by Annette M. Funk
Material-resource giving by United Methodist Women members has taken off since introduced in 1996. When the appeal for household kits for Liberia was issued in 1996, women from across the United States responded generously sending hundreds of kits to the dedication of the Sager-Brown Depot in Baldwin, La. The depot is where the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) gathers relief supplies, which are then shipped across the United States and around the world to respond to emergency relief needs.
United Methodist Women members continue to respond generously with all types of kits to fill the depot. Additionally, they are answering requests of local and national mission institutions.
Following are some examples of United Methodist Women’s material-resource giving.
Serious Giving
Lucille Nahfer, St. Mary’s, Ohio, writes:
"Our little church group takes making kits seriously. This is our summer project. Each Sunday is designated for a different item. Then we have a fun, profitable day in September when we assemble the kits. Our United Methoist Women unit buys any missing items."
After completing 11 sewing kits, 40 health kits, 33 school kits and six layettes, this unit completed a refugee kit at a kitchen shower in June.
No Unit Too Small
At Cascade United Methodist Church in Cascade, Mont., there is no United Methodist Women unit, but women in the church led a collection effort and sent 120 health kits to Sager-Brown Depot, wrote Sarah Tutor. Other very small units, such as those in Shannon, Miss.; Ragan, Neb.; and Berwick, La., have assembled household kits.
Churchwide Efforts
Led by the local United Methodist Women unit and the local-church mission commission, First United Methodist Church in West Allis, Wis., designated one month’s "Coins of Love" -- loose change in the Sunday offerings -- for UMCOR’s shipping costs. A total of $75 was collected. United Methodist Women in Jena, La., sent kits from two Sunday-school classes, a United Methodist Women circle and the United Methodist Youth Fellowship.
United Methodist Women at St. James United Methodist Church, Montgomery, Ala., invited third-and-fourth grade children of the church to help pack 19 sewing kits, two school kits, 10 health kits and a bedding pack. The time included a mission lesson. "They loved it and so did we," said B. Sexson.
Conference Drives
Tennessee Conference United Methodist Women involved all units in the conference to particiapte in a collection at the conference’s annual conference session. Units could send complete kits, combine with neighboring units to assemble complete kits or donate funds. The conference executive team checked and packed kits into appropriate cartons. Bettie Smith wrote, "Not surprisingly, the small-membership church units were exceedingly generous! In many cases, the participation involved sacrificial giving. The concept of mission is alive and flourishing."
Nebraska Conference United Methodist Women units sent a variety of kits to the conference’s annual conference session. For example, Mildred L. Starr reported United Methodist Women from Mullen, Neb., sent four school kits, seven health kits, three layettes, one sewing kit and one bedding kit.
UM Connection at Work
Illustrating our United Methodist Women connection, United Methodist Women in Escondido, Calif., using the Material Resources for Mission Catalog, sent 633 pencils for the "Pencil Project" in Tadjikistan and two boxes of children’s knitted and crocheted clothing to the Neighborhood Center in Utica, N.Y.
Quilts for Mission
A number of United Methodist Women members and units have assembled quilt squares taken home from the 1998 Assembly and given the quilts to mission projects. For example, Rose M. Fischer, Montana City, Mo., wrote that it was fun to piece squares from Kenmore, N.Y.; Grand Forks, S.D.; and Hatton, Mo. The quilt was given to Open Arms Crisis Center in Columbia, Mo., which works with teens who are pregnant and those who are at risk of unwanted pregnancies.
Nina Fowler of Lake Shore United Methodist Church in Waco, Texas, pieced 25 squares into a quilt for Laura Edwards Early Learning Center in Waco, Texas. The center encourages children in an environment of love, Ms. Fowler said.
Anna Marie Chrisman and Jean Buie of Illinois Great Rivers Conference displayed their quilts at district and conference United Methodist Women annual meetings and at the conference United Methodist Women’s Young Women’s Getaway before delivering them to Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House in East St. Louis, Ill. The neighborhood house is one of more than 100 national mission institutions across the United States supported by United Methodist Women’s undesignated giving.
Thanks for Giving
Bob Osgood, director of Sager-Brown Depot, expressed "deep appreciation for United Methodist Women’s outreach to human need.
"Trucks arrive with large loads of relief material from groups, districts and conferences throughout our United Methodist connection," Mr. Osgood said.
He invites inquiries about volunteer opportunities at the depot.
Many reports of giving include expressions of joy and prayers for the recipients. Let us continue to pray for the givers and the receivers for we all are recipients of God’s grace.
Annette M. Funk is executive secretary for mission opportunities for the Women’s Division.
Share your "bright lights." Foward ideas and photos to Maxine West, assistant general secretary for resource management and communications, Women’s Division, General Board of Global Ministries, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1501, New York, NY 10115. E-mail: mwest@gbgm-umc.org