October 2017 Issue

In the past month, I have been overwhelmed by the number of people reaching out to connect and serve through United Methodist channels in response to the devastation of this hurricane season.  You are truly dedicated and inspiring.  You represent the best of our Wesleyan theology that tells us that our piety means nothing if it is not engaged in the world around us. (Check out the video and pics that follow this article for some of the many stories of NEJ teams that are serving as God's hands and feet on the Gulf Coast.)

These days my job has turned into "traffic cop" --  steering willing volunteers toward the right opportunities to serve and away from the places they can't go yet.  Though many of you want to help in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, or other places in the Caribbean, I have to say "Stop!" for the moment.  Volunteers have not yet been invited in by Bishop Ortiz.  He and others from the Methodist Church in Puerto Rico are working on a strategic plan for using volunteers, but it will take a few weeks to materialize.  Be patient.

I can now say "Go!" when it comes to Texas and Rio Texas and Florida, (as well as Louisiana), but each Conference has their own guidelines regarding volunteers.  See my special announcement from last week for details, or go to the webpage for the Conference where you would like to serve.  They are linked here: Texas  Rio Texas  Florida  Louisiana

Finally, I need to clarify something.  Even though UMCOR's Sager Brown Depot has asked for a "pause" on new relief supply kit drives due to the overwhelming response of faithful, generous people like you, our mission warehouse in the NEJ - Mission Central in Mechanicsburg, PA - still has plenty of room for more kits.  So if you have already launched a drive for relief kits, don't worry!  They will be put to good use.

Thanks for all you do!

-- Tom

The video below features a team led by Mary Lou Buck from Upper New York Conference to Louisiana.  The pictures below it are from a team working in Corpus Christi, TX led by Barbara Burnside from New England Conference.  Good work!  Keep sending me pictures and stories!

(Click the links for each conference for further information and to register.)

November 11 - ERT Training in Monroeville, PA

October 22-23 - UMVIM-NEJ Board Meeting

November 28 - Giving Tuesday

April 11-14 - NEJ Mission Academy at Pecometh Camp & Retreat Center

Global Ministries / Mission Volunteers Update

Volunteer Needs for Individuals/Couples:

Reelfoot Rural Ministries in Tennessee

needs a volunteer this Fall and Winter to help with their food bank and toy store ministries. If you can serve for three months starting in October 2017, please contact Mission Volunteers.

Ecuador

Where has your faith journey taken you? We have an opportunity with the Evangelical United Methodist Church in Ecuador for a volunteer who is ready to combine their interests and talents in service to others! This opportunity includes web page updates as well as projects with women and children; help with worship and fundraising; views of city streets and Andean mountains. If you are ready to serve as a long-term volunteer (at least 3 months), can fund your own service, and know some Spanish, consider becoming a Mission Volunteer!  Applications and more information can be found at www.missionvolunteers.org.

Mission Volunteers from the NEJ Currently Deployed:

Nancy Potter & George Gull, Upper NY Conference - serving at Aqua Viva Serves in Los Chiles, Costa Rica

Richard Mroczka, Western PA Conference - serving IGLEMEN, the Methodist Church in Nicaragua in Managua

Upcoming Mission Volunteer Trainings:

November 8-11, 2017
Mount Sequoyah 
150 N Skyline Drive
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
Nearest airport - Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) 

Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center

91 N. Lakeshore Drive

Lake Junaluska, NC  28745

Nearest airport – Asheville Regional Airport [AVL]

 

East Bay Camp

24248 Ron Smith Memorial Hwy

Hudson, IL 61748

Nearest airport – Central Illinois Regional Airport [BMI]

 

St. Raphaela Center

616 Coopertown Road

Haverford, PA 19041

Nearest airport – Philadelphia International Airport [PHL]

 

McCurdy Ministries

362A S. McCurdy Road

Espanola, NM 87532

Nearest airports – Santa Fe Municipal Airport [SAF] (32 miles)

Each issue of The Servant's Journey will be archived at http://umvimnej.org/news_events/newsletters.html.  Go back and see what you missed!