The Global Reach of UMVIM-NEJ

Teams from the Northeastern Jurisdiction went around the world as the hands and feet of Christ this year, reaching 31 countries and 15 U.S. states and territories. This graphic shows where we went and how often. Whether you prayed, contributed financially, or participated on an UMVIM team, God used YOU to bring a little more of heaven to earth. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Merry Christmas to all of you. May the wonder and grace of the Lord be born anew in you this season.

In Christ,

Tom

Thank You!

Through your generous donations, we received an additional $625 on Giving Tuesday. If you haven't yet donated to UMVIM-NEJ, please consider giving before the end of the year. You can make it a Christmas gift to friends, pastors, and loved ones by designating your gift in honor of that person. Give the gift of mission!

Advance #982760

Mission Insurance Rates Remain Unchanged for 2019

Our insurance agent, CMA, notified us last week that they negotiated with the carrier to keep our rates the same for the coming year. Woo hoo! You may continue using the 2018 forms for now and 2019 forms will be posted on the umvimnej.org website later this month.

Puerto Rico Update

The newest guidelines for volunteers going to Puerto Rico include:

Teams are being scheduled for April and beyond at this point.
Team size is limited to 13. Please remember that teams of 13 may be divided into multiple project locations depending upon the volunteer skills and scope of work.
Teams should not arrive after 5 p.m. as it creates hardship for the welcoming and hospitality staff.
The Medical Information Form for each team member must be brought in triplicate.

Information/Statistics:

·         The 3R program now serves 25 municipalities divided into 3 regions (Metro/Central, South/Southeast, North/Mountain).

· As of November, the 3R Construction Division has provided assistance to 62 homes:
    33 homes completed
    17 construction begun
      8 inspection completed
      4 referred to contractor

· MCPR has a capacity of maintaining 10 active project sites at any one time. Given that 5-7 volunteers make a work team, this means they can accommodate about 70 volunteers a week.

To see some pictures of the volunteer accommodations, check out this photo album:

http://www.nyac.com/photoalbum/12312083

Additionally, volunteer guidelines for teams going to Puerto Rico were updated last month and can be found on the UMVIM-NEJ website.

There are still 4 spots open on a team forming from the NEJ led by Jurisdictional Coordinator Tom Lank from May 13-20, 2019.

If you are interested in joining the team, contact coordinator@umvimnej.org.

Discover... Mission China

July 17-31, 2019

The Northeastern and North Central Jurisdictions are partnering to offer an exciting mission opportunity for young adults (aged 18-35). This is a cultural immersion mission journey in which participants will:

connect with young adult Christians of China
learn about the work and witness of faith in the Chinese context
meet with Chinese Christian leaders at local seminaries, congregations, and the Amity Foundation
visit cultural sites like the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City
become certified UMVIM Team Leaders

Estimated cost: $3250 (double lodging) or $3750 (single lodging). Airfare estimate of $1200 is included in the figures above.

To see a brochure with details, click here.

To apply, download, complete and return this application form.

Questions may be directed to Tom Lank at coordinator@umvimnej.org

Applications are due by March 1st and must include a $400 refundable deposit made out to UMVIM-NEJ.

Do You Know a Young Person Passionate about Justice, Peace, and Faith?

If they are under 18, check out the Northeast Jurisdiction Mission of Peace. In 2019 the MOP will go to India. Deadline for applications is March 15th.

If they are over 18, steer them toward our Discover... Mission China program above or to the Global Mission Fellows program where they can engage in a justice-oriented ministry for up to 2 years through the UMC. Application deadline for GMFs is January 7th.

2019 Mission Volunteer Training Dates

January 9 - 12, 2019
Western North Carolina Conference Professional Center
Huntersville, NC

April 4 - 7, 2019
Franciscan Renewal Center
Scottsdale, AZ

July 17 - 20, 2019
Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center
Farmington, MN

October 2 - 5, 2019
Olmsted Center
Cornwall on Hudson, NY

For more detail, go to umcmission.org.

Upcoming ERT and VIM Trainings and Events

Peninsula-Delaware

February 2 - UMVIM Team Training, Grace UMC, Millsboro, DE

Upper New York

January 19 - ERT Training - UMCenter, Liverpool, NY

New England

March 9 - UMVIM Team Leader Training, Needham, MA

April 1-4, Annual NEJ Mission Academy, North Andover, MA

Check out our Long-Term Recovery Map

Last month, we added a map on our website listing all of the locations in the U.S. where the United Methodist Church is active in Long-Term Disaster Recovery. You should be able to find up-to-date contact information to use as you organize teams. This map is shared and updated by all 5 UMVIM Jurisdictional offices. Test drive it on our homepage!

Did You Know?

The Value of Volunteer Labor is $24.69/hour

The website Independent Sector publishes the hourly value of volunteer labor each year. The national average is $24.69/hour. In the Northeast, it ranges from $21.10 in West Virginia to $31.17 in Massachusetts.

Get your calculator out and figure out how much value you contributed during your last mission journey.

One recent team doing disaster response in Texas over 5 days contributed $12,800 just in labor, not to mention the in-kind donations and financial gifts they made. Sharing numbers like these is a great way to inspire your congregation to invest in the mission field.