November 2010


Illinois Great Rivers Conference — The Current Missions and Outreach — Globally and Locally Parish nurse retreat a time of networking, renewal


Center’s St Francis of Assisi Church. Health ministry is a purposeful ministry


that helps individuals, families, congrega- tions and communities focus on “wholistic” health, wellness and disease and injury pre- vention. Health ministry is usually directed by a health committee incorporating a par- ish nurse and is customized to fit the needs of the congregation. Parish nurses link faith and health


SPRINGFIELD – Parish nurses work-


ing in churches throughout the Illinois Great Rivers Conference met together Aug. 6-7 for a weekend of renewal, networking, worship and celebrating a shared heritage of healing established by Florence Night- ingale.


Retreat leader for the second annual


parish nurse retreat was Helen Chigaros, co-founder of the Parish Nurse Network of the Kankakee River Valley and Executive Director of the Azzarelli Outreach Clinic in Kankakee, a faith-based free health


care clinic. Helen’s recent travels to Eng- land, where she walked in the footsteps of Nightingale, allowed her to bring everyone attending a personal account of the legacy and spiritual connection to The Lady with the Lamp. Rev. Dr Terry Harter, Sangamon River


District Superintendent opened the retreat with a meditation entitled Healing is a Beautiful Word, based on Matthew 9:20- 22, which examined the role personal faith plays in wholeness. A service of Holy Com- munion was shared together in the Chiara


STAMFORD, Conn. – Declaring the


six month Haiti Response Plan pilot proj- ect a success, the Board of Directors of UMCOR approved a grant of $3,094,500 to continue to field and host volunteer teams to address the humanitarian needs and priority projects of the Eglise Method- iste de Haiti (EMH). The project was approved and affirmed


by the Board of Directors of the General Board of Global Ministries at the October 2010 board meeting. The three-year proposal was present-


ed by the Mission Volunteers office of GBGM in collaboration with the EMH and the UMVIM Jurisdictional Coordinators. During the six-month pilot phase, April


– October 2010 – the EMH identified and prioritized projects and the US and Haiti infrastructure was put in place to field UM- VIM teams. More than 80 UMVIM teams will travel to Haiti in 2010, and nearly 150 are scheduled for 2011. The three year grant, scheduled to begin on Nov. 1, will support and expand the current infrastruc- ture and grant process already in place. “The emphasis on collaboration, team


placement procedures and calendar has created a greater economic impact for both long-term Haitian employment and the financial needs of the Eglise Method- ist de Haiti,” explained Gregory Forrester, Northeast Jurisdiction UMVIM Coordina- tor and principal author of the proposal. “A new methodology for placement of teams


and strict guidelines for team leaders, training and team membership is in place.” Nearly 70 percent ($2,082,500) of the


by combining professional nursing with Christian ministry. Parish nurses focus on the whole person to emphasize wellness, disease prevention, health promotion and spiritual health. Registered nurses with ac- tive licensure attend a Parish Nurse Basic Preparation Course and can then serve con- gregations and the surrounding community. For more information about Health


Ministry in United Methodist congregations contact Patricia Magyer at UMCOR Health pmagyar@gbgm-umc.org, or Sharon Hin- ton UMCOR Parish Nurse Consultant, co- ordinator@ruralnurseresource.com. For information about Parish Nurse Ba-


sic Preparation Courses available in your area, go to the website of the International Parish Nurse Resource Center at www. parishnurses.org.


Haiti Response Plan extended for three years By Susan J. Meister


three-year grant is allocated to Haitian labor development funds. Each UMVIM team traveling to Haiti is asked to raise $3,500 in project funds. These funds are matched dollar for dollar by the grant, and serve to support the focus on hiring Hai- tian workers in a ratio of at least 2:1 to UMVIM team members. Workers include laborers, cooks, drivers, interpreters, fore- men, engineers and more. In addition, the funds allow work to begin before the UM- VIM team arrives and to continue after the team leaves, resulting in improved project continuity, a sense of ownership for the local community and greater inclusion of local persons in the decision making pro- cess. n Staffing support in Haiti and US The three-year budget includes salaries


for four persons (three in Haiti and one in the U.S.), transportation support for vehi- cles in Haiti, and office support. The staff positions in Haiti are a Volunteer Manage- ment Coordinator, an Assistant Coordina- tor, and a Finance/Hospitality Coordinator. The staff position in the US focuses on cal- endaring and communications. Rev. Mike Willis, who has held the po-


sition of Volunteer Management Coordina- tor in the pilot phase of the Haiti Response Project, will return to Vestal UMC (Upper New York Conference) at the beginning of November. He will be succeeded by Rev. Tom Vencuss of Wethersfield UMC (Con-


Early response training set for Herrin


Early response training has been set to be held in Coal City and in Herrin.


The training at Herrin UMC will be held Sat- urday, Nov. 13. Online registration is avail- able at: www.igrc.org/ response-herrin


The training event


is a seven-hour training session to equip individuals to go into disaster areas as soon as it is safe for volunteers to enter into the area. Training includes how to help survivors sift through debris, how to tarp roofs, safe removal of debris and how to interact with people who have been traumatized. Background check forms will be given at the training in order for participants to be credentialed.


Mission trip opportunities online


Upcoming mission trip opportuni- ties are now posted online at the IGRC website.


necticut/ New England Conference). The Assistant position will be filled


by Bethany Guy, a lay person from the Church of the Resurrection, Kansas East Conference, who has served as an intern in the Haiti office since May. The Finance/Hospitality Coordinator


will be filled by Deanna Hawkins, a lay person from Holy Trinity UMC (Minne- sota Conference). Susan Meister, a lay person from the


Illinois Great Rivers Conference, will con- tinue in the position of U.S.-based Calen- daring Coordinator. “I am both proud and humbled by the


response of our churches and the amazing work that has already been done in the past six months,” remarked Vencuss. “There are some big shoes to fill and it is my hope to continue the work set by the staff over the past six months in the service of God’s people in Haiti.” Rev. Cynthia Harvey, head of UM-


COR, expressed her gratitude to Willis at the Board Meeting prior to the approval of the three year grant. “We have been focus- ing on laying a foundation for our work in Haiti over the past nine months,” she said, “and there are challenges as UMVIM and UMCOR learn to work together. We own a great debt to Mike and are so grateful for his service.” n Volunteer Scheduling Volunteer teams from across the con-


nection, representing all five Jurisdictions, have already served or registered to travel See Haiti on page 14 . . .


Persons looking for a mission team or wish to publicize a trip and recruit additional team members will find the system useful.


Mission opportunities are found on the right-hand side of the IGRC home page at www.igrc.org


Clicking on Mission opportunities allows one to search within the IGRC (locally), nationally (within the United States) or internationally.


Persons hosting a team can also post their information by selecting Submit a Volunteer Opportunity from the right- hand menu.


Kumler needs sleeping bags


Kumler UMC and the Outreach Min- istries opens up the church doors each Tuesday evening for two hours to share a light snack, a safe place and fellowship with the homeless and low-income. As summer turns to fall one of the items desperately needed by our home- less brothers and sisters is sleeping bags. Kumler is asking for donations of sleeping bags to help meet the need. Donors need to indicate the sleeping bags are for the homeless. Donations can also be dropped off at Kumler UMC, 600 N. 5th St., Spring- field, by prior arrangement. Call 217- 523-2269 to make arrangements.


Page 11


Briefs


Photo courtesy of Jo Sanders


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