UMCOR : CRITICAL SHORTAGES

All of you know about UMCOR and its relief work all over the world, and you probably know that they are in dire need of contributions of money and/or the various kits. I am including another three-up, two-sided piece that I plan to distribute at my church for the next few weeks. As usual, it will require some tweaking but nothing major, I hope......Perhaps you would find it useful.

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Critical Shortages of

UMCOR Relief Kits

Following is a list of the kits that UMCOR distributes.

You may contribute online at umcor.org or you may write a check to FUMC with a note that it is for Advance #901440.

$8 buys a birthing kit: soap, latex gloves, plastic sheeting, cotton string, razor blade, blankets

$12 buys a health kit: hand towel, washcloth, comb, nail clipper, soap, toothbrush, bandaids, plastic bag

$18 buys a sewing kit: fabric, needles, thread, buttons, scissors, plastic bag 

$35 buys a school kit: blunt scissors, pads of paper, pencils and sharpener, ruler, eraser, crayons, cloth bag   

$55 buys a cleaning bucket: bucket, laundry detergent, cleaner, dish soap, air freshener, insect repellent, scrub brush, cleaning wipes, sponges, scouring pads, clothespins, clothesline, trash bags, dust masks, disposable gloves, work gloves

 

Critical Shortages of

UMCOR Relief Kits

Following is a list of the kits that UMCOR distributes.

You may contribute online at umcor.org or you may write a check to FUMC with a note that it is for Advance #901440.

$8 buys a birthing kit: soap, latex gloves, plastic sheeting, cotton string, razor blade, blankets

$12 buys a health kit: hand towel, washcloth, comb, nail clipper, soap, toothbrush, bandaids, plastic bag

$18 buys a sewing kit: fabric, needles, thread, buttons, scissors, plastic bag 

$35 buys a school kit: blunt scissors, pads of paper, pencils and sharpener, ruler, eraser, crayons, cloth bag   

$55 buys a cleaning bucket: bucket, laundry detergent, cleaner, dish soap, air freshener, insect repellent, scrub brush, cleaning wipes, sponges, scouring pads, clothespins, clothesline, trash bags, dust masks, disposable gloves, work gloves

 

Critical Shortages of

UMCOR Relief Kits

Following is a list of the kits that UMCOR distributes.

You may contribute online at umcor.org or you may write a check to FUMC with a note that it is for Advance #901440.

$8 buys a birthing kit: soap, latex gloves, plastic sheeting, cotton string, razor blade, blankets

$12 buys a health kit: hand towel, washcloth, comb, nail clipper, soap, toothbrush, bandaids, plastic bag

$18 buys a sewing kit: fabric, needles, thread, buttons, scissors, plastic bag 

$35 buys a school kit: blunt scissors, pads of paper, pencils and sharpener, ruler, eraser, crayons, cloth bag   

$55 buys a cleaning bucket: bucket, laundry detergent, cleaner, dish soap, air freshener, insect repellent, scrub brush, cleaning wipes, sponges, scouring pads, clothespins, clothesline, trash bags, dust masks, disposable gloves, work gloves

Critical Shortages of UMCOR Relief Kits

UMCOR—United Methodist Committee on Relief—sends emergency relief kits to disaster scenes all over the world.

Now they desperately need our help with this vital ministry.  Please support them by giving generously to Material Resources, Advance #901440, or by working with your congregation to assemble much-needed relief-supply kits for UMCOR depots.

You may contribute online at umcor.org or you may make out a check to FUMC with a note that it is for Advance #901440.

Last year, UMCOR had sent a total of 536,946 relief kits to 12 countries and to 12 states in the U.S. That was an increase of 28.5% as compared to any previous year. As a result, both UMCOR depots now have critical shortages of relief-supply kits to meet the increased demand for supplies around the world.

Critical Shortages of UMCOR Relief Kits

UMCOR—United Methodist Committee on Relief—sends emergency relief kits to disaster scenes all over the world.

Now they desperately need our help with this vital ministry.  Please support them by giving generously to Material Resources, Advance #901440, or by working with your congregation to assemble much-needed relief-supply kits for UMCOR depots.

You may contribute online at umcor.org or you may make out a check to FUMC with a note that it is for Advance #901440.

Last year, UMCOR had sent a total of 536,946 relief kits to 12 countries and to 12 states in the U.S. That was an increase of 28.5% as compared to any previous year. As a result, both UMCOR depots now have critical shortages of relief-supply kits to meet the increased demand for supplies around the world.

Critical Shortages of UMCOR Relief Kits

UMCOR—United Methodist Committee on Relief—sends emergency relief kits to disaster scenes all over the world.

Now they desperately need our help with this vital ministry.  Please support them by giving generously to Material Resources, Advance #901440, or by working with your congregation to assemble much-needed relief-supply kits for UMCOR depots.

You may contribute online at umcor.org or you may make out a check to FUMC with a note that it is for Advance #901440.

Last year, UMCOR had sent a total of 536,946 relief kits to 12 countries and to 12 states in the U.S. That was an increase of 28.5% as compared to any previous year. As a result, both UMCOR depots now have critical shortages of relief-supply kits to meet the increased demand for supplies around the world.

FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

February is Black History Month. Carter G. Woodson began Negro History Week in 1926; it was later expanded to a month. In 1976 it was changed to Black History Month. It is held every February and celebrates the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout our history. The 2014 theme is the civil rights movement that commemorates the 50^th year anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.  (Taken from Southeast Denton <TX> News)

 “The years, the months, the days, and the hours have flown by my open window. Here and there an incident, a towering moment, a naked memory, an etched countenance, a whisper in the dark, a golden glow—these and much more are the woven fabric of the time I have lived.”  (Howard Thurman, influential African American author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader)

If you have on hand copies of the "Charter for Racial Justice," it would be singularly appropriate to distribute them this month. If you don't yet have copies, you can order them from UMW Mission Resource Center and they are free. This distribution would satisfy a requirement for your unit to be a 5-star unit as well as a member of the Charter Club. You may also copy this post and revise it for distribution.

Notes on the back of the Charter brochure spell out the significance of racial justice:

* Racial Justice is a biblical issue.

* Racial Justice is a leadership issue.

* Racial Justice is a community issue.

* Racial Justice is a public-policy issue.

There is also a free brochure entitled "Racial Justice Time Line" that notes important moments of racial justice history in the U.S. and United Methodist Women. 

It is unfortunate that racism is still an issue in our country, but there's no denying its presence. United Methodist Women stands staunchly opposed to any display of injustice--race, gender, ethnicity. Always we are counted among those who earnestly try to love our neighbors as ourselves.

REPORT ON 2014 UMW LEGISLATIVE EVENT

The following document reports on the Event for 2014. With some changes for the writer's viewpoint, the entire document can be formatted into two columns, manipulated a bit for spacing, and printed as a back-to-back hand-out.
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The 2014 LEGISLATIVE EVENT, while not quite as exciting as in a legislative year, was still very good. This was my first year to work on the planning team, and I can tell you: Texas has some energetic, creative, generous, intelligent women. In other words, Texas has some powerful Christian women!

Our theme was A Thousand Voices: Telling the Story of Texas. Total attendance was around 180; the conference hall was full on Monday! We did sing “The Women Must Be Gathering” to start the busy first full day. Our speakers included a director of the Texas Interfaith Center for Public Policy; director of the Texas Water Foundation, and other leaders in . Keynote for Sunday was Froswa Booker-Drew, national director of WorldVision, who focused on the importance of everybody’s story in building a loving society..

The agenda that came from our studies and through consensus deal with the same topics that we see year after year. The players have been pretty much the same for the past 12 years, with some new faces coming in after last election. However, these elements form the fabric of our society and will always need our steadfast attention: Health Care; Education; Criminal Justice and Mental Health; Water; Predatory Lending.

Trivia: Do you know Texas’s largest school district? It’s the Windham School District, which is comprised of people incarcerated in our jails and penitentiaries. It was established by the Texas Legislature as an entity separate and distinct from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), with the Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) serving as the Board of Trustees for the WSD. It is the policy of the Board that the WSD shall provide academic, as well as career and technology education, to eligible offenders incarcerated within the TDCJ. Certainly this education is a step toward rehabilitation, but how sad that the prisons contain  our largest school population.

The following document spells out the 2014 agenda developed by the UMW at the Legislative Event.

Medicaid

The Legislature should extend Medicaid to adults under 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. We encourage legislators to recognize the financial benefits that would accrue to local governments, medical providers, the Texas economy and Texas taxpayers.

Education

The Legislature should affirm its constitutional obligation to provide high quality public education for the benefit of all of its residents. Critical legislative actions include restoring cuts, funding enrollment growth, and increasing teacher compensation to competitive levels. We strongly reaffirm our historic opposition to any movement toward allowing the flow of public money to private schools.

Criminal Justice and Mental Health

We call on legislators to guarantee humane treatment for all Texans subject to the state’s criminal justice system, especially the most vulnerable, including women, children and youth. We strongly urge the Legislature to increase access to mental health services, substance abuse treatment, rehabilitation, educational opportunities and re-entry programs. We believe sentences should be fair for all regardless of race, gender or ability to pay. We believe legislators have a special duty to prevent wrongful convictions and to protect those in the criminal justice system with mental health concerns and individuals facing execution.

Water

We support lawmakers as they continue to address Texas’ long-term water needs. We urge lawmakers to create structures that ensure all stakeholders are included in discussions around the primary principle of fair access to clean water for all Texans. We acknowledge the interaction between water and energy resources and encourage lawmakers to plan comprehensively for our water and energy future.

Predatory Lending

The Legislature should build on the foundation of sensible regulation of payday and auto-title lending established in 2011, and eliminate the cycle of debt through strategies such as limiting rollovers, regulating fees and allowing partial payments.

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2014 ANTI-RACISM EVENT: SING-A-RAINBOW

LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!

SING-A-RAINBOW 

CHARTER FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EVENT

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014

FIRST UMC OF SALADO, TEXAS

 9-9:45 a.m. 

Registration, Breakfast Treats

Also Silent Auction, UMW Resources

Program 9:45 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Keynote speaker--Deaconess Clara Ester

 Racial Justice Topics

* Maternal Health – Healthy Families Healthy Planet Advocacy

* Immigration and/or Domestic Violence

* Legislative Update and Priorities; Presentation of Charter Club members

Bring "Food for the Road" to share

  YOU MAY REGISTER ON-LINE AT WWW.CTCUMW.ORG, EVENT REGISTRATION

CRITICAL SHORTAGES OF UMCOR RELIEF KITS

The following piece can be copied and prepared for a three-column, two-sided landscape sheet for distribution to UMW and the congregation.

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Critical Shortages of UMCOR Relief Kits

UMCOR—United Methodist Committee on Relief—sends emergency relief kits to disaster scenes all over the world.

Now they desperately need our help with this vital ministry.  Please support them by giving generously to Material Resources, Advance #901440, or by working with your congregation to assemble much-needed relief-supply kits for UMCOR depots.

You may contribute online at umcor.org or you may make out a check to FUMC with a note that it is for Advance #901440.

Last year, UMCOR had sent a total of 536,946 relief kits to 12 countries and to 12 states in the U.S. That was an increase of 28.5% as compared to any previous year. As a result, both UMCOR depots now have critical shortages of relief-supply kits to meet the increased demand for supplies around the world.

                  <second page>

These kits include—

* birthing kits: soap, latex gloves, plastic sheeting, cotton string, razor blade, blankets

* cleaning buckets: bucket, laundry detergent, cleaner, dish soap, air freshener, insect repellent, scrub brush, cleaning wipes, sponges, scouring pads, clothespins, clothesline, trash bags, dust masks, disposable gloves, work gloves

* school kits: blunt scissors, pads of paper, pencils and sharpener, ruler, eraser, crayons, cloth bag  

* health kits: hand towel, washcloth, comb, nail clipper, soap, toothbrush, bandaids, plastic bag, $1

*sewing kits: fabric, needles, thread, buttons, scissors, plastic bag

*layette kits: diapers, onesies, wash cloths, sleeper, diaper pins, jacket, receiving blankets

* bedding kits: flat sheets, pillows and pillow cases

There are strict requirements for all of these kits; detailed instructions are online at www.umcor.org.  Whatever way you give, PLEASE HELP.

2014 TEXAS LEGISLATIVE EVENT

The Legislative Event will be January 25-28 and it is still open for registration! I'm including in this blog an article that can be made into a three-up piece and handed out to UMW and other women of your congregation--as well as to other women's groups. The event is open to all comers this year for the first time!

As before, you can copy this text, adjusting as necessary, put it into a landscape format for three columns and then copy again for the additional columns. Then you could put Unit information on the back side.
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REGISTRATION IS STILL OPEN FOR--

2014 TEXAS

LEGISLATIVE EVENT

January 25-28

As usual, Legislative Event 2014 will be packed with expert policy presentations, practical advocacy training, conversations with top Texas lawmakers, and time at the Capitol.
The Event will be held at the Austin Holiday Inn Midtown (at the old Highland Mall). Registration is not capped, and there's plenty of room for everyone. You don’t have to stay for the whole three days. We are offering day passes again, and this year for the first time we are offering a tour of the Capitol led by Texas Impact staff on Saturday afternoon before the event. 

You’re guaranteed to learn a lot about Texas issues and how to address those issues…. Plus you will meet 200 or so of the most active and informed laywomen in the State.

You may register online at -- http://txumw2014.eventbrite.com

UMW CALENDAR YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I''m sure I posted this calendar already, but apparently it's somewhere in the wide blogisphere!

The information was taken from the UMW Prayer Calendar, so if you use your P.C. daily, you can easily keep up with the observances. However, if you need a concise resource, I think this will help. By staying in touch with what's coming "next month," you can prepare handouts or articles for your Unit.

Notice that January is Human Trafficking Awareness Day. I think you will still have time to contact Homeland Security, ICE Headquarters and Refuge City: 781-733-8430 or send an e-mail to refugecity@refuge-city.org, which are detailed in the information below.
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Monthly Calendar of Observances (daily dates not yet available)

According to UMW Prayer Calendar

Ideas for Social Action Emphases 2014

(Events listed in right column are staged by Texas or NTC UMW)

January                                                                      NTC Spiritual Life Retreat, Jan. 10-11

                                                                                    Texas Legislative Event, Jan. 26-28

Human Trafficking Awareness Day  

Human Relations Day

February               Black History Month

UMW and Charter for Racial Justice

Racial Justice Event

March                    National Women’s History Month

World Day of Prayer

International Women’s Day

One Great Hour of Sharing

April                       National Child Abuse Prevention Month                                                                                                                                                     UMW Assembly, Apr. 25-27

May   

National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

National Day of Prayer

United Methodist Heritage Day and Aldersgate Day

Peace with Justice Sunday

June                                                                            NTC UMC Annual Conference, June 1-3

World Day against Child Labor

July                                                                             NTC UMW Mission U and weekend U

August           

International Day of World’s Indigenous People

September

International Day of Prayer for Peace

October                 Domestic Violence Awareness Month

                              Breast Cancer Awareness Month

                                                                                   NTC UMW Annual Conference/Celebration

World Food Day

United Nations Day

November      Native American Heritage Month

December      

World AIDS Day

International Human Rights Day

International Migrants Day

NTC UMW 2014 Annual Mission Project:

“Get to Know Our National Mission Institutions”
Further information from Debra Oldham, NTC E&I Mission Coordinator;

12919 FM 981, Blue Ridge TX 75424

Email debcatw@hotmail.com

RESOURCES

This list provides agency information that you may find useful for yourself and also to gather material to distribute among your Unit membership and church women. It is not by any means an exhaustive list. Most of the publications listed here are available from the agency, without charge.

Human Trafficking:

Contact Homeland Security Blue Campaign: www.dhs.gov/humantrafficking

            Refuge City: e-mail to refugecity@refuge-city.org; www.refuge-city.org

Racial Justice:

UMW publication “The United Methodist Women Racial Justice Time Line”

UMW Publication “Charter for Racial Justice”

                                    www.missionresourcecenter.org or 1-800-305-9857

Children’s Advocacy:

Children’s Advocacy Center for your county

Darkness to Light, an international nonprofit committed to educating communities on ways to

             protect children from sexual abuse: www.D2L.org

Hunger:

Church World Service has all kinds of materials—from text-like brochures to placemats, many of which are free:  www.churchworldservice.org. 

Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger-relief organization and is an Advance Project of the UMC, #982795; www.stophungernow.org; local contact is Billy Taylor, community development director DFW, btaylor@stophungernow.org.

Social issues:

Information about issues that are being addressed—or that need to be addressed—by our Texas legislature can be found at Texas Impact.org on-line. Most of you are familiar with this faith-based agency that leads our annual Legislative Event in Austin. They have up-to-date information on all social issues in Texas and many resources, including knowledgeable speakers. 512-472-3903; www.texasimpact.com.

International Day of Prayer for Peace: There is always a great deal of information online about this observance, specific facts as well as prayers written for the day. Just type the title in your browser.

SOCIAL PRINCIPLES OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: booklet available from Cokesbury. There is a charge for this small book but it is an excellent tool for individual reference and group study with official text and teaching exercises plus Our Social Creed. (I have prepared an abbreviated piece that is available on my blog.)

WHY SHOULD I GET INVOLVED IN SOCIAL ISSUES?  Brochure available from UMW Mission Resource Center.

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS:

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.  Both of these declarations can be found through the University of Minnesota human rights store on-line:
 https://hrstore.law.umn.edu/catalog/. And both can be purchased in packets of 50 (passport size) for around $15. (The text of Rights of the Child can be found on-line by typing the title into the browser window. This document isn’t prohibitively long and could be reformatted for a single page.)