Missional Network Notes for May 16th

MMN Meeting for May 16th at Liberty UMC.

We first opened with prayer.

Then we got an update on the Summer Food Bags from Blair Routh.  This is our 8th year doing the Summer Food Bags program.  Note the dates as it’s delivery time; June 14th is delivery day.  We will need help at Cooleemee Elementary School (the time to be announced).  Our first feeding day is June 15th.  Please call Blair at 336-403-9586, or email Don at drouth46@roadrunner.com, or call him at 336-403-9586, or at home at 336-936-9178.

• We will need people to unpack the truck
• We will need people at Mocksville to get the food ready for the next day
• Volunteers and money is still needed, please get with Blair ASAP!

Next we learned about Partners in Learning from it’s Development Director Amy Vestal.  

PIL is a non profit whose physical location is in Rowan County but serves many counties in our area including Davie.  It is also an accredited 5 Star center.  It specializes in helping children who have special needs, are low-income, foster families, and no child is turned away.  In it’s community services it organizes in-home visits with therapists to help children in the home who have developmental delays or other troubles and help them and their caregivers.  At it’s physical locations it provides childcare and PreK learning up to 5 years old with after school programs for kids up to 5th grade.  

Amy shared with the group the stories of 3 alumni; 

• Jacob, a young boy with special needs who passed away recently at the age of 7.  A memorial garden is planted in his honor
• Alisha, a staff member who came to intern at PIL when she was a teen and an expectant mother.  She worked hard, got her degree while working at PIL, and now plans to open a childcare center of her own.
• Megan, who came to PIL as a foster child in the summer program.  Megan was then adopted by the director Norma Honeycutt and now is grown with a family of her own.

PIL needs volunteers to help with various needs.  Examples; books for its free book program (kids - adults), toys for the in-home visits.  Also volunteers to help in the classroom, even reading to the kids is a huge deal for them.  Chad Shoaf was able to visit PIL and was impressed by the quality of care and the diversity of the kids.  

• Some other stats; PIL at it’s childcare centers run from 6am - 6pm.  
• Current enrollment is over 200 children.

                       

With Brad Cunningham moving, Rev. John Erwin agreed to serve as the new chairperson.  Tony Owens will serve as secretary.  Thank you, we love you both!

Here’s a Family Promise update;

• They are currently doing interviews for a director, may have one soon.
• The projected start date is still June 1st, which will be kept or changed after the Board of Trustees meet next week.
• Once Family Promise starts, it will likely be 8-10 weeks before it begins serving families.
• Over 21 churches are helping including at least 15 host churches.
• The Day Center located at Liberty UMC is still being worked on.

The next meeting will be held on Aug. 15 at 7pm at Concord UMC.  

Cooking Critic Cleric: Helping Special Needs Kids

Mocksville Missional Network, Feb 21, 2017 Meeting & News

Good morning all, Brad here.

I have the minutes/notes/news from our meeting last night of our Missional Network for your info.  Please note the dates, and here we go.

I opened with prayer.

Then we talked about having joint Lenten services, so be a "network."  What a concept!  Rev. Tony Owens has spearheaded this, and it has been met with great enthusiasm!  Here are the Lenten dates;

• Ash Wednesday Service: at 1st UMC Mocksville at 7pm.  
• Maundy Thursday Service at Liberty UMC at 7pm.  It will be a reenactment of the Last Supper called, "Is It I."  We dress up as the disciples, and you don't have to memorize any lines (your script is on the table itself), just volunteer, clergy and laity!  Tony Owens has already signed up, so technically there are 11 spots left!  Please email or call/text Brad at 980-521-3531, bcfishjedi@yahoo.com if you are interested.
• Good Friday Service at Hardison UMC at 7pm.  
• Details regarding these services will be forthcoming as the dates come near.  Till then, please keep your churches informed with these dates.  

Next our guest speaker Spencer Santiago came to share with us about the Vineyard Camp, a nearby camp in Stokes County.  It has been around for 34 years and they want to make connections with area churches to offer its services.  It has 300 acres of property and is modeled as a International Christian Sports Camp (many of its international campers come from as far as France & China).  There are 3 needs that the Vineyard has that we can tap into;

1. They need quality staff, 18 years old and up.  They are the ones to share the Gospel, and help bridge the gap between the US and international campers.
2. The Vineyard would like to offer its facilities for our church needs (1 week for a 75% discount).
3. Also the Vineyard is open for us to use it for a Retreat Center (such as a weekend, a single day, etc.).  They would feed us and man the activities, we just bring the chaperones. 

If you are interested please check out their excellent website at vineyardcamp.com, or email Spencer at spencer@vineyardcamp.com

Then me, Rev. Brad Cunningham shared about a new ministry he volunteered at called Buddy Break.  Buddy Break is a free church ministry for kids with special needs.  Here is how it works; for one day a month for 3 hours kids come and literally hang out at the church.  It is unstructured time, as kids with cognitive disabilities (such as autism, severe ADD) and also children with physical disabilities enjoy being able to do as they wish within the church.  Each child is assigned a "buddy," and lunch is provided by the parents.  Those 3 hours are a gift to the parents who are usually overworked and overwhelmed.  The need is great as 20 million children in the US have a disability.  Perhaps this is something the network could do, to meet this need?
Please check out the website at www.nathanielshope.org/events-programs/buddy-break.  The 5 minute YouTube video explains it very well, which you'll find on the page.  Note this was the first time I have ever presented, so it's a big deal for me as I have an autistic child and know how tough it can be.  Please check it out!

Then we talked briefly about the Summer Food Bags via Danny Cartner.  So far financing is going very well with Don Routh getting some excellent grants.  We are still asked to help with finances and manpower in the next few months.

Also 1st UMC is hosting a Wednesday Dinner on April 5th at 5:30 pm, with the proceeds going to help Family Promise.

Finally our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 16th at 7:00 pm at Liberty UMC.

Thank John for the notes, I just type them!  God Bless, Brad

MMN; Summer Food Bags and Family Promise!!!

Our minutes for tonight's meeting aren't as pretty as normal (no pics this time), but the info you need is here!

For our meeting tonight the attendance was, okay.  Not great.  And considering the importance of the items needing covering, we decided to meet again in a month and push for greater attendance.  So our next meeting will be on March 14th at Salem UMC at 7:00pm. 

Also the need for a vice chairperson was raised.  Rev. Sam Lewis volunteered, and we’re thankful for his devotion and dedication.  

Our first item to be shared is in reference to the Summer Food Bags for 2016.  Blair Routh shared.  For last year we served over 600 children.  Two buses were used to help deliver the food to the communities where they resided as many lacked transportation.  Some would walk a mile to get it, kids walking for food.  A big thank you goes out to Tom Baker for his hard work with last year’s ministry.  So how can we help for this year?  On March 12, 7-10am at 1st Presbyterian Church in Mocksville will be hosting their pancake breakfast, and the funds raised that day go to Summer Food Bags.  So come on down!  Different businesses and churches are also giving, yay, but we need more!  Have a special offering, do a kids car wash, host your own Fellowship Meal, and put it in the paper.  If you do something like this, call Blair (336-936-9178) or myself (980-521-3531)!  

I shared the email that our DS Jeff Patterson shared with me and other missional leaders.  It's a mission to feed the homeless in Portland Oregon during General Conference.  I'm going to include a PDF of this at the bottom of the blog.

Rev Sam Lewis is getting Oak Grove started with Faith Health NC, with Baptist Hospital.  In this ministry the hospital tells Sam which folks leaving the hospital who have high needs, and the folks at his church help them in the transition.  Examples are like going to the grocery store for them, help with the pharmacy, giving a ride, stuff so they don’t get sick and go back to the hospital.  Feb 25 at Oak Grove at 5:30pm there is a followup meeting with Faith Health NC, and if you are interested, have questions, or are just curious you are welcome to come.

Rev Glenn Myers gave a couple of updates: Stop Hunger Now hosted by 1st UMC in late December had 50 volunteers, and in 3 hours made 16,000 meals which are going to Nicaragua.  Also Jerry Banks of the new When Ministry, (giving free meals and sharing Christ), the meal thing wasn’t quite working at first.  So they connected with Just Hope and Crystal Dumas, so 4 weeks ago they box up meals and deliver them to the folks living in the hotels (that Just Hope helps).  30 adults and 10 children are regularly served.  In talking with Crystal, 1st UMC will partner any church or group to help with the Thursday meal deliveries.  1st will box and deliver, and if you want to help with that too that’s great!  Lots of donations are coming in too!  Check it out! 

Dean Hendrix shared about Family Promise.  This ministry helps homeless families.  As he explained, when we envision homeless families we usually think of DEADBEATS, but they are cool, regular people who have no one to turn too.  Very isolated families.  There are kids too, many with special needs.  Family Promise works with families to keep them together and help them as a family.  There are identified 105 homeless children in Davie Co.  Family Promise is a national program.  There are 199 networks in 40 states already in operation.  There are 3 here in NC in Gastonia and Durham, and is non-denominational.

It is structured to screen the families, it’s rule based, and it works.  It helps the families as it provides shelter, meals, and also with stuff you don’t think of (transportation, jobs, job training, education), to help them become independent again.  Average stay for a family is 64 days, and works 75% of the time.  The group here will be contacting each church individually so more info to come.

There are 6 components of Family Promise in getting it off the ground:

 Finding host churches and support churches to provide places for these families to stay.  All the churches in our network will be needed to make it work.  Families stay for 1 week on average, and host a family 3-4 times a year.  Host church provides the housing, 4 families at a time, 14 peoples total, and the church provides the meals.  They move in on Sunday afternoon and stay to Sunday, and move from church to church.  The support people may not have the space but can serve meals, help the day to day stuff.  Other organizations are welcome.  The families stay at your church place overnight.  The families themselves will help moving, not the churches.  During the day the families will be at the day center

Need a Day Center.  Here the families spend the day there, kids go to school.  Kids 5 and under stay with the family.  At this place they can shower, laundry, look for work or go to their jobs.

Need transportation.  15 passenger van needed to go from church to day center and back.  

Fundraising is being worked on.  They’re getting at 501C3, so donations welcome, fundraisers, grants.  Annual 1st year budget is $100,000-125,000.  

Finding families from local social services.  They’ll provide names of families, like Just Hope, Salvation Army

Need volunteers.  Essential.  They don’t have to be from the church doing the hosting, they can come from anywhere.  The meals will be needed; cold breakfasts, food for a sack lunch for school kids and families to day center, and a hot meal for supper where the volunteers serve, eat with teh families, socialize, play with the kids, help with homework, the works.  The host church will provide 2 people who will stay at the facility overnight with them.  50 volunteers needed, which can be individually to a couple of hours for your thing.  We want to spread out the jobs.  

The school situation; the kids will stay at the same school, we transport them there so they have the same class.  

Rev. Glenn did Family Promise at High Point.  Much of it is behind the scenes (cooking and hospitality).  This isn’t a homeless shelter, it’s a hospitality ministry.  Materials are being shared!  We need churches who can support and/or host.  Bobby Owens at Smith Grove is the main chair guy!  The fact this helps homeless kids is really a powerful thing for Bobby, as kids have no control over their situation, they are needing help.  If we get all the volunteers, it only takes up 8 hours out of the entire year!  Paperwork is being passed around!  

Oh, bedding travels around.  Each host congregation will need to provide linens, but the beds are transported by the FP.  Within the program, it doesn’t exceed 4 families or 14 people.  They kind of need their own space.  12-18 month start up.  Early to mid 2017.  The one criteria to get in is that a homeless family has custody of a child under 18.  It’s about families.  The day center will have full time staff, a full time director, with a part time assistant director if necessary, and then a part time van driver.  Some social work background will be needed.

Churches, invite this group!!!!  Oh wait, they’ll be calling you!  Every church in the network will be contacted by FP.  Best to know who they are, and get on board quickly!

 Here is the Feeding the Homeless during General Conference Ministry.  The email is copied from Amy at the district office:

 This past weekend, Dr. Patterson and I attended a meeting for the delegates to the General Conference. At this meeting, we learned of a project being initiated by two clergy from our Western North Carolina Conference. Their project is a large undertaking, and the suggestion was made to share it with the leaders of the missional networks. Thus, my email to you today. 

When Rev. Laura Beach and Rev. Kevin Miller attended a meeting recently in Portland in preparation of General Conference meeting there in May, they were given a map of the city that detailed routes that would lead people around the homeless population of the city. This did not set well! As followers of Jesus, we are called to minister to the least and lost. Laura and Kevin, working with someone from Portland, have devised a “Jesus map” that will allow General Conference attendees to interact with the homeless. But the real heart of the project is this: the plan is to give General Conference delegates cards that have been handmade by children that they will hand to the homeless when they are making their way to the Convention Center. This is a simple way to share God’s love with people who perhaps do not feel loved or valued in the world today. And inside of the card will be a voucher they can exchange for a good, hot meal at the “Sisters of the Road Café” in Portland. More detailed information is in the attached flier. 

We are asking that you share with your missional network the attached instructions on GC4JC (General Conference for Jesus Christ) and encourage the children in each church to participate in this project. I am listing the instructions found in the email as well: 

1. Using the attached GC4JC information, talk to the children in your church about the purpose of the GC4JC initiative. 
2. Have children make a card of any size (standard 8.5x11 copy paper or construction paper folded in half is recommended) with a drawing and perhaps a brief message sharing the love of God. 
3. Send completed cards to: Messiah UMC, 4102 W. NC Hwy 27, Vale, NC 28168 by March 31. 
4. In addition to sending the cards, please raise $2.00 for every card made that will pay for a meal for the person receiving the card. 
5. Send all collected money to: UMRA c/o Mollie Stewart, PO Box 27, Waveland, MS 39576. All checks should be made payable to UMRA with “#GC4JC” in the memo line. 
6. Pray for our General Conference delegates and those they will meet in Portland. 
7. Look for stories of how God used your card in Portland at www.GC4JC.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GC4JCUMC, or Instagram and Twitter using #GC4JC. 

Please let me know if you have any questions. The hope is to have at least one card for all of the 800+ General Conference delegates to give away while in Portland. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the delegates were able to give several cards away – not just one? 

Amy Johnson 

Administrative Assistant 

Yadkin Valley District Office 

Western North Carolina Conference 

The United Methodist Church 

336-725-4502 

MMN Meeting from Nov. 10th

Here are your notes from our Mocksville Missional Network meeting last Tuesday.  Now I forgot to take pictures this time, sorry!!!  But we had some great things emerge from our meeting, so check it out!

First Stacey Inman from the newly opened Davie Wellness Center came to speak to us.  The new wellness center is located at the old credit union building in downtown Mocksville (142 Gaither St).  It is free to all Davie county residents!  Some of the services they offer include:

• Suicide Prevention
• Autism Workshop
• Dancing
• Mental 1st Aid Training (to deal effectively with those who are diagnosed with mental trouble or for the people who work with them).
• Yoga
• and tons more!

Again all of these services are free.  They want churches in our area to be aware and help spread the word.  A monthly calendar is emailed containing the month's programing, and it looks like most of our MMN clergy will be receiving it!  So check it out!

Next Jenna Hendricks came to share about Big Brothers/Big Sisters of whom she is a program coordinator.  Jenna has worked in Davie Co. for 16 years as BBBS opened here in 1999.
Here are the mission goals of BBBS:

• to form long lasting, professionally supported relationships with adults and youth
• every child achieve success in life
• partners with parents, professionals, and schools
• usually the kids and youth come from single-parent homes (22%)
• boys and girls are served from the ages 6-18 years old
• 604 children were served last year
• So how can churches help?  More volunteers are needed.  Also churches can host BBBS events, such as a Christmas party.  
• Email Jenna at jhendricks@bbbsnc.org if you are interested!

Our third presenter was Mary Doub, the vice chair of the Western NC Conference Building Team.  The goal of the WNCC Building Team is to sponsor teams from many different churches to come together and serve as a team in mission.  It's helpful in that some churches may have skilled and devoted volunteers but lack the numbers to form a team, this does it for them!  In August the projects are announced (and they serve both here in the States and all over the world).  Team leader training is available.  Trip fees are all inclusive, though you'll need a passport.  Read more about them at http://mission.wnccumc.org/building-teams/, where you can find downloadable flyers and info.  Also email Mary at mldoub@earthlink.net if you have questions and/or if you are interested.

Next is a mission in development; Jerry Banks of 1st UMC is working toward hosting a weekly hot meal to families in need.  1st UMC has the facilities to host such a weekly meal in their family life center, and are seeking local Methodist churches to host a meal several times a year.  The hours will be 5:30-7:00 pm, with time for eating and then a devotional.  The suggested meal is soup and sandwiches.  Right now Jerry is seeking names of contact people they can coordinate with.  Please email Jerry at jerrybanks@yadtel.net for information or if you are interested.

Finally Ray Carter of Rice and Beans Ministries came to share.  Their goal is to feed peoples in need in Costa Rica and share the love of God.  It initially started out of a WNCC Building Team, and is now focused on providing food (rice and beans).  Here's how it works:

• They first work in building new churches and facilities
• They then visit the neighboring homes in the villages which are often standing shacks
• Most of the work is done by students and adult leaders
• They host and lead VBS for the kids there
• They then deliver the food (rice, beans, corn meal, and milk)
• They also feed families at Christmas.

So how can we get involved?

• Pray for the volunteers and the ministry
• Come and be a part of the team!
• Decorate, Pray Over, and Fill the meal bags!  It's also an easy fundraiser.  $12 covers one bag, and all the food is purchased in Costa Rica to support the local economy
• It's around $1700 per person to join the team.  That's for one week and is all-inclusive.

Here's a link to a video that explains it all; https://vimeo.com/123093219

If you are interested, you can call Ray at 704-746-1745, friend him on Facebook, or visit their website at www.riceandbeansministries.com

Here are some upcoming mission dates to mark your calendars!

• From Nov. 16-23rd 1st UMC is collecting shoeboxes for Operation Shoebox.  So if your church is collecting some, here's a local spot where they can be dropped off, save you a trip.
• Dec 9th, a Wednesday, Liberty UMC will be taking the bus with presents and volunteers to make Christmas gifts for the patients of Broughton Hospital.  The bus will leave the Liberty parking lot at 8:00 am.  All the folk from our sister churches are invited to join us!  Call 336-284-2914 for more info
• On Dec. 27th, the last Sunday of December 1st UMC will be doing their annual mission project Stop Hunger Now.  All churches are invited to participate either by sponsoring some meals and/or volunteering.  The construction of the bags will start around 4pm.  If you are interested call 1st UMC at 336-751-2503
• On Jan 24th Salem UMC will be hosting a Grief Share workshop from 3:00 - 4:30pm.  Anyone who is suffering from grief and loss from the passing of a loved one (and it doesn't matter how recent) is invited to come.  Call 336-492-7483 for more information.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Feb 9th, 2016, which happens to be Fat Tuesday!  Unfortunately I forgot to ask for a church to volunteer hosting.  So....any church that would like to host our next meeting, please email me at bcfishjedi@icloud.net.

Thanks, and have a great day!

A New "Year" Begins! Aug 2015 Meeting.

So begins a new year!  It's new for us, new faces, new clergy, new opportunities, and here's what went down for the Mocksville Missional Network last night.

Of course I wrote today's blog at Starbucks!  Beats the heck out of being cooped in the office!  :)

We met at Center UMC, and thank John Erwin for hosting and taking the notes for last night and hosting us at his church.  The snacks were yummy!

First thing, we have new pastors to welcome!  Sorry guys, I'm using your mugshots from the conference website, but I like names with faces (and it helps poor saps like me);

First we have to join us is Rev. Robert "Bob" Briggs serving at Union Chapel/Chestnut Grove!  We are excited to have Bob join our network!

Second, we have Chad Shoaf serving at Concord UMC!  Apparently Blair Routh has inside info on Chad, so check with her!  Kidding, he's super cool!  ;)

And third we have Ronald Dean Doub serving at Hardison UMC, a really cool guy and gentleman!

We welcome you all to our humble Mocksville Missional Network (MMN)!

Here's the gathering at last night's meeting.  It's a quick panoramic shot, so some faces are messed up,
but it was a great turnout for a rainy evening (and yay for rain!)

So now we get to business; first a news flash on the Summer Food Bags Mission!

Blair Routh shared this news with us.  14 faith groups donated toward the cause (including every church of our network) giving 30% of the needed budget, individual donations accounted for 42%, businesses 3%, Civic Groups 2%, UMC Grant gave 17%, and the Walmart Grant 3%, for a grand total of $29,811!  The expenses for the food this year was $30,711.81.  On top of that, a late grant from Energy United gave $10,000, already a good start for next year (it's usually $30,000 to fund this ministry).

Here's the results, 525 children were fed consistently during the long summer!  We often had more volunteers than were "needed."  We had more participation from our networked churches than any other year (and it was already pretty high before).  On top of that, 2nd Harvest gave 500 Boxes of food for families and kids to be given to families in need in Cooleemee during the 3 day church outreach fair "Call to Cooleemee."  That's organized mostly through area Baptist churches but Blair got several volunteers from our network to "man the tables" to give out the food.  It was all gone in 2 days!  Huzzah!!!  The ground work has already begun for 2016, but for now Blair gave her heartfelt thanks to all of the churches who donated and volunteered to make this year happen, stopping hunger for children in our midst.  Glenn Myers then expressed the MMN's heartfelt appreciation to Blair and Don for all their selfless hard work and dedication.

So, for the new year, what are some needs and mission opportunities around us?  We had 3 special guests to offer their visions;

First we had Ruby and Bill Blackburn share about UMAR.   Apparently many of our clergy remember Ruby back when there was a Lexington District.  Small world!  About UMAR; UMAR's mission is to care for adults with special needs.  It started in 1983 by our Conference.  Ruby got us started by asking a question; how many of us knows someone personally or has a family member who is disabled?  It was about 100%.  Disability affects everyone.  To help these adults, UMAR has 23 group homes across Western NC, and there 3 in Winston, 1 in Statesville, each being a home to adults with differing disabilities and full time staff to help care for them.  The staff's job is to help these adults live as independently as possible.  To give us an idea of what impact UMAR can have, Bill shared his story.

Bill 34 year old daughter Jennie is disabled, who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  She has great difficulty communicating and faces many challenges.  Bill and his wife provided amazing care, but know for the far future Jennie needs long term security and care, and that's when they found UMAR in 2011.  Jennie is now eating better, more independent, has made friends, and is happy.  UMAR was a Godsend to Jennie.  They passed out several handouts which record the many great things UMAR is doing, which will be listed here below.  Included is Jennie's story (sorry my copy got wet from my iced coffee), and how we can help UMAR.  A few highlights; donate supplies (paper towels are in high demand as is food), donate time like hosting a cookout at one of the homes (I suggested a luau!), or even do some labor such as a building project at the homes.  Also Bill is willing and able to share his story with anyone; churches, Methodist Men and Women, etc.  Here is his email, and he replies FAST:  billblackburn55@gmail.com

Next we had Crystal Dumas share about her ministry Just Hope (Crystal is the exec. director) which works directly with the homeless and families at risk here in Davie County.  Her family began interacting with the homeless camps in Davie County including giving food, and from that began to form her ministry.  Just Hope continues to give food and supplies (which she gets cheap through her coupon superpower), teaching self sufficiency classes, and more.  So how can churches in our network help?
Well since Davie County doesn't have a homeless shelter (which I'm going to go ahead and give a big and loud boo!!!!!!!  Thumbs down Davie County leaders, churches and charitable organizations are tired of the lame excuses), most of the homeless and families at risk are either in the homeless camps, staying with family (sleeping on the floor, couches), or living in our two hotels, Lakewood and Scottish Inn.  Crystal is working with churches and groups to help the families who stay in these hotels (which are typically a single mom with 2-3 children).  What are ways to help these families?

1. Provide a hot meal!  It's the microwave or nothing when it comes to hot food, so on Thursdays Crystal organizes groups to come and feed the families in either one of the hotels or both.  They need to be to-go boxes, and also food bags like with our backpack program).  A hot meal is a taste of grace to these families.  You can sign up online here;  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4eaeac2da2fb6-helping
2. Sponsor a family's "rent" at these hotels.  It's usually all they can make and save to cover the rent per week.  Any unexpected expense, say a flat tire could put a family on the street or make them face hunger.  You can give these families some breathing room by paying for a week.  It's $190 a week at Lakewood and $205 a week at Scottish Inn.  Talk to Krystal if you have questions or would like to participate in sponsoring a family.  Her cell number is 336-909-4201, and her email is krystaldumas2010@yahoo.com

Here is some other mission highlights;  

• Rev Sam Lewis is leading Oak Grove UMC to become involved in the Faith/Health Initiative through Baptist Hospital.  For many people who are admitted to hospital care they have "high needs but low resources" when they are discharged.  The Faith/Health Initiative is trying to bridge that gap through networking and community involvement.  Keep an eye out for a future email when Oak Grove will possibly host a meeting for the Faith/Health Initiative, which can benefit from MMN participation!  (unrelated, here in the meeting my cell phone died at this point, so you're spared of more photographs)
• 1st UMC is going to host a 5th Quarter Friday Night gathering/party in September.  This is to provide a fun and safe enviroment for teens after Friday Night Football games.  There will be games, snacks, the whole 9 yards, and is open to everyone.  Email John at 1st UMC at john@firstumc.org for more info. 
• Kevin Neal at 1st UMC (who is the Missions Chair to Haiti) is also head of the DOT in Rowan County, and is offering his services to check any church transportation vechicle to make sure they're being used safely.  Buses and vans!  Check with Kevin at 1st UMC if you are interested.
• Stop Hunger Now will be held at 1st UMC on Dec. 27th (a Sunday).  Set up will start at 3pm, packaging at 4pm.  This is open to all our network churches, either monetary help, volunteer help, or both.  
• Our Cluster Charge Conference will be held at 1st UMC on October 25th at 3pm.  Like previous years, I NEED PICTURES!  Any missional or outreach work you, your church, or networked churches do, I need pictures to prepare for our report/music video.  VBS counts too!  If you don't send pictures, I'll make stick figures (ask Tony, this is a serious threat!).  Send them to me at bcfishjedi@yahoo.com, or text them to me (which is just as efficient) to my cell number; 980-521-3531.

Our next MMN meeting will be held on Nov. 10th at 7pm at Hardison UMC.

Thanks for everything y'all.  If you have any corrections, additions, just text me and I'll update the blog (it isn't permanent).  Peace!

PS, if any of this sounds jumbled or off, or filed wit typos, blame one of these three!  ;)

April 2015 Minutes and News

Here is our blog post about our meeting from Tuesday, April 14th at Oak Grove UMC.

First off a big shoutout goes to Rev. Sam Lewis and the awesome people at Oak Grove for hosting us!

We began with prayer and an opening meditation.  First we read the amazing editorial that appeared in the Washington Post last year, This is What Happened When I Drove My Mercedes to Pick Up Food Stamps.  Here's a link to the story, it's worth your time to read; CLICK HERE

We had three topics to talk about.

First is a mission trip to Haiti led by 1st UMC Mocksville.
This is led by Kevin Neal and Dean Hendricks, who are pretty much pros at this kind of ministry.  They have two invitations regarding Haiti; one to join them on the mission trip, and two, to help financially to build a church in Haiti.
For years they have been working in Jaemel, a town south of Port-au-Prince.  The minister they support there works in 13 different Methodist churches, a present-day circuit rider pastor.  He works in conjunction with the Methodist expansion and is doing great work.  So 1st UMC wants to help him build a permanent church that's in his charge (to replace the one that's made on-site with pretty curtains and movable chairs).  The cost for this new church would be a total of $35,000, and this would cover the 4 walls, roof, and floor.  The pastor himself has already purchased the land for its construction.  So here's the details;

Right now 1st UMC is starting from scratch in raising funds for the church building, so any donations would be a big help.
The next trip will be around September or October for 10-11 days.
12 people can go on a team (if more than 12 sign up, they'll take multiple teams)
The trip to Haiti is on American Airlines (a serious upgrade from previous years)
The cost per person is $1,400-1,500 for each team member.  This covers the airfare, cost of materials, and to cover the pastor's expenses as he houses and feeds the work team.
Please contact 1st UMC if you are interested in going.  Any funds for the church building can be sent to 1st UMC with the memo being Haiti Church Building.

2.  We have an update on the Summer Food Bags Program shared by Blair Routh.

Right now funds are not coming in like past years, and this includes our own churches too.  Here's the hard data;

• Only $150 has been given from our churches
• Only $1000 has been given by area businesses
• Walmart has given a $1000 grant.
• A $2500 grant has been applied for, still waiting on that

Please work with your churches to raise funds for this ministry.  600 students last year had food throughout the summer because of this ministry, and they're counting on us!  $25,000-30,000 is needed, and we've done it every year, let's make it count this year!
Also volunteer help is needed as well!  Please contact Blair if you feel led.  These kids need us!

3.  Next was a small report from me (Brad) regarding this very blog.

I didn't take any selfies of myself at the meeting,
so here's a slightly older one...

Part of my focus and vision is to have a central place online where we can share information about who we are and what we are doing.  Right now we have notes from our meetings (as you may note already), and now I want to take it a step further.  I want to share our stories, especially our successes.  So if you have any missional praises and successes, let me know, and we'll share this narrative!  I may draft this as a kind of storytelling, and either you can volunteer to share your story or I'll check with you!  Stay posted!

4.  Other Business:

• Roy Miller at Concord UMC is collecting food items every Thursday from 9:00am - 12:00pm.  This food will be going out to people in need.  Check out this list if you would like to help;
• Peanut butter/jelly, fruit cups, pop tarts, beans and weenies, easy Mac, breakfast bars, oodles and noodles, Nabs/crackers, Instant oatmeal/grits, canned meats like tuna, SPAM, Vienna sausages, raisins, applesauce, bottled water, soups, trail mix, beef jerky, and juice boxes.
• Sam Lewis at Oak Grove is asking for help for Oak Grove regarding missional work to help them with focus and direction.  If you have a mission statement, know where to find resources, the outcomes you've experienced, and what you've learned in the process, get that info to Sam.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, August 18th at Center UMC.

Thank you everyone!  Share this info, and thank you!