UMCOY
News!UMCOY
News!last updated January 31, 2012
Date: Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Dear Friends in Prayer:
I will be joining you tomorrow for part of the prayer group time. That will
be starting around 11:30 AM here. Will be leaving to go out to the village about
1PM (11 in Yucaipa). I'm so thankful for the loving generousity exhibited by
so many in our congregation.
The need is great just in this little group of students. They would have been asked today to not return to school until their families could supply the necessary school materials, shoes and "uniforms"...which arent much, but too much if you have nothing. The adults in these children's lives are marginally literate. The men work day worker type jobs as regular employment is rare. This barely meets the food needs of a family let alone school supplies. So these gifts arrived just in time. The mommies, aunties and grandmas scurried about getting the necessary goods so these 8 children could continue to be enrolled and attend school. I am so thankful to see "kingdom living" in action.
I had the privilege of being invited for lunch at Melicenda's home. She is the one who has made arrangements for a meeting place for us. Some of her grandchildren will be involved in our "Homework Club". We had delicious fresh handmade tortillas on which you squeeze a little fresh lime and sprinkle a little salt. These are accompanied with black beans cooked over a wood stove, guacamole, pico de gallo/salsa and rice. It was so delicious and the children who will be in the program came too. I wish you all could have been there. We will start for reals tomorrow. The kids made little pictures and notes which I will share when I get back.
I have been tracking down a Methodist connection in Guatemala. Finally today I was sent a local ph. # by the person in charge of the Methodist Church in Central America. He had previously sent me two other email addresses which did not respond. It turns out that there is NO Methodist presence in this entire area in Guatemala. Further out in more rural areas there are "works" of the church. But here, not. So I am happy to report that we are not stepping on the toes of other official missions of our church, but instead reaching into communities of need which are not being met. Alelulia! I miss you all as you are precious to me. Our prayer together sustains me each week.
Please send my greetings to the sweet folks in our choir too.
Dorothy, I don't have an e-mail address for you, but you are also here with
me.
Prayer needs from here:
Mercedes has an orange sized growth in her abdomin. She will see a Dr. on Wed.
Work for the families whose children we are helping. There are no safety nets
here. No income: no gas, no lights,no wood for cooking, perhaps days with not
sufficient food and certainly no school supplies. So prayers for regular work
for Carlos, Agusto, Luis, Danilo, and Estuardo.
I'll stay in touch and be praying for our church family from here.
Blessings to each of you, Carole
The Sunday, January 1st continuous reading of the New Testament was a great success! We had about 40 participants including youth and adults (and our four-legged night-time security guard, Stella). The reading began at about 10:15am after worship in the Sanctuary, and was completed by 8:21am the next day. The youth took the 11:00pm night shift, and everyone read some until they ran out of gas and found a place in the Sanctuary to sleep. Jude was completed by the last three readers at about 4:00 am, so everyone got at least a little sleep before the 7:00am readers arrived to start into Revelation.
It was very good beginning to the New Year to be immersed in scripture, and it was a real blessing to hear everything read in a sequential "story format." We listened to the life and teachings of Christ, heard the history and teachings of the apostles, and the prophecies of what will come. Amen!
Thanks to all who participated!
Dear Friends in Christ,
During the Conference Clergy Convocation earlier this fall, Rev. Mike Slaughter offered copies of his book, Christmas Is Not Your Birthday as part of his focus on the mission of the Church: to bring an old yet always new message to the world. Now we are on the brink of the swirl of the shopping season, while at the same time we are eager to sing carols about a boy born in a stable to save the world. Let us truly remember whose birthday it is, and what our gifts can do for a spiritually hungry, physically hurting world. Here are 12 ideas for giving this Advent that I hope you will use to change the world.
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson.
Please give generously to ~
1. The World Service Fund, 100% for mission around the world: give through your local congregation or ministry. Information available at: http://www.umcgiving.org/ and search "World Service Fund."
2. The Global Aids Fund: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/work/health/hivaids/aids-fund/
3. The Central Conference Pension Initiative: http://www.ccpi-umc.org/
4. Imagine No Malaria campaign: http://www.imaginenomalaria.org/
5. Camp scholarships, and gifts to improve conference camp sites. http://www.calpaccamps.org/donate.aspx
6. Save La Plaza Fund: http://www.urbanfoundation.org/?p=121
7. L.A. Urban Intern Project: http://sites.google.com/site/unitedmethodisturbaninternship/home
8. Western Jurisdiction Mission Retreat Center: contact Rev. Kim at http://www.cal-pac.org/churches/detail/934
9. Episcopal Welcome Fountain project and global mission water projects: support your local congregation or ministry’s initiative. Information available at: http://www.cal-pac.org/pages/detail/2016
10. Scholarships for youth to leadership development events: www.calpacyoungpeople.org
11. Campus ministries: please give through your local congregation or ministry. Info available at http://www.calpaccampus.org/
12. And, help a fellow church in your district to keep on their heat and lights!
The first Yucaipa Methodist Church Building, which later was used as a Social
Hall
Sunday, November 13th
The 100th Anniversary Celebration was a wonderful day enjoyed
by all!
Thanks to all those who made our celebration special!
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson led the worship service on December 4, 2011. She brought us a message, served communion, and dedicated the Peace Pole. The Peace Pole has the word 'peace' carved in 25 different languages on four sides. A solar-powered light shines at the top, and the rock base at the bottom was made from rocks that were donated by the church members. Many of the rocks came from Mill Creek, which was the source of rock used in many other parts of the church buildings, including the stone sanctuary.
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Kid Zone! |
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Parent's Night Out! The next Parent's Night out will be in March 9, 2012,
featuring the new Veggie Tales movie: Robin Good and His Not-So-Merry
Men, with pizza, games, crafts, and mega-fun! |
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You can donate online at www.30hourfamine.org |
World Vision 30 Hour Famine! Every day, hunger-related causes kill as many as 11,000
kids younger than 5 years old. This is not okay. Every night, 925 million
people go to bed hungry. That’s roughly 3 times the population of the
United States. These aren’t just numbers: they are people. Imagine if
this was your best friend, your brother, your sister. What would you do
to help them? |
This training event (formerly the How-To Workshops) will be held at Riverside Wesley UMC on Saturday, January 21st from 9:00am until 3:00pm. There will be eight different training opportunities to choose from in the morning, and a keynote speaker and Q&A session in the afternoon. The cost is $15.00 per person, but if we register 4 people in advance, the cost is discounted to $10 each. These workshops provide powerful tools that help us let our light shine!
Talk to Pastor Sharon if you're interested in attending! Click here to download the information flyer.
Development programs are needed now more than ever! Your financial gift is needed so the GYTTE staff can continue to train people for transformation. With training in the program areas mentioned above, people can go on to help themselves, their family, and community within their own culture and country, making it unnecessary to cross national borders in search of employment. Please help us serve Mexico and her people.
Give Ye Them To Eat is an approved Advance Special of the General Board of Global Ministries. That means we have the approval of the GBGM of the United Methodist Church to raise mission funds in support of this ongoing outreach ministry. Consequently, we are asking you to seriously consider making a donation, as soon as you are able, so the GYTTE staff can continue preparing people for sustainable living and community service in Mexico.
Ways to Give
| Online with a Credit Card | Mail your Check | Through Our Church |
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Give a gift online by going to www.gbgm-umc.org, clicking on How to Give and Donate Online from the blue menu bar, and typing in Give Ye Them To Eat, #07629A. Credit card gifts can also be given over the phone by
calling |
To send a check by mail, make your check payable
to Advance GCFA and write Give Ye Them To Eat, #07629A on
the memo line. Send your donation to: Advance GCFA P.O. Box 9068 GPO New York, NY 10087-9068 |
Write a check to our church (UMCOY)and write GYTTE on the memo line. Put it in the offering, or bring it to the office. The church will send 100% of your donation to the Advance for the Give Ye Them to Eat program. |
100% of your donation will reach the GYTTE program in Mexico. Thank you. Muchas Gracias.
Field Office Address:
GYTTE / Hendersons
Perote No. 1, Col.
La Paz Puebla
Puebla 72160 Mexico
E-mail: GYTTEphm@aol.com
Web Site: www.gytte.org
Tel. 011.52.222.248.1802
Fax.011.52.222.249.2158
Even the poorest in our society is rich by global standards. Much of the world subsists on less than $2 a day. How much is that? Well, if you only make $10,000 a year, that's still $27 a day. If you are a teenager with a part time job and only make $5000 a year, that's still over $13.50 a day. Two dollars a day is $750 a year in income.
Those of us that have clean water, shelter, police and fire services, sanitation, daily food, education, freedom to worship, freedom of speech, and government elections are truly blessed. And all that we possess are gifts entrusted to us by God. We have not collected our possessions and wealth, large or small, on our own, but through the grace and circumstances given to us by God. He has designed each of as as unique individuals with capabilities and intelligence, and every unique aspect of our personality make us special. Do we value what God has created in us? How do we show our thanks? God asks that we give a tithe back to Him, and when we are faithful in our giving, He is faithful in supplying our needs. God is good... all the time.
We need to support the financial needs of our own church. The Bible recommends giving 10% of our income, and we should do that. Even if everyone only gave a minimum of 5%, our church would have enough money to meet our ongoing needs. We need to remember that this is our church, take ownership, and make the sacrifices that are necessary to support it!
Please help to ensure that our church has a strong financial future so that we can successfully meet the needs of our members and our community. Look from your heart at what you contribute to our church. There are many things that you can contribute in addition to your financial resources... your time, your talents, and your presence. God has greatly blessed us all. Please prayfully consider what you will commit to give back to God and step out on faith to give God's portion first. You will be continue to be blessed beyond measure.
The United Methodist Men are working with the Interfaith Community Support Center for the Yucaipa valley (ICSC) to help provide their breakfast cereal needs. The ICSC is open Monday from 11:00am to 3:30pm, Tuesdays from 12:30pm to 3:30pm and Thursdays from 11:30pm to 3:30pm. The ICSC provides up to a 3 day supply of food for local families that need a little assistance to tide them over. Having one central food distribution center allows more efficient collection and distribution of food to those in need.
How can you help? Each time you shop, pick up an extra box or two of cereal. On the second Sunday of each month, bring the cereal to the church. The United Methodist Men will transport all our cereal donations to the center.
What else can you do? Call Susan Walker at the center (797-0007) and volunteer your time, or bring food donations. They have a refrigerator and freezer if you have perishable donations, but call before you bring them to make sure they have room. If you have fruit trees with extra produce, you can bring the fruit in or call the center to have someone come and pick it for you.
They are especially in need of:
| boxed cereal | macaroni and cheese |
| peanut butter | Top Ramen |
| jelly | Tuna Helper |
| canned meat (e.g.: tuna, Spam, chicken) | Jello |
| canned chili or beef stew | frozen entrees |
If your donations aren't too large, you can leave them in the church office during regular business hours. You can also donate cash or Stater Brothers Scrip Cards so they can purchase needed items. They are located behind the St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Catholic Church at 12687 California Street, Yucaipa.
How would Jesus Christ celebrate special occasions if he were here on the earth today? Would he buy lots of presents, or would he get to the heart of the matter? We are on this earth to love and care for each other, and Jesus Christ does walk this earth today... within each of us, in our hearts and in our actions.
This year, we hope that you will find an occasion to donate to a charitable organization and help someone who is truly in need to celebrate Christ! What more precious gift could you give than the knowledge that a family will be able to provide nutritious food and education to their children through the gift of a goat, a heifer, or a flock chickens through Heifer International? Or help World Vision to provide children with sustainable hope for the future in sticken areas of the world? Or help Miracle Garden provide tsumani orphans with ongoing safety and Christian education in India? Or to help a struggling family toward the pride and stability of home ownership through Habitat for Humanity? Or to help lodge families struggling through devastating health problems with a donation to Ronald McDonald House? Or, you could choose to help improve the lives of many of our less fortunate neighbors in Mexico though Give Ye Them to Eat. There are many options for alternative giving... you can even write in your own non-profit organization, such as World Vision or another charity. Whatever your choice, you will be demonstrating Christ's love in a way that will make him proud to call you his own.
When you complete the gift order form and return it to the church with your donation, we will make a customized card, letter or certificate to give that explains your gift. This is a wonderful opportunity to live your faith!
Download
the Alternative Gift Order Form
Every day we have is a gift from God. What we do with that day is our gift back to Him. The hands He has given you are the hands that He uses to change the world, a little bit at a time. Make a difference! Volunteer your time, talents and resources to things that need to be done around church, or to any of the organizations that make a positive differene in the lives of others. If you need some ideas, here are some worthy organizations.
Mahatma Ghandi said, "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." It's easy to criticize, but it's a real challenge to make the world a better place. You can do it! And you'll feel better for it!
