Outreach/ Acts 29

Missions Programs

Through this “Change for Change” program participants are asked to place their “change” in a can on their Kitchen table or other convenient location and once a month bring it in and place it in the designated “Change for Change” container you will find in the Hallway just outside of the Sanctuary. These funds will be sent to Grace Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph Family help with the restoration of previous improvements made before the earthquake and other improvements needed to better serve and take care of the children. Your change will make a “change” in the quality of life for many children in Haiti.

Would you like the latest news from Grace Children’s Hospital? Check out the International Child Care Web Link at:

www.intlchildcare.org

Text Box: Calvary Church is a strong, mission-minded congregation. We strive to tithe our budget to Missions. That is to say, we strive to give at least 10% of our Budget to Missions. We provide mission support to 2 Missionaries. We support The WELL, a local food pantry; Habitat for Humanity; the CROP Walk for Hunger; and a Refugee Resettlement Program.

Support is also very good for various special Mission Offerings including Human Relations Day, Peace With Justice, One Great Hour of Sharing, and World Wide Communion. Calvary also participates in 'hands-on' mission ministries. We have volunteers who work at Mission Central, at The WELL, Our Daily Bread free lunch program, and York Mission. In addition, some of our members have gone on one or more Work Camps where they volunteer to help build or rebuild a particular home or church facility.

Text Box: The love of Christ knows no boundaries and as His followers neither should our displays of love. I reflect on this lack of boundaries as I look at all the areas your Missions Committee has sent funds and prayers to lately. During our August meeting we voted on our Annual Budget that included four new recipients both near and far away: UMCOR International Disaster Response, UMCOR Domestic Disaster Response, the Bolivia Initiative through the Conference, and Our Daily Bread. Except for the Bolivia Initiative, we have given to all these areas before, but up until this point we haven’t included them in our budgeted giving. Our total budget was increased by 5%. We also gave the interest from our Benevolent Trust Fund, which totaled $1,391.50 to Newberrytown Holiness Camp in Northern York County and Mondema Church, our sister church in Sierra Leone. The Benevolent Trust Fund was set up after fire destroyed Calvary’s sanctuary in 1977 and each year the interest is given to a church that has suffered from some sort of disaster. It was also approved to give $500 to the York County Literacy Council and $500 to help with the recovery efforts in Pakistan due to the recent flooding. If you would like to personally give to the Pakistan relief efforts, you may write out a check to Calvary and in the memo line write: Pakistan flooding, Advance #982450. Our Missions Sunday on Oct. 17 will also cross the boundaries of the Caribbean Sea to Jamaica and Haiti when Maria Aleman from Cross International will present on the work they are doing to help feed people in these two poverty‑stricken countries that are so close to the US. Cross International is the recipient of the money raised through the Cookie Sale we have participated in over the past few years. Remember that each one of us are always working in missions through Christ wherever we are and in every situation we find ourselves. With love, faith, and peace, Brandon & Laura PLEASE SEE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS TABS FOR OTHER MISSION OPPORTUNITIES Our relief efforts for Haiti have been ongoing. Your continued support is still needed.

Progress is being made in the restoration of the facilities your Haiti Team visited, all of which were damaged beyond repair in the earthquake and its aftershocks. We give thanks that all of the children are safe and being cared for.

Grace Children's Hospital — Demolition and Reconstruction are underway. The children were recently moved from tents to a remodeled part of the hospital that was not damaged by the quake and its aftershocks . 30 Haitian workers and Canadian and American volunteers are working side by side with the labor being done by hand. The Haitians are paid a fair rate for their labor. Following a visit to the hospital by NHL players, George Laraque and Dan Hamhuist, the NHL Players Association has pledged 1.1 million dollars to International Child Care for the hospital' s reconstruction. Our own efforts through the Change for Change banks will be ongoing as long as the needs exist.

St. Joseph's Family of Homes — Wings of Hope demolition is coming along well, even though the work is being done by hand . Haitian workers are being paid between 15 and and 20 dollars a day, their days often 9 to 10 hours long. Volunteers work along with them using sledge hammers and wheelbarrows. The staff was able to rent a nearby house and the children are being cared for there until a new building can be built on site. The St. Joseph's Home and guest house demolition is in its final stages , workers having reached the lowest level of the once seven story building. After the quake, Hearts With Haiti, the parent organization was able to buy an undamaged building across the street where the staff and eight of the older boys are living and helping with the demolition work. The other boys are at Trinity House in Jacmal. A new home will be built on the site of the old one when funding is available.

mission central update

Ten of our faithful volunteers from Calvary UMC traveled to Mission Central to assist with the verification of kits. This included both school kits nd birthing kits plus some clerical activities requested by the directors.

All had a productive day and enjoyed the company of others as they performed the volunteer services they so willing give. God bless a cheerful giver.

With God’s Blessings.

David S. Green

ONGOING NEEDS OF MISSION CENTRAL

Mission Central continues to provide aid and support for various causes. Please watch you Information Center and Weekly Bullitins for current needs

Would you like the latest news from Grace Children’s Hospital? Check out the International Child Care Web Link at:

www.intlchildcare.org