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| West Ohioans to ride through Vietnam |
 From April 7-21 Rev. Wade Giffin, his son Alex Giffin, and Rev. Dennis Miller will be in Vietnam as a part of the West Ohio United Methodist Church partnership in Southeast Asia. As they ride their motorbikes from northern Vietnam to Ho Chi Mihn City, they will be interacting with United Methodist pastors and their churches.They invite your prayers for their journey and for new United Methodist Center being dedicated. Dennis is Pastor at Grove City UMC and Wade is Director of the West Ohio Office of Ministry. Follow their daily travels on their blogs:
April in Vietnam
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| Churches urged to 'Sleep Out to End Malaria' |
 The United Methodist Church will mark this World Malaria Day with a call to local churches to "Sleep Out to End Malaria" on April 24-25. The sleep out event, in which individuals sleep overnight under imitation bed nets, coincides with the denomination's official launch of Imagine No Malaria, an initiative that seeks to raise $75 million to eliminate death and suffering from malaria in Africa by 2015. The UMC is encouraging local churches to participate in the event as part of a unified action for World Malaria Day in partnership with the United Nations Foundation and the global malaria community. Directions are available online at www.ImagineNoMalaria.com
YouTube Video: Youth Groups Imagine No Malaria |
| Drawdown brings close to combat chaplain operations |
 The 732nd Air Expeditionary Group chaplain team recently completed their last mission, a trip that not only provided spiritual care for Joint Expeditionary Tasking Airmen but also an end to an era.The traveling combat chaplain team of West Ohio's Chaplain (Capt.) Steve Fisher and Staff Sgt. Dewey Landers, chaplain assistant, was responsible for providing combat ministry support to JET Airmen assigned to forward operating bases in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. By lending an ear to Airmen who wanted to talk, and offering prayer to those who were leaving for the mission, the chaplain team was able to add force to the message that the Airmen are not alone once they leave the confinements of the base. [more] |
| Commission offers training in men's ministry |
 The Commission on United Methodist Men has developed a 12-hour, 16-segment training course titled "Understanding Men's Ministry." The course will help qualify men for the position of "men's ministry specialists" and improve their skills as local, district, and annual conference leaders. Other courses include the "History and Polity of the United Methodist Church" and "Safe Sanctuary and Sexual Ethics," already available online (gcumm.org). For information about the course or a specialist to lead a training experience in your church or district, contact LaNisha Sayles at lsayles@gcumm.org. |
| More that $250,000 in grants can assist immigrants |
 The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race is offering more than $250,000 in grant dollars to congregations or organizations that want to assist or protect immigrants. The agency is offering several $40,000 grants to one-year projects, beginning January 1, 2011. The deadline for applying is June 15. "These grants will assist church congregations and non-profit organizations in reaching out to assist those in our community who have suffered the double indignity of being mistreated because they are immigrants and being mistreated because they are racial ethnic immigrants," said Bishop Minerva Carcaņo, vice president of the commission and chair of the United Methodist Task Force on Immigration. For information, visit http://www.gcorr.org/getinvolved/corractionfund. |
| Are you called to lead a VIM team? |
 The West Ohio Conference Volunteers in Mission is ready to assist you in learning the ins and outs of gathering a team for service in Ohio, the US or around the world. There are currently 3 VIM Team Leader Training events scheduled across the West Ohio Conference: Saturday, May 8 in Columbus; Saturday, June 26 in Maumee; and Saturday, July 31in Milford. Enjoy a day of education, fellowship and spiritual growth. The sessions will include skills and information for being a team leader as well as ways to provide effective spiritual leadership, appropriate ways to share leadership and how to create a worshipful mission atmosphere. [more] |
| Professor's Parables, an Easter Slant |
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 "Professor's Parables, an Easter Slant" is the title of the play being held at Marion Correctional Institute (MCI). In 1986, Rev. Hugh J. Daley sparked an interest in beginning a Ministry of Theatre within a prison. Through careful planning and perseverance, this company became dedicated to reaching the public through the talents of the men who resided within. Carrying on with his dream, the men volunteer their time and talents as writers, actors and singers in order to deliver powerful messages about God and the miracle of His love. Each year the message of God's Love in Christ always shines through. [schedule]
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| New dates of note |
| August 1-5...Congregational Leaders Institute 2010, Bay View, MI; a renewal and study opportunity for pastors and other leaders who seek to have a week of reflection, learning and interaction with inspirational and provocative educational and faith leaders. |
| Passages |
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Madonna Miller, spouse of Rev. Floyd Miller (retired), died on March 29, 2010. Messages of condolence may be sent to Rev. Miller at 4861 Thobe Road, Toledo, OH 43615.
Mrs. Opal I. Bailey, surviving spouse of Joseph F. Bailey (deceased 1977), died on March 23, 2010. Messages of condolence may be sent to her nephew Philip Young at 5695 Pleasant Chapel Road, Mechanicsburg, OH 43044.
Rev. Robert Webb (retired 1993) died on March 21, 2010. Memorial donations may be sent to Friendship UMC or Wesley Chapel Mission Center, 80 e. McMicken Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Messages of condolence may be sent to his wife Beverly at 11816 Lawnview Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45246.
Mrs. Alice Herbert, surviving spouse of John Charles Herbert (deceased 2005), died on January 31, 2010. | |
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