A message from Supt. Steve Fitch:

Greetings Free Methodist Church in Southern California,

The tragic situation in Haiti is rightfully filling the news. To many the situation seems confusing and hopeless. But for us, this earthquake related tragedy could prove to be one of the finest hours for the Church of Jesus Christ.  As such, we need to prepare ourselves to respond in a meaningful way.

Having just returned from Haiti in October I can report with confidence that the work of the Church in Haiti represents the greatest hope for a meaningful response. In traveling throughout the country the Church's infrastructure is everywhere in Haiti. In most towns and villages the church is the only compassion / humanitarian organization present. Our own Free Methodist family has a ministry and relational web in Haiti that includes two hospitals, missionary and national doctors, many nurses, hundreds of teachers, hundreds of pastors, and over fifteen thousand members. We are in a position to bring a hope filled response because we already have the compassion related ground troops in place. 

Few people know that it was the church that distributed the majority of the relief supplies following the Indian Ocean tsunami tragedy in 2004. The US military and the UN brought in tons of supplies to the affected regions, but it was the church that proved to be the most able to deliver the supplies and care for the people in a relational way. Again, this was the case because the church's compassion army was already in place. The people of God were there to show the love of Christ before the the tsunami, during the crisis, and even after everyone else departed. The church is the hope of the world. 

There are many fine organizations also in place in Haiti, but I would like each of you to prayerfully consider joining in on a coordinated response through our own Free Methodist structures. We know them and we can trust that 100% of the resources donated will reach their designated destination.

Thank you. Let's stay in prayer and be prepared to respond.

Steve

Many have been asking how they can best give to help our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Here are two of the most effective ways you can give:
 
1) Write a check payable to OPERATION HOPE or BISHOPS FAMINE AND RELIEF FUND. You can bring these by the church or place it in the offering on Sunday.
 
2) If you prefer to give on-line please use the following link: http://www.fmwm.org/give/help_haiti_heal.php.
 
Both of these options channel money directly to our church leaders on the ground in Haiti and will be used to help the people in this great time of need.
 
Thanks for your continued prayers and support of our Haitian friends.

Adults:

You can help others worship by volunteering to be an occasional sitter in the infant nursery. We especially need volunteers during the second service at 9:30am. Please contact either Nelda Nutter (mcshead@mcssb.org  or at 964-2612) or Pam Goetz (pamgoetz@yahoo.com or at 965-8187) right away.  Orientation is provided. It makes a great difference to families who'd like to attend service if we can consistently provide experienced caregivers for their infants.

Teens:

If you are age 13 or older, enjoy caring for children, like to earn extra money, or need community service hours for graduation or scouting requirements -- then consider becoming a Children's Ministries sitter. Sitters care for our toddlers (and sometimes pre-school or elementary kids) during church services and at special events or for Bible studies and meetings.  There is always an adult supervisor on hand, and initial training information is provided.  Contact Nelda for details (nnutter@fmcsb.org or mcshead@mcssb.org or call her home 964-2612).

Join us as Jamie and Alissa guide us through the experiences of living and working  in a radically different culture like Madagascar.  How does a missionary adapt to a very different way of life?  How are they able to love and serve complete strangers?  How can we as a church better understand the needs of our missionaries and better support them?  Come and learn about these and many other pertinent topics as together we commit to become globally-minded Christians.

January 17:  A Study of Poverty:  Broken Relationships Between Self, God, Community, Others and the Environment

January 24:  The Truth about Life on the Mission Field

Jamie and Alissa have been worshipping with us for 7 years while Jamie earned his Master's in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Seminary and Alissa completed her Master's in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner and enrolled in a midwifery program.  They and their daughters, Isabella and Eliana and new little one due in June, will leave for Madagascar in November of 2010.