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 »

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING – March 18, 2012

LIFE-CHANGING MINISTRY—A RESPONSE TO GOD’S LOVE

Join United Methodists everywhere by participating in this special offering that supports our United Methodist Committee on Relief’s (UMCOR) vital work.  Your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) lay the foundation for our UMCOR to live into God’s mercy and compassion for suffering people everywhere.   Be assured that when catastrophes cause suffering, your church, impelled by Jesus’ love and compassion, will be in the lead to ease the pain.

This offering is one of six special offerings per year across the whole of the United Methodist Church.  OGHS is the one offering each year to assist UMCOR in providing its infrastructure for ministry.  This assures that for all other giving, 100% of the offering goes to the ministry needs and not to “keeping on the lights.”   OGHS will also provide the initial funding to respond to disasters and other desperate needs before the Advance giving for the specific need can be brought on-line.  This is an incredibly important offering.

Please go to One Great Hour of Sharing to learn more information and to download or order materials for your bulletin and envelopes for the offering.

Your gift may save a life.  Your gift will honor Jesus.

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 »

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

Today, through 10-Fold, we journey with our Missionaries serving in the U.S.  One serves here with us in the North Carolina Conference.    Read more of his story below, but before you do, please register at 10-Fold.  Today’s sponsor will donate $1 on your behalf toward the wondrous ministries of our U.S. based missionaries.

Gary Locklear is a General Board of Global Ministries Church & Community Worker and Home Missioner.  Gary is assigned to the Rockingham District Native American Cooperative Ministry in Robeson County North Carolina. Robeson County is one of the poorest counties in the US. Gary works with the thirteen Native American churches in the North Carolina Conference.

His primary responsibility is in the broad area of mission, living into the life of Jesus through Native American interpretation and communicating the story of the ministry.  Gary host’s numerous work teams during the year providing renovation to homes and churches in the community around Robeson and adjoining counties.   In such ministry, the lives of participants are transformed into a greater likeness of Christ, as they reflect on these acts of love and compassion, as they reach out and touch their neighbor, and as they discover Jesus reaching back to them.  It is disciple-making in the fullest sense.  And of course, Read more »

Every 45 seconds, a child in Africa dies of malaria. Millions of lives, needlessly lost each year. A continent. Entire nations…slipping away. Slipping through life’s precious net. Unless you hear the buzzing inside you.  Just Imagine …

It’s time we all join hands with Africa | On a personal mission to heal | Imagine no malaria | Then make it real. | Over a million lives, we’re gonna save | But only if you get involved today. | The bednets have been cast | But people can’t slip through | Listen to the buzz inside of you.  Be part of the Dream … be part of the Solution … be part of the work of Jesus! 

10-Fold!

What is 10-Fold? What’s The Advance? 10-Fold is a movement to raise awareness of projects of the General Board of Global Ministries around the world, supported through The Advance—the designated-giving arm of The United Methodist Church. This message of doing something (advocating, raising awareness, or giving) and watching it expand “10-Fold,” comes with the guarantee that 100 percent of all money raised through The Advance goes directly to the project you support or donate to. Join us daily, October 10-19.

By clicking on the site each day, you register your interest in a program, triggering $1 of support on your behalf, given by one of our sponsors: http://www.10-fold.org/ the project you support or donate to.  If you miss a day, don’t worry, you can go back to that day and still partner with the ministry by learning about and supporting the ministry with your donation.  Remember, you are the key partner in mission.  Only by your participation will these vital ministries occur.  Jesus calls us to journey with him in the transformation of the world.  10 Fold is a facet of that journey.  Please join us in touching the lives of the least, in bringing hope into despair, in proclaiming the saving grace and life of Jesus Christ!   10 Fold – Advancing the realm of God.    

Mission Seed Funds are now available.  There is a small amount of funding for 2011.  Funds must be expended within the 2011 calendar year.  Applications are due November 1, 2011.  Funds will be disbursed by November 15.

Seed Fund Applications for the 2012 funding cycle are due November 1, 2011.  Funds will be disbursed by March 31, 2012.

Applications and budget reports can be found at Mission Seed Funds.

Final Reports and Budget Reports are due for recipients of 2011 Mission Seed Funds no later than January 31, 2012.  (Any recipient not submitting a required report will not be eligible for future funding until required reports are received.)

Refugee settlement - the result of war. Photo - Steve Taylor/NCCUMC

Each year people all over the world recognize World Refugee Day. World Refugee Day encourages us to prayerfully reflect on the lives of refugees, and raise awareness in our communities and congregations about refugee resettlement.

UMCOR, together with congregations and the Church World Service resettlement network across the country, has developed a series of World Refugee Day materials that can be accessed online and downloaded. There is a church bulletin insert for use on Sunday June 19, the day before World Refugee Day. Additionally, you can arrange to make an announcement about World Refugee Day during worship or another church gathering. Your church may also consider planning a worship service around the theme of refugees. You can download the poster and other materials here.

We need YOUR HELP to get the word out about these materials so please forward this email to your networks, colleagues, pastors and friends. We hope that you will make every effort to lift up this important day at your worship service on Sunday June 19^th.

Do you have an idea for raising awareness in your congregation about refugees? Is there a way that UMCOR might be able to help? Please don’t hesitate to contact us at UMCORRefugee@gbgm-umc.org or 212-870-3888. The more we hear from you, the better!