Homeless Shelter. For example, 909,884 pounds of groceries were distributed, the soup kitchen served 16,719 hot meals and the homeless shelters housed 191 children and adults in their times of need. With the help of the Joshua Project, Urban Mission is able to respond to home repairs from disasters such as floods and fires. Urban Mission is also able to offer assistance to those with medical needs. “We want people who do not have access to health care to have access to health care,” Hitchcock said. One of Hitchcock’s favorite programs is the Hospitality Room. Located at 311 N. Sixth St. in Steubenville, the room offers a place for people to gather for coffee and fellowship. “The Hospitality Room creates an amazing
focus expands to meet greater needs
mix of people who take time to share with each other. They begin to see themselves as people of value,” Hitchock said. “Whenever you add God to the mix, you provide them with a way to deal with their life struggles. There is some amazing power in that.” Programs likes these are only possible with the help of the community. There are many ways to contribute to Urban Mission, and doors are always open to new volunteers. “We could not provide the services we do without the many volunteers that help us each week,” Hitchcock said. The economic crisis has taken its toll on Steubenville’s finest resource, its people. Therefore, Urban Mission has written grants to bring funds for the inventory needed. The programs also accept donations via urbanmission.org. “There is an attitude that is frightening yet prevalent in our society today. People think that because someone is poor, they somehow chose that lifestyle. Or perhaps they are uneducated and that’s why they are poor. I believe the church has a responsibility to help change that mindset,” Hitchcock said. “The largest groups of people who are homeless are children and the elderly. In a society that is so wealthy, how can we tolerate knowing that our most vulnerable: our children, elderly and the disabled are in such great need?”
joining together in
times
of crisis
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resources
dvds/videos
media center
healingafter personal loss Exploring The Sacred in Death and Dying Does the end of life bring nothing but pain, disappointment and loss? Viewers learn how to talk to a dying person and those in grief; how to say goodbye; how to be present to the dying and the grieving and how to trust our own instincts. Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide Suicide devastates families for many years and family survivors are at greater risk of suicide themselves. Family survivors reveal their intimate stories and aching pains to assist other survivors and the broader community understand the unique grief of suicide.
healingministry
books
When Bad Things Happen to Good People Dr. Harold S. Kushner’s findings offer practical, faith-based answers which can provide relief to those who face suffering due to the death of a loved one, divorce, illness, job loss and more.
Crisis Manual for Christian Schools and Youth Workers: How to Prepare for and Handle Tragedy As a high school counselor, author Sandy Austin has faced tragedy ranging from the shootings at Columbine High School to four suicides at the Colorado high school where she works. Austin uses her experience and expertise to give youth workers step-by-step instruction on how to plan ahead and handle tragedy should the need arise. www.cokesbury.com
Healing through Loss Recovery can be slow and painful, and helping those who have lost can be intimidating. The “Windows” series teaches the way to deal with grief and provides a model for helping others in grief. Crisis Care: Hope for the Hurting Join Dr. H. Norman Wright and other Christian counselors help those in caring ministry understand different crises and what to say and do to minister to those needs. God’s Answers To Life’s Difficult Questions How does God provide direction to the common issues that we face? Author Rick Warren takes you inside the Bible to discover answers to six of life’s toughest questions. Creating Caring Congregations This ecumenical resource decreases the stigma associated with mental illness and increases church member’s awareness of the need to develop mental health programs and ministries in the local church. Leading Griefshare Effectively Griefshare equips your church for an effective grief ministry. It is a powerful community outreach tool for your church. The biblical approach helps your church minister to the hurt as it models Christ.
Helping Others Through Loss Watch a family friend, a pastor, and a school counselor help a grieving family cope after the loss of their teenage daughter in an alcohol-related car accident. Learn four characteristics of effective helpers and discover six ways that you can sensitively support and encourage others in grief.
God, Why?: Teachings from the Tsunamis Feelings of grief and a loss of spiritual compass are common when natural disasters strike. This resource helps people of faith through myriad emotions to understand God’s activity when natural disasters happen.
Helping Children Grieve Few events in a child’s life can affect them as greatly as the death of a loved one. This DVD offers helpful information to adults (parents, caregivers, professionals) on how to help children of all ages grieve with hope and heart.
How to Rebuild your Broken World Lives today are filled with pain - stress, pressure, unfortunate circumstances or even bad decisions, or a world that is falling apart. This Chip Ingram series is designed to help you begin where you are and rebuild your broken world.
Shattered Dreams: Healing after Divorce Those who have experienced the pain of divorce have suffered a loss. You will meet persons who have suffered the pain of divorce, have walked through a recovery process, and have found healing and hope.
A Place Prepared For children, death seems unreal and at a distance, until it comes to someone close. This video helps you talk with children about death and heaven and to prepare them for the inevitable losses they will experience throughout their lives.
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Facing a World in Crisis: What Life Teaches Us in Challenging Times J. Krishnamurti, religious teacher, often taught his students to look at the state of the world, with all its violence and conflict, to understand themselves. “Facing a World in Crisis “ presents a selection of talks by Krishnamurti on how to live in and respond to troubling and uncertain times with a message of personal responsibility and the importance of connecting with the broader world. www.cokesbury.com Breaking & Mending Struggling to make sense of her own painful divorce, The Upper Room’s managing editor Mary Lou Redding, looked to the Bible where she found guidance and hope. Redding looks at the spiritual issues of divorce rather than the sociological ones, and allows the scriptures to illuminate and heal this difficult transition. www.upperroom.org When the World Breaks Your Heart: Spiritual Ways of Living with Tragedy Using his experience as a National Guard chaplain Gregory S. Clapper ministered to those involved in the United Flight 232 Sioux City, Iowa, disaster. Clapper offers hope for living with tragedy offering consolation through a confident statement of faith. www.upperroom.org
youth annual conference 2010
YAC2010
Greater things are to come to Youth Annual Conference
Lamentations 3:17-22 (NLT)
On June 11th, youth from all over East Ohio will make their way back to Lakeside for Youth Annual Conference. Like the past years, YAC has a weekend jam-packed with events for youth to participate in. The theme this year is, “Greater Things to Come.” This theme will be carried throughout the weekend in worship services, teen testimonies and other events.
17 Peace has been stripped away,and I have forgotten what prosperity is. 18 I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost! 19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. 20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. 21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: 22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease.
Joe Castillo
YAC2010 features a visit from sand artist, Joe Castillo. Castillo will inspire with his unique way of depicting Biblical events. Castillo uses sand on a lit table to create his masterpieces. The art is then projected up on a large projector for an audience to see. YAC will also enjoy United Methodist Day at Cedar Point which includes three great rallies highlighted by a foot washing service.
Historically, East Ohio’s Youth Annual Conference includes discussion and voting on legislation that is relevant to youth. One of the most inspirational programs of YAC is the Youth Service Fund. YSF offerings are collected to help finance mission projects, either nationally or internationally, that minister to youth. YAC participants approve the budget and then raise the money for the fund throughout the next year. The YSF goal for East Ohio is $15,000. Each year, YAC delegates elect a slate of representatives to serve as ambassadors for Youth Service Fund. Every youth group is encouraged to participate in YAC. Each church may send up to five voting delegates, and are welcome to bring all of their youth to experience this Spirit-filled weekend.
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and Healing
Annual Conference promises a time of
HOPE
F
or four days in June, Lakeside will be a haven of Hope and Healing – the theme of this year’s Annual Conference. From June 14-17, speakers invited by East Ohio Conference resident bishop Rev. John L. Hopkins will share their thoughts and messages, and there will be a day of workshops centered on the conference theme. Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of Mississippi will be the first of the conference’s three planned speakers with a presentation on Tuesday, June 15. Elected to her position and appointed to the state in 2004, Ward is believed to be the first woman to lead a mainline denomination in Mississippi and is only the second female bishop elected to serve in The United Methodist Church’s nine-state Southeastern Jurisdiction. Growing up as a seventh-generation resident of the Morgan family farm in North Carolina, Ward experienced a family life centered in the Wesleyan tradition with weekly worship, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, youth choir, youth fellowship, covered dish dinners and mission projects. She went on to graduate from Duke University and then became youth director of Fairmont United Methodist Church in Raleigh, N.C., where she discovered love of ministry and mission. Ward later served 10 years as pastor of Soapstone United Methodist Church in Raleigh, N.C. and became superintendent of the Raleigh District in the North Carolina Annual Conference.
Hope and Healing-themed workshops are planned for Wednesday, along with a presentation by guest speaker Dr. Scott Morris, a family physician, ordained United Methodist minister, and founder of the Memphis, Tenn., Church Health Center clinic. Dr. Morris, who also wrote the book “I Am the Lord Who Heals You: Reflections on Healing, Wholeness, and Restoration,” has long advocated strong ties between health, wellness and faith, believing in a responsibility to take care of the bodies God gave us. He writes regularly on healthcare issues and the church’s role in both community and individual wellness practices. The Church Health Center opened in 1987 with the goal of providing quality, affordable healthcare for working uninsured people and their families, and has since become the largest faith-based clinic of its type in the country. The center cares for more than 50,000 patients of record without relying on government funding. Its outreach staff also offers training to start and strengthen health ministries, and its online ministry, HopeandHealing. org, offers a forum for sharing its resources, ideas and encouragement. East Ohio’s own Rev. Orlando Chaffee, superintendent of the North Coast District of the United Methodist Church, will close out the speakers’ slate on Thursday, June 17.
Originally from Detroit, Chaffee grew up in the suburbs southeast of Cleveland and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University and Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill. His first appointment was a two-point charge as part-time associate pastor at Cory United Methodist Church, and fulltime pastor at Willson United Methodist Church. He later served as pastor at Windermere United Methodist Church in East Cleveland and returned to Cory UMC as senior pastor. Extremely active in the life of the greater church and community, Chaffee has served on many East Ohio Conference teams, groups, committees and councils, and was the superintendent of the Mahoning Valley District. Bishop Hopkins has also issued a challenge to every Annual Conference member in hopes of raising a significant offering to support the 3C’s Mission Initiative: It is his hope that local churches will send $100 along with each conference member, enabling entire congregations to pull together and play a role in funding this initiative through a special offering in Lakeside. Checks for this purpose should be made payable to East Ohio Conference and marked for Fund #9936. For a church to receive credit for mission giving please have the check in an envelope with a note that identifies the church for which the special offering is to be credited.