Raleigh District UMC

Dear Friends,

Back in January of 2000 a fledgling congregation launched with worship services in a No Raleigh middle school auditorium. After meeting for only two Sundays the Blizzard of 2000 struck. And so in 2000 BF (before facebook) we joined 90 percent of our early attenders together on a snowy Sunday morning for cyber-worship and it was a pivotal moment in that church’s history. I know. I was there - as cyber-pastor/preacher. What are you planning for this Sunday - Sealy-posturepedic sleeping or something more?? Share your comments below.

In Christ, Jon((the methodist)

Thanks for the amazing generosity in preparing health kits for Haiti. The servant volunteers at the collection site asked that a picture of a health kit be shared as encouragement for creating a proper health kit. Proper packing is important! The inventory must be included as listed to insure transport and distribution. This also saves time in preparing kits for shipment.

Disaster Relief Health Kit

Health Kit Inventory:
1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”)
1 wash cloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz and up)
1 toothbrush (single brush only in original wrapper; no child-sized brushes)
1 large tube of toothpaste
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
All items should be placed inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.
No money, notes, religious or political literature, or other items should be placed in the kits.

Thanks to all for your gifts of supplies and service! As of Friday, January 22, at lunch, over 45 tons of aid had been packed and palleted for Haiti at the Raleigh District collection point. Thanks also to the owners and staff of Clayton Global Packaging for hosting our relief efforts. Read the rest of this entry »

In, A Tales Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens once wrote:  “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness . . . it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Even though these words were penned well over a hundred years ago, they describe so well our most recent days.  Last week’s earthquake in Haiti has made the world a different place.

Read the rest of this entry »

Even as we begin to think about additional ways to help Health Kits will still be needed beyond the first wave of rescue and recovery. You can deliver completed kits or bulk quantity of materials to the Clayton warehouse through Friday, January 22, 2010.

Health Kit Inventory:
1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”)
1 wash cloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz and up)
1 toothbrush (single brush only in original wrapper; no child-sized brushes)
1 large tube of toothpaste
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
All items should be placed inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.
No money, notes, religious or political literature, or other items should be placed in the kits.

What a week!  An earthquake devastated Haiti on Tuesday afternoon, and by noon Wednesday we had a staging center set up in a printing company’s warehouse in Clayton.  (The owners of the warehouse are members of Horne Memorial UMC which first reached out for donations for Haiti.)  We knew there were would be an incredible response, but I don’t know that any of us thought we would have collected, sorted, packed, inventoried, labeled, palletized and shipped to MERCI donations in excess of 18 TONS!  Yes, 18 tons and counting.  Before I left the warehouse this evening, another good-sized load arrived.

I met this afternoon with the owners of the printing company and Ann Huffman of MERCI.  The CGP owners agreed to let us continue to operate from their business for another 5 days.  We would then determine Friday if we think we need to operate on Saturday and Sunday.  At that time, we will need to shut down operation from that location.

The owners of CGP have asked that we not allow children under 16 years of age to come to the warehouse because of liability issues.  We have had lots of young kids there for the last week and they have done a wonderful job of helping; however, the company is open for their own business and there are machines that could potentially harm the kids.  They regretted having to set this rule, but we certainly understand.

We are in need of volunteers throughout this week.  We will be open from 9 - 5 Monday through Friday.  There are times when we don’t have anything to do; other times there is a great flurry of activity.  There is no way for me to assure you that you will have something to do when you come.  I can say this with certainty, however:  even if you come and there is not much to do, you will still be blessed just to see all the good that is being done.

I encourage all churches to send some folk.  This is a district-wide effort, so I pray that all churches help with the ministry.

You have all received the information about the conference-wide plan.  Our focus will be food kits.  Please note that if we are already doing something, we are to continue to do so.  So, don’t stop sending the medical supplies, health kits, water and food.  Oh, by the way, we are chronically short of toothpaste, tooth brushes, hand towels and combs for health kits.  Please help out if you can.

Directions to Wharehouse

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Peace and grace.

Jo Elaine Harris

Raleigh District Pastor of Missions

The United Methodist Church

7071 Forestville Road

P. O. Box 83

Knightdale, NC 27545

Telephone:  919-266-2373, ext. 108

Email:  joelaine@nccumc.org

What will you do?

District Superintendent Jon Strother gathered clergy from the Raleigh Distirct on Monday, January 11, at Westover United Methodist Church for a morning of Holy Conferencing, encouragement, and challenge. The worshipful work of the morning was led by Rev. Strother, Rev. Kelly Lyn Logue, Rev. JoElaine Harris, and the BRiDGE partners challenging to lead our churches in becoming radically hospitable as we become helathy congregations throughout the district making disciples of all people for the transformation of the world.

Rev. Strother’s proclamation was based on the text of the Servant King washing the feet of His disciples in John 13:1-17. The following video from The Work of the People illustrated the passage (some browsers require you to press play upon the video loading)

What will you do? What will you do for Jesus?

Our worshipful work heard from The Race of Grace set for April 23-25; the BRiDGE partners, and about Second Spring in D’Iberville with opportunities being prepared for May 2010. Be on the lookout for more information in the weeks to come from each of these Raleigh District partners.

In the comment section respond to the question: What will you do? You can add other comments as well.

The Raleigh District Youth Mission Fair is shaping up to be a great success. As of this week there are eleven churches signed up to participate and we’re expecting over 400 participants. when we gather at White Plains UMC. Major sponsors for this event are the Raleigh District, Martin Marrietta, White Plains UMC, Ashworth Drugs and Advent Screen Printing. We are seeking additional sponsors to offset the shipping cost of the meals we will be packaging through Stop Hunger Now. With the response we’ve had we hope to up the numbers of meals we can package from 20,000 to 30,000 – wow! Churches have until December 20 to sign up to participate and there are two opportunities to support this event by eating at Chick-fil-a. The first chick-fil-a fundraiser is Tuesday, December 15 at the Triangle Town Centre location from 5-8PM. Please urge everyone you know to attend these Chick-fil-a fundraisers! Log on to www.facebook.com/raleighyouth for the latest updates.

We are very excited…Margaret Therkelsen, a well-known person of prayer and faith, speaker and author, will be our keynote speaker for the Clergy Spouses’ Day Apart which will be hosted at Nashville UMC - 209 East Washington Street, Nashville, N.C.
The Cost - $20.00 (includes lunch)
-Childcare will be provided-
Please complete registration form and return no later than March 1, 2010.
Name_____________________________________________
Address___________________________________________
Phone____________________________________________
E-Mail____________________________________________
If childcare is needed, how many children? _______________

Please send check and registration form to: Annette Wright
1212 Deboy Street, Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone – (919) 851-4545
E-Mail – agwright18@bellsouth.net

The following congregations have offered 100% of their apportioned giving for 2009, on or before December 4th. We celebrate their faithfulness to the world-wide mission of, “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

Hayes Barton UMC
Shiloh UMC – Franklin County
Highland UMC
Wesley Chapel UMC – Franklin County
Layden Memorial UMC
Piney Grove UMC – Franklin County
Clayton: Calvary UMC
Sunrise UMC – Holly Springs
•Ebenezer UMC – Franklin County 99.37%
•Mt. Zion UMC - Johnston County 99.74%

We also celebrate these congregations, who have submitted 90% or more of their apportioned giving to date.
Clayton: Horne Memorial 91.67%
Fuquay-Varina 90.38%
Raleigh: Cokesbury 94.56%
North Raleigh 92.10%
Wake Forest 91.86%
Wendell 94.63%

Several congregations have submitted 75% or more of apportionments to-date. Congratulations to:

Apex UMC 75.50%
Franklinton 75.68%
Bunn UMC 81.95%
First UMC –Garner 76.05%
First UMC – Cary 83.33%
Hollands 84.30%
Saint Francis – Cary 83.33%
Leah’s Chapel 75.01%
Benson Memorial 83.36%
Jenkins Memorial 86.25%
Edenton Street 77.64% Millbrook 78.02%
Pleasant Grove 84.49%
Trinity –Raleigh 84.83%
Saint James 84.52%
First –Fuquay-Varina 75.00%

While it would be wonderful if we could reach out personally to everyone who needs our help, we know that is impossible. So we gather regularly with our congregation and put money into the offering plate, and through a carefully crafted system of United Methodist mission and ministry our gifts stretch around the world.
The contributions through your local church not only benefit your local congregation, but also have regional, national and international impact through our connectional giving system. Most of the money you give is used to support the ministries of your local church. A small portion funds regional ministries. ( From UMC.Org)