Child receives Christmas Box at AGAPE Center

In this week’s Connections address, Bishop Hope invited your church to be directly involved in Project AGAPE, the unique mission of North Carolina United Methodists with Christians in Armenia.

One of the ways we are partnering with our Armenian Sisters and Brothers is in our AGAPE Christmas Box Ministry.  For many children in refugee communities located in the Kashatagh District, this is the only Christmas gift they will receive.  For some of them, this will be the first toy they have ever received.  Though these boxes may seem like a small gift, they will carry the priceless love of Christ.  Children who receive these boxes will know that they have been remembered and loved.  We hope that you might join us in this beautiful action that proclaims Jesus’s AGAPE.

To find box contents and packing instructions, please see AGAPE Christmas Box Ministry.  

Sunrise over Project AGAPE

DEAREST SISTERS & BROTHERS,

On behalf of 1500 and more families or more than 8000 habitants of Kashatagh region of Nagorno-Karabagh Republic I would like to express my deepest WORD of GRATITUDE for EVERYTHING you do to help these families survive in the conditions that NOT MANY IN THE WORLD WOULD CONFRONT.

Recently I had an opportunity to meet and speak with a 21 year old Armenian refugee from Syria. His name is Raffi and he came to Karabagh with his mother. His father and brother are still in Syria looking … for entire letter follow this link – A Proclamation of Love & Hope in a Desperate Reality.

For more on this important ministry, please see Project AGAPE. 

Nara Melkonyan, director of our mission in Armenia, Project AGAPE,  will be visiting the North Carolina Conference area during the month of April, 2013.  

Project AGAPE is a joint ministry of both the Western North Carolina Conference and the North Carolina Annual Conference.  Nara will be able to share how you are making a difference and bringing hope through the crucial ministry of AGAPE.  Here, we are in mission in a place which is still recovering from extreme poverty and suffering brought by a generation of Soviet rule, a massive earthquake in the late 90s that devastated much of the country, a war, and continuing political tensions.   AGAPE works with the Armenian Orthodox Church to offer humanitarian relief in the name of the Lord Jesus.

NC Conference work team brings internet connectivity to Project AGAPE computer class – bringing education and possibilities to vulnerable Armenian children.

To schedule Nara to visit your Church for any sized gathering, please contact the Conference Mission Secretary, Bill Haddock at revbillh@nccumc.org or 910.262.3831.  

Ani & Caitlin showing a bit of “Jesus love” with hammers in hand.

Project AGAPE is an outreach ministry of the NC Conference and WNCC Conference in partnership with the Armenian Apostolic Church.  Currently we have a team on mission there, led by NC Conference Board of Missions, Inc. contractor, JP McGuire.  You can follow JP’s blog at:  Project AGAPE Outreach Blog.

See more on Project AGAPE by clicking here.

Children in AGAPE Christian Education

Conference contractor JP McGuire is leading a construction mission work team to Armenia July 28 – Aug. 12.  Construction experience is not necessary for this trip, just a willingness to be God’s servant in hands-on building ministry.  There is a particular need for persons with good computer skills.  The cost of the trip is projected at $3500 – all inclusive.

We have multiple openings on the team.  You will be blessed and you will be a blessing.

For more information on this team, go to Armenia team.

Aly Stanley is serving as a short-term Mission Volunteer with Project AGAPE, Armenia.  Initially, she is teaching English with college aged students and later, will serve with the Agape Children’s Home in Nagorno Karabagh.  You can follow her blog at:  Aly in Armenia.   She would love to hear from you as she shares the love of Jesus in this, the oldest of Christian nations.

You too can be part of this incredible ministry through a Mission Work Team scheduled for  July 28 – August 12.

Children dance at the AGAPE Children's home. Some children at the home have living parents who bring their children to the home because the parents are so impoverished that they cannot feed their own children.

And as always, you can join with your gifts, where with every donation, 100% of your gift is used in the ministry.

Contributions may be made through your local church or mailed to:

NC Conference, PO Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260.

Make check payable to:

NC Conference designated as Project AGAPE

Project AGAPE can be found in Lane #4 – World Missions in the Rainbow Covenant/Advance Service Commitment Booklet.   Advance #S – 00004.

Children readying for sleep at AGAPE orphanage.

Conference Contractor JP McGuire is leading a Construction Mission Team to Armenia with tentative dates of July 28 – August 12.    Construction experience is not necessary for this trip, just a willingness to be God’s servant in hands-on building ministry.  Approximate costs of the trip is projected at $3500 – all inclusive.

Our primary construction focus will be either (1) a hospital, (2) an orphanage, (3) a staff house, or (4) low income housing.  We, like all other teams/individuals working in such relief, will work where we are asked to work – according to what is the priority of our host in Armenia.

If any of our team members additionally enjoy working with children, or teaching/sharing specific skills with children (art, game playing, architectural drawing, photography, knitting, crocheting, basket weaving, sewing, etc.) time will be secured for such endeavors.  This is looked upon as a way of building upon the good rapport between our two nations, and a way in which the children/adults of Armenia may practice their English language skills.

Children being instructed in an AGAPE computer class at the AGAPE Christian Education Center.

There is a particular need for persons with computer skills.

The computers in use in Armenia are very old.  Persons able to teach on these are appreciated.  New lap-top computers are sought, and the ability to teach the use of these new computers is also sought.

If you are interested in this life-giving journey with Jesus to the oldest of Christian nations, please contact JP McGuire at:  919-920-7282 or jpmcguire@nccumc.org.

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