Volunteer Opportunities

Cleaning buckets are urgently needed in Midwest Mission Distribution Center

Disaster Response

A special plea has gone out from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) for cleaning buckets. The southern Illinois and Indiana tornadoes have used up hundreds of these buckets. The Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Chatham, Ill., has only 2,085 UMCOR Cleaning Buckets on hand. One or two calls could wipe out the MMDC supply. Spring rains and flooding will soon be upon us, therefore, your church's help is needed to restock the center's Cleaning Bucket supply, so that United Methodists will be able to supply storm survivors of Cleaning Buckets. For more information about the contents of these five-gallon wonder buckets, click www.midwestmissiondc.net/Projects/UMCOR%20Cleaning%20Bucket.pdf and share the information with your members. For more information about the Midwest Mission Distribution Center or if you wish to talk to someone at the center, visit www.midwestmissiondc.org or call 217-483-7911. The center is local at 1022 New City Road in Chatham, Ill., just south of Springfield.

NOMADS Volunteers Work in Response to Disaster

Ongoing

Internships available in Kokomo, Ind.

Mission Relationships/Evangelism

KOKOMO, Ind. – The Rev. Jeff Newton, a UM pastor developed Kokomo Urban Outreach out of his concern for the disenfranchised in the Kokomo area. This is an Indiana Conference advance special project. He is pleased to announce a partnership between First Congregational Church, Kokomo Urban Outreach and Bridges Outreach that will change the lives of many young adults. Together, they are developing an environment that will help college-age students hear the call of God in their lives. First Congregational Church is generously allowing the outreach the use of a house they own that will become “Hope House,” a place of peace where interns will live for a school year. The program will allow students to explore their call to ministry through work, service, spiritual disciplines and community living. This unique opportunity is ideal for a college student who needs a year off to "refocus" of for a recent college graduate who needs experience. Contact: Jeff Newton.

Check Out the New Gambling Recovery Ministries Web Site

Ongoing

• Check out the United Methodist-related Gambling Recovery Ministries' greatly expanded Web site www.grmumc.org.
• Sign up for e-news Bonus Pages at www.grmumc.org.
• This ministry is supported in part through your congregational tithe to the conference.

Sierra Leone Partners seek education team members for 2013, 2014

Ongoing

The Sierra Leone Partners are looking for education team members to participate on teams conducting workshops for United Methodist Primary Schools (grades K-6) in Sierra Leone in the winter and summer of 2013 and 2014. The team establishes school libraries and provides teacher training in the use of the libraries as well as in academic areas such as; language arts, math, use of dictionaries, creative writing, etc. For more information, contact Amy Zent, amyzent@yahoo.com. Contributions of children's books and monetary gifts also are needed.

Mission Guatemala Feeding Center needs sponsors

Ongoing

In early May 2011, Mission Guatemala, an Indiana Conference-based mission, began a feeding program which has been a tremendous success. Each day, MG feeds nearly 100 children in the village of Nueva Esperanza. These children are from very poor families and many were relying on just tortillas, salt and beans for food each day.

Since the program began nearly three months ago, the children have grown significantly. Additionally, the principal of the school told MG that they are learning more and doing much better in school. In order to help underwrite the cost of feeding these children each day, GM is contacting friends and asking them to consider sponsoring a student in the program for $28 a month. In addition to a lunch five-days-a-week, this also will provide each child with a daily vitamin tablet, school supplies and medical and dental services.

MG's goal is to have at least 30 children sponsored in the next 30 days!

Visit the MG website for more information.

• Learn more about child sponsorship.
• Read our Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
• Learn about our special interactive website for child sponsors.

Here's a new mission project from old T-shirts

Ongoing

These cloth diapers are a great idea for your next mission trip. Made from old T-shirts, they are easy to make and a sure hit with moms who have limited resources. The pattern is available in large or small size for $5 from UMVIM-NCJ. Then gather old T-shirts, cut and assemble.

UM churches of Allen County Habitat Task Force partner with Habitat of Fort Wayne

Work Team

United Methodists in the Northeast District, here is an opportunity to be a part of something BIG. It's a chance to make a difference and to help people in poverty find affordable, safe housing for their families.

For the 13th consecutive year Habitat for Humanity of Fort Wayne and the United Methodist churches of Allen County are partnering together to sponsor a Habitat for Humanity house to be built in Allen County. During the past 13 years United Methodist churches have joined together and helped 18 families reach the dream of owning their own house. The goal for 2013 is to raise one half of the $60,000 needed to begin construction. For those churches whom are still deciding on whether or not to participate and need more information, contact Perry Shull, Task Force Chairperson at 260-437-0654 or by email at cperry.shull@gmail.com.

Help increase access to healthcare for Hoosiers through Medicaid expansion

Health

Governor Pence and the Indiana General Assembly have an opportunity to increase access to health care by insuring more than 400,000 Hoosiers. The Affordable Care Act provides a wealth of resources for states to make sure low-income Hoosiers have access to affordable health insurance by adequately funding Medicaid. Indiana cannot afford to be left behind! In Indiana, there are 438,000 uninsured adults who would be eligible for Medicaid if the state chose to expand the program. Many people assume that if they are poor enough or sick enough they’ll get on Medicaid, but under current Indiana law most low-income, working adults do not qualify. Non-disabled, non-pregnant, childless adults under 65 cannot get Medicaid no matter how poor they are. The Governor and legislators need to hear from us.

Indiana can accept the federal dollars already designated for the state in order to benefit all Hoosiers through a Medicaid expansion. If Indiana does not use the resources provided, thousands of Hoosiers will go uninsured – unable to enroll in Medicaid and barred from getting tax credits to buy coverage in a health insurance exchange.

Health insurance coverage for as many Hoosiers as possible will decrease premiums for people with private health insurance and put our tax dollars to work for Indiana. Most importantly, it would allow low-income, working Hoosiers the ability to keep their families healthy without being forced to choose between getting the medical care they need or putting food on the table. Help spread the word and join Citizens Action Coalition in the Cover Indiana Campaign at www.coverindiana.org/.

Call and/or email Governor Mike Pence and your local elected officials and tell them to support Medicaid Expansion!

Email gov@gov.in.gov or phone 317-232-4567.

To contact your state legislators, visit http://district.iga.in.gov/districtlookup/.

To locate your state legislators’ email address, visit http://www.in.gov/cgi-bin/legislative/contact/contact.pl.

The Indiana Senate Switchboard: 800-382-9467. The Indiana House of Representatives Switchboard: 800-382-9842.

Thank you for your support, as we all support Hoosiers who currently aren’t insured for health care.

Mission u -- 2013 Project

Ongoing

Continuing education during adolescence is a necessary first step for girls to overcome a history of disadvantage in civic life and paid employment (Coalition for Adolescent Girls, 2009). Did you know that adolescent girls in Sierra Leone are often absent from school during their menstrual cycle? Providing feminine hygiene products for adolescent girls in Sierra Leone is one step that we, as United Methodist Women, can take toward ensuring that these girls can continue their education. How? Over the next few months, we are asking local units to begin sewing reusable sanitary pads that will be shipped to Sierra Leone following Mission u in July. Non-sewers (like some of us) can provide materials to make them, cut-out materials with patterns, etc. We'll even be working on these during our week at DePauw.

Here are some websites that provide thorough instructions for making the pads and supplies needed:

• http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/PADS.html
• http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~obsidian/clothpads/DIYpads/DIY.html

Let's get started. We would like to prepare individuals kits for girls to include at least 12 pads for their monthly cycle. We'll send as many kits as we can prepare. If you cannot get instructions from the Internet, call or email Diane Gattone at dmgattone@yahoo.com or call 317-858-9885.

Fletcher Place Community Center needs volunteers to serve meals

Ongoing

INDIANAPOLIS -- There is a unique opportunity at United Methodist-related Fletcher Place Community Center, especially for those wanting to help serve a meal. The second Wednesday of each month is available through the 2012 calendar year beginning Wednesday, Feb. 8. This is a great opportunity for families, co-workers and church groups. The dinner meal is typically served from 3 to 5 p.m. You could choose one or all of the available Wednesdays. If you are interested please contact Karen at 317-636-3466, ext. 4 or by e-mail karen@fletcherplacecc.org to discuss details and so that she will know which dates will be taken care of and that Fletcher Place neighbors will look forward to a meal.

Brightwood seeks volunteers for new initiative

Ongoing

Bishop Robert Schnases' Risk Taking Mission and Service practice "pushes us out of our comfort zone, stretching us beyond service to people we already know, exposing us to people, situations, and needs that we would never ordinarily encounter apart from our deliberate intention to serve Christ." There is an immediate need at our United Methodist Church's Brightwood Community Center located in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood serving in ministry with children and families in the neighborhood.

The SPARK After-School program is a new initiative of Brightwood Community Center, 2410 North Station Street, Indianapolis, and incorporates the previous Kid's Club Tutoring program, while expanding it by two days each week. Students will participate in the program four days, Monday-Thursday, 4-7 p.m. Due to the extension of service dates, the center is in greater need of groups and congregations to host meals for our students, most of which would not eat dinner due to parent work schedules. Volunteer today. There are plenty of dates, and there are four immediate openings in August.

Khala Granville, newly selected Executive Director, says; "Dinner is served at 5 p.m. during the program hours, so we ask that groups be on site at 4:30 p.m. If they would like to use our kitchen to prepare the meal, arrangements to come earlier can be made. Right now we are looking at serving 30 students and eight adults, but as the program grows we will notify all congregations of the new numbers. Meals do not have to elaborate, since the dinner time is only 30 minutes long. A listing of kid-friendly foods and meal guidelines can be supplied for congregations who would like them."

Individuals, groups and congregations interested in preparing a meal can contact Khala (khala.bcc@gmail.com) directly at or 317-543-5646 for more information and to sign up for a date. Let us know how you can serve.

Brightwood Community Center's Spark program is also looking for more volunteers to help with tutoring on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Interested volunteers also may contact Khala Granville about this program as well. "Like" Brightwood Community Center on Facebook and "follow" on twitter @brightwood_cc and the BCC website the amazing ministry that is ongoing in the Martindale-Brightwood Community through the United Methodist presence.

Volunteers are still needed in the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy

Ongoing

Disaster areas still taking teams with at least one Early Response Team-trained person on them:

• New York Conference has five sites open. Teams can register online.
• Greater New Jersey Conference has nine sites open. Can register online.
• Peninsula-Delaware Conference. Schedule teams through the Disaster Response Coordinator, Rich Walton (pastorrich@att.net).
• West Virginia Conference - Contact Jenny Gannaway (jennygannaway@frontier.com).

Indianapolis Congregation/Community partnerships wanted for this summer

Work Team

TransforMission: Indianapolis Youth Mission Trip

The Conference Youth Ministry Team seeks partnerships with Indianapolis congregations and community organizations to provide service opportunities for youth during our Indiana Conference Youth Mission trip during the week of July 7-14.

Examples of possible service opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• Home repair for low income/elderly members in your congregation
• Assistance with community outreach events (VBS, day camps, community block parties)
• Community/parks beautification
• Nursing home and adult day center programming
• Partnering with a local school (building improvement, program assistance)

Our goal is to connect congregations/agencies and people in their communities, in hopes to build/strengthen relationships between church/agency and the people of the community and make possible opportunities for future relationship building and transformation in communities and lives. If you are interested in partnering with the CYMT for this project, please contact Helene Foust at helene.foust@inumc.org or 317-564-3253. For more information on the mission project, please visit www.inumcconnect.org.

Seeking Individual Volunteer for Haiti Solar Oven Partners

Ongoing

United Methodist Volunteers In Mission – North Central Jurisdiction (UMVIM-NCJ) and Haiti Solar Oven Partners have a joint Individual Volunteer opening in their shared office space. UMVIM-NCJ seeks someone to take over the duties of webpage management and help direct the Mission Discovery Program (for young adults). HSOP is seeking a webpage guru, and someone who can tell the story in many different ways via pictures, videos and social media and help with preparing shipments of materials to Haiti. A chance to travel to Haiti on one of the three to four teams that go each year. The successful candidate must attend an Individual Volunteer training. Housing would be provided with a one year commitment required on the volunteer's part. See full description.

Indianapolis community center needs your help in providing evening meals

Mission Relationships/Evangelism

An immediate need at the United Methodist-related Brightwood Community Center in Indianapolis is to provide a meal each evening Monday through Thursday during the SPARK After-School program during the months of January-June. The SPARK After-School program is a new initiative of Brightwood and incorporates the previous Kid’s Club Tutoring Program, while expanding it by two days each week. Khala Granville, executive director of Brightwood, says, “Due to the extension of the service dates, we are in a greater need of groups and congregations to host meals for our students, most of which would not eat dinner due to parent work schedules.” Groups and congregations interested in preparing a meal can contact Khala directly at khala.bcc@gmail.com or 317-543-5646 for more information and to sign up.

Funds available for youth, young adult mission trips

Mission Relationships/Evangelism

The Youth & Young Adult Service Scholarship Fund, a project of United Methodist Women of Indiana, has about $8,500 in scholarship funds available for youth and young adults planning to participate in mission trips this year. More than $13,000 was awarded to 272 youth and young adults in 2012. These funds are provided by the local organizations of United Methodist Women in Indiana. More information including criteria and application due dates are in the 2013 brochure/application, available here.

Indiana Conference Campsites

Work Team

Seven campsites in the Indiana Conference work together to host groups and can accommodate a wide range of skills, interests and housing needs. Four of the campsites (Camp Adventure at Pierceton, Epworth Forest Conference Center at North Webster, Camp Lakewood at Wolcottville and Pine Creek Camp at Pine Village) are ready for volunteers. For work needs at all the sites, contact Marsha Liechty, Impact 2818 Guest Relations Manager, at ph 574-834-1170. All updated 2/11/13.

Summer staff to be hired by Matthew 25

Work Team

Three college-aged students are being sought to serve as full-time staff for twelve weeks this summer at Matthew 25 Ministry Hub in Cedar Rapids, IA. Summer staff will be responsible for coordinating volunteer teams, guiding their work and times of reflection; they also will work on the Urban Farm, rehabilitate houses and do a variety of tasks as needed. Letters of application, citing the applicant's interest and experience, may be sent to Jerry Oakland, jerry@Hub25.org, 225 K Ave NW Suite G, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402. For more information, click here or call 319-362-2214.

Partnering with TRANSFORMission event, UMW in need of snack foods for VBS groups

Mission Relationships/Evangelism

United Methodist Women of Indiana are partnering with youth around Indiana for their conference-wide TRANSFORMission event July 7-14 when 500 youth will be involved in mission in the Indianapolis area projects for kids. One of the many activities planned is Vacation Bible School in area parks where 100 kids will participate daily. UMW members are asked to donate healthy snacks for VBS. Will you, your local unit, and/or church please help make this a reality? Individually wrapped snacks may be brought to the United Methodist Women of Indiana display during Annual Conference. Suggested items include:

• Granola Bars
• Fruit Roll-Ups
• Individually packed snack crackers
• Individually packed goldfish
• Individually packed trail mix

Learn more about this exciting youth event and other ways in which you may believe God calling you to personally help Indiana youth in their mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ among their peers. Please contact the Associate Director of Youth Ministries, Helene Foust at her office in the Conference Center at 317- 564-3253, cell/text 317-670-8196, or by email to offer your help.