UMCOR: Ways You Can Help
MYANMAR: CYCLONE NARGIS
The people of Myanmar (Burma) are still working to recover from Cyclone Nargis, which killed more than 100,000 people in 2008. United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) partner Church World Service (CWS) has been working there to help in the recovery and to build local capacity to respond to future disasters.
The recent cease-fire has also created more opportunities for ongoing work in the country. UMCOR is supporting CWS in their efforts to provide training sessions that increase the skills in communities and to develop programs to meet local needs as well as prepare for future events.
Gifts to International Disaster Response, UMCOR Advance #982450, provide for disaster response and recovery worldwide.
JFON: 2012 LENTEN BIBLE STUDY ON IMMIGRATION
Bishop Trimble, the Iowa Conference Immigration Task Force, and a special writing team led by Rev. Denny Coon and Rev. Roger Betsworth, have created a Lenten Bible Study on Immigration for local churches, small groups, and individuals.
The six-week study focuses on themes of hospitality, welcoming strangers, and the importance of building meaningful relationships and ministries with new people in our communities. It offers reflection questions as well as activities and suggestions for ways to engage more deeply with the realities of immigration.
Download the Lenten Bible Study or watch Bishop Trimble's introduction to the study.
Learn more about the latest news for the Justice for Our Neighbors Program (JFON) in the First Mondays newsletter.
FAIR TRADE: ECO-PALMS BULLETIN INSERT
For Palm Sunday this year, use palm fronds that are purchased at a fair price and harvested in a way that protects the environment. Palm harvesters often suffer from being underpaid for their work and struggle to feed their families. As a result many work to harvest as much palm as possible without respect to the environment.
The palm fronds offered through Eco-Palms are a result of a partnership between the University of Minnesota Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management and the Rainforest Alliance TREES program. They work with Smartwood to certify palms harvested from the forests of Mexico and Guatemala for sale to congregations in the United States and Europe are harvested responsibly and that harvesters receive a decent wage.
Use this church bulletin insert to learn more and share with others.
You can also support small-scale farmers by giving to Sustainable Agriculture and Development, UMCOR Advance #982188.
RELIEF SUPPLIES: CLEANING BUCKETS
Help UMCOR prepare for spring storms by assembling and sending cleaning buckets. These kits provide the basic items families need to clean their home after a flood or other disaster. Each year UMCOR sends thousands of cleaning buckets to communities in need.
Learn how to assemble and send these helpful kits.
No time to assemble kits? You can also send a gift to Material Resource Ministry, UMCOR Advance #901440. Supplies for each bucket costs approximately $55.
UMCOR provides emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR's ministries, please visit umcor.org. You can donate to any project by placing a contribution in the offering plate at a local United Methodist church; by sending a check to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068; or by calling 1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted.
You can also give online by following the links above. UMCOR is exempt from tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and qualifies for the maximum charitable contribution deduction by donors. And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.
And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.