Updated:  4-19-12 at 12:45 PM

Hurricane Irene Recovery

Waves break over railings of a home's raised deck. Storm surges were up to 8 feet in some areas.

The NC Conference continues to have an on-going operation for disaster recovery.  Over 27,000 homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Irene in August 2011.  We have thousands of people who remain unable to move back into heavily damaged or destroyed homes.  We have deep need for work teams to do both repair/reconstruction and new construction.  The NC Conference disaster recovery call center can place your team in an area where people continue to desperately need your help.   We have had over 250 teams respond and we need many, many more.  We are deeply grateful for the efforts and gifts of these wondrous servants.  We have been staggered by the generosity of those who have responded in such manner.   Please join us.  Your efforts will make a difference.

Anyone wanting to volunteer should email disasterresponse@nccumc.org or call 888-440-9167.

For our NC districts and local churches, if you are willing to have your facility be used for work teams for this, or any, disaster, please fill out the Disaster Response Facilities Survey and send it to disasterresponse@nccumc.org .

We continue to need additional funds for the recovery work.  Please also consider reaching out financially by giving to NC Storms Emergency Response – NC Advance #S-00176. 100% of every gift to this Advance will go to storm response.  You can give online at:  Hurricane Irene Giving

You can also send funds to:  NC Conference, P.O. Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260.  Please be sure to note Advance #S-00176.

— Steve Taylor/Outreach Team Coordinator

Note from Outreach Team Coordinator:

Mary and Herbert Zigbuo are long term missionaries who have served Jesus and God’s people with passion, love, sacrifice, and courage.  Mary is now working here in North Carolina.  Herbert is now retired and is battling cancer.   In this current struggle, Herbert lives with courage, grace, and humor, the way he has always served God and those whom Jesus calls “the least of these.”  These servants of God are blessings to us all.  - Steve

Dear Friends,

In March, I was humbled to be part of a celebration of courage, hope and love!   The Fellowship Hall was filled with family, invited guests, volunteers, and friends!  The hall appeared like a scene of what I perceived the kingdom of God to resemble!    A diverse group of people from all walks of life sat around tables making small talk.   Symbols of Christ-like acceptance and support were demonstrated by pats on backs, hugs, embraces, laughter! Walking around the hall greeting people, Miss Bertie* held fast to baby boy Ti ‘Reem* as he sought to play with her glasses!   Talking came easy!  “My bad”, a young man said to an elderly gentleman as they conversed.  Then the young man quickly added “Oh, I mean…” but was interrupted by the elderly gentleman.  “I know what you meant” he said with a quick smile and a wink.  He was actually proud of his new attitude of comprehension and acceptance of what he used to negatively refer to as “street talk”!

A love beyond what the world teaches us was present in that Fellowship Hall!  A love where judgment is suppressed and acceptance is encouraged….. a love Paul spoke of in Romans 12:10: “Love one another with brotherly affection, giving precedence and showing honor to one another”.   That’s the kind of love United Methodist Church supported Anson County Circles of Hope portrays.

During the celebration, eleven persons were honored for their completion of an 18-week ‘Getting Ahead’ class that includes a comprehensive curriculum in which participants investigate the causes of poverty in their communities and Read more »

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.

Ronnie helping Jimmey Davis load the large window with Lou Ellen looking on.

We continue to celebrate the volunteers who are are joining our church construction ministry.  Everyone is welcome!  To join us, please contact JP McGuire at:  (919) 920-7282 or jpmcguire@nccumc.com

A word from JP, Conference Contractor:

This week saw a lot of change at the St George UMC site in Maxton.  The update can be seen at:

Celebrating our building at St. George – Board of Missions Construction Ministry!

We are working there this week on Monday-Thursday.  Volunteers welcome!

Thanks,
JP

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.

Volunteers work at St George UMC, Maxton, NC. NC Conference Board of Missions Inc. church construction ministry.

St. George UMC – Maxton … a great volunteer driven outreach ministry of the NC Conference Mission Team/Board of Missions.  Please come and join us!  To do so, please contact JP McGuire at:  (919) 920-7282 or jpmcguire@nccumc.com

A word from JP McGuire, NC Conference Lead Contractor – WOW! – what an incredible two weeks.  Volunteers and crew after crews on-site – and we have really moved forward.  The “crowning glory” was the participation of an UMVIM-South Carolina team from Bethany UMC in Summerville, SC this past Friday and Saturday.  This team of 11 contractors came to Maxton and got almost all of the OSB wall sheathing done and about 1/2 of the ceiling 2X4 purlins installed.  That saved me about 3 weeks of regular labor.  They were joied by a couple of volunteers from St. George UMC itself + 2 volunteers from New Hope UMC in Rowland + 1 volunteer from Beauty Spot UMC.  The St. George congregation provided lunch on Friday and the New Hope congregation provided lunch on Saturday.

This is what I wrote on my facebook page regarding this weekend:
Where do I see the face of God?:  -  When 11 people travel 3 to 4 hours to work at hard labor in the reconstruction of a church for a congregation they do not know, for no compensation, and they do so merely because there is a need – a need which their skills can answer, where God’s people are one-in-harmony, I see the face of God.

In addition to the OSB work, other work done:
New roof installed; new brick steps and wheelchair ramp built in front; all walls insulated; plumbing and electrical rough-ins completed; and framing, electrical, insulation (wall) and plumbing inspections all passed.

For the latest information and more updates, see JP’s blog at:
http://www.klipspringerstudios.com/Board-of-Missions-Contractors.html

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.

Read more »

Child at AGAPE Orphanage receives Christmas gift through your generosity. this Christmas season, let us who are warm, sheltered, clothed, and fed, remember there are brothers and sisters in the world who are not. In Armenia, the oldest of Christian nations, many struggle for life. Through your action, they will not be alone. Through your action, in the midst of despair, they will know hope.

Following this Christmas season, let us who are warm, sheltered, clothed, and fed, remember there are  brothers and sisters in the world who are not.  In Armenia, the oldest of Christian nations, many struggle for life.  Through your action, they will not be alone.  Through your action, in the midst of despair, they will know hope.

January in the NC Conference is Project AGAPE month.  Project AGAPE is a joint ministry with the Western NC Conference, proclaiming the name of Jesus in an area that suffered the devastation of a generation of communist rule and state-sponsored atheism, a war with Azerbaijan, and a place where thousands of refugees continue in a struggle to survive.

Please prayerfully consider supporting our brothers and sisters with an AGAPE offering.  If you cannot do it in January, please consider any other day that works for you.  Your gift could make the difference between life and death, spiritually and physically.   Jesus births God’s light into our existence, so that we may birth the same light into the lives of others.  Please help.

To download the AGAPE bulletin insert, please click:  AGAPE Brochure – AGAPE SUNDAY

To learn more Read more »

Early Responders - You will make a difference!

Two Early Responder Team training sessions this week!  

The mission of an Early Response Team is to provide a caring Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster, under very specific guidelines that enable the team to be productive and caring while causing no further harm or being a burden to the affected community.  Classes are taught by authorized trainers credentialed by the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).

The following upcoming classes are offered free of charge (including cost of background checks):

Saturday Dec. 10, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at First UMC, 402 N. Main St., Fuquay-Varina  Phone  919-567-8384
Saturday Dec. 10,  8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Love Joy UMC, Substation Rd., Troy  Phone 910 576-4531 

Visit Early Responder Training to register for either session.

Impoverished Armenian children are loved and celebrated in the AGAPE ministry.

Project AGAPE Armenia, a joint ministry of churches in the NC and WNC Conferences, continues to serve in ministry with some of the most vulnerable people in the world – refugees and displaced persons in eastern Armenia.  Though the ministry remains critical, funding and congregational support for the ministry grows smaller.  Continued ministry beyond June 2012 is in real jeopardy.  You are invited to an AGAPE ministry meeting at the Methodist Building in Garner, on Tuesday, December 6, 7:00 PM – 8:00.  We will have an overview of the ministry’s history, look an current actions, and strategize about possible future responses.  Please RSVP to Kathy Reavis at kreavis@nccumc.org or 800-849-4433 ext 256.

For more AGAPE information, please see:  Project AGAPE Armenia