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August 22, 2011- Vol. 4, Issue 66
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Resources

Service of Remembrance for September 11 

 

connectNmission Newsletter - August

 

UMCommunications Newsletter - August

 

 

Vandalism at the church

vandalism

Two 16-year-old boys on a summer night...

what compels them to break into a pretty, white church on a country road to paint hateful language and symbols on the walls? 

 

How does this church respond?

 

How would your church respond?

 

 [read their story]

Two West Ohio Young Adults Commissioned

We are pleased that Matt Roudebush and Katie Steele from the West Ohio Conference were commissioned August 18 in New York, along with 24 other young people, to serve as mission interns for the General Board of Global Ministries. Mission interns serve a three-year term  - half internationally and half in their home country.

 

ksteele

Katie Steele

John Wesley UMC, Cincinnati

(click on photo to learn more about Katie)

Katie credits her home church, John Wesley UMC, for putting her on a strong faith course with their active ministry with children and youth. She was also active in our annual conference camping program. Katie will serve initially with the Russia Ministry Initiative as service and outreach coordinator of Youth to Jesus, an interdenominational ministry linked to the United Methodist Church in L'viv, the hub city of Western Ukraine.  Youth to Jesus serves a downtown community with many young adults. Katie assists in identifying justice projects and recruiting participants in the life of the Youth to Jesus center.

 

mroudebush

Matt Roudebush

First UMC, Bowling Green

(click on photo to learn more about Matt)

Matt is a native of Bowling Green where he is a member of First UMC. He came into the United Methodist sphere through the United Methodist Student Organization, West Ohio's campus ministry at BGSU.   Matt will serve initially with the United Methodist Mongolia Mission Initiative, based in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of the country immediately north of China.  The Mongolia Initiative engages in evangelism, church development, education, and health ministries, including prevention of substance abuse.  Matt works with a strong missionary staff in all aspects of the mission initiative.  

 

Please be in prayer with these young people as they answer God's call to sacred mission.

Special Needs training for the church

puzzlesAs followers of Jesus, we want to make the love of Christ real in the lives of others. We want to respond to the love of Jesus within us and create relationships where all people recognize their value and worth. It may be difficult, however, to know how to best welcome persons with special needs, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Down syndrome. As a result, our congregations often seem unprepared to meet their needs. Learn to strengthen your church's ministry to persons with special needs by attending one of our three Special Needs training workshops. To register go to www.westohioumc.org and click on "Register for Events."

Miracles abound at Charitable Pharmacy

chpharm"[The Charitable Pharmacy] shows me that God works miracles. It's given me spiritual hope." - Charles Littleton, Charitable Pharmacy patient. Have you ever been part of a miracle? West Ohio Missionary Mariellyn Dunlap has...three days a week for the past year and a half. Working at the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio has allowed her to experience the unexplained and unexpected blessings God offers to us all. Each day begins with prayer, asking God to bless the Pharmacy's 1,500-plus patients through its staff and volunteers. To read about the stories of a few of those patients, click here. 

Update from Haiti Response Team staff

The US Department of State updated its Travel Warning for Haiti on August 8. In it, they urge travellers to stay informed and vigilant about the concerns regarding crime, cholera, the lack of adequate infra-structure, particularly medical facilities, seasonal severe weather conditions and limited police protection. "The concerns raised by the State Department are taken very seriously by the UMVIM staff," responded Tom Vencuss, Project Coordinator.  

 

If you are considering joining, or leading, an UMVIM team and have questions about this travel warning or other concerns, please email Tom Vencuss or Susan Meister.

Wonderful Wednesday

wednesday"Wonderful Wednesday" was established about ten years ago as an outreach ministry on the Southside of Columbus by the pastor of Washington Avenue UMC. Wonderful Wednesday has grown from a small exclusive gathering of church members, getting together for dinner and Bible study, to a full outreach ministry. People in the community know they can come to Washington Avenue on Wednesday for a hot community meal, fellowship and to shop in the "choice" food pantry.  [more]

Russia VIM Christmas for 2012

Let's have a Christmas Party and invite a multitude of children! Christmas is celebrated in Russia on January 7th, and we are going to celebrate the season with our friends in the Volga District and Orphanage #1. We will provide gifts for the children as well as teach and learn music, crafts and games. The gift of Christmas - God's Son - will be shared and experienced by all in new ways! Come and share the gift of Christmas! Come and receive the gift of Christmas! The VIM trip dates are January 1-9, 2012. Click here for more details.

New dates of note

Aug. 26...Expanding Your Mission...through a Non-Profit, Ginghamsburg; learn the ins and outs, do's and don'ts of birthing a non-profit organization from your church.

 

Sept. 19-20...Human Nature, Self-Interest and Power, MTSO; Tex Sample will present three lectures at the Schooler Institute on Preaching.

 

Oct. 6-8...Telling Our Story, Creating Our Future, Independence, OH; sponsored by the African American Heritage Center.

 

Oct. 19-21..."Rethink Appalachia", Effective Ministry for a Changing Environment in Appalachia, Lake Junaluska; sponsored by the United Methodist Appalachian Ministry Network.

Passages

Rev. Millard J. Miller (retired 1973), died on August 6, 2011 at the age of 106. Messages of condolence may be sent to his son Rev. M. Joseph Miller, 752 Laura Avenue, Marion, OH 43302.

 

Rev. William M. Smith (retired 1994), died on August 2, 2011. Messages of condolence may be sent to his wife Patricia, 875 N. Acorn Ridge, Whitewater, WI 53190.

 

Extra Annual Conference DVDs are available while supplies last. Order here.

 

 

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