January 22 at 3 PM @ Linden First United Methodist Church

Workshops:

Finance – Mr. Ed Moore

Staff Pastor Parish (SPRC) – DS Rev. Bill Taylor

Trustees – Mr. Jerry Massey

Administrative Council – Mr. Carroll Greenwaldt

Missions – Rev. Richard Laster & Ms. Marty Vaughan

– All are welcome. Committee Guidelines available $3 –

Sponsored by: North District Leadership Team

More Information:  903-758-7003 & 903-794-6231

Several have contacted me over these last few days with questions and suggestions involving how the church family can respond to the needs resulting from the fires in our area. After sharing in a few conversations and taking a look around the areas touched by the fires I have a suggestion to make.

The primary need at this moment is related to the organizations given power to fight the fires. The basic need is simple; fuel. I visited with Barbara Smith, Chair of our mission ministry, and several others in the church family. The best plan at the moment is to support our local Volunteer Fire Departments with funding for gasoline which is necessary not only for travel purposes but also to keep fire fighting units running during their important work. The Clothes Closet has already pledged $2,000 for this purpose.

Ray Miller has made his services available to collect and distribute your donations. Simply make out your check to the church and we will take it from there. Money donated will be devided between the Volunteer Fire Departments in our area of Upshur County, those answering the call to the fires in our region.

Thanks for your time and interest. I’ll let you know when other needs come before us here at the church. It is good to be here with you all. Thank you for the good work you do in and through your church.

Regards and God Bless,

Richard Laster

pastorlaster@etex.net

Also…

The Regional Emergency Operations Command Center’s phone number is 903-237-1379 They can give directions to all the sub temporary command setups where fire fighters gather for rest and recuperation. Water and food can be taken to the sub locations.

The firefighters currently working the White Oak area, near 135 and Swamp Road south of Gladewater, have a base of operations at the entrance to the Gladewater airport.

I think some people have tried to donate money at the sub locations but they are not able to process payments at this time.

All the volunteer fire departments have mailing addresses where checks may be sent and some have web site where information and donations are available.

For example: Justin Metro Volunteer Fire Department is http://www.judsonmetrovfd.com/COMMANDPAGE2.htm

David Mays

www.reflectiononlife.com

UM ARMY Newsletter

Personal care items

Infant/adult diapers

Underwear/socks/t-shirts

Brooms/mops

Blankets/sheets/towels — these items especially needed!

Please drop them off to First United Methodist Church in Huntsville (1016 Sam Houston Ave, Huntsville, TX 77320 / please call Rev Ellen Willett at 936-295-5441) from May 15th to May 17th. We’ll have room to pack them in the district emergency response trailer. If you wish to send cash or checks, please send them right away to FUMC made out to Rick Carpenter.

Thank you all very much and God bless you,

Rick Carpenter

Huntsville, East Texas

lay District Disaster Response Coordinator, West District

936.662.7119

All United Methodist churches are encouraged to participate in the Change the World weekend in May and be a part of the solution to this world wide problem.

Examples of some programs would be things like holding food drives or sponsoring a walk to raise money for a food pantry or Meals-on Wheels organization, preparing and serving meals to the homeless, sponsoring community educational programs about hunger, or having an intensive study that explores the hunger issue and looks at sustainable solutions.

Information on Change the World Day can be found on the Texas Annual Conference website and the UMCOM website.

UMCOM has produced a multimedia bundle ($25 cost) to go with a free Change the World sermon series. Registration and information on the bundle can be found at the UMCOM website: www.umcom.org/changetheworld.

Register your hunger-related event there. By completing the form, UMCOM will include your event on the Rethink – Change the World Event Map,and provide a 50% discount on the purchase of the $25 multimedia bundle.

Changing the World provides an opportunity for United Methodists to work together in addressing the problems of hunger in our communities.

Some items that can be made for sale are pastor’s stoles, quilts, nursing home bibs, bookmarks, baby items, aprons and many more. This would be a great mission for your local church. If you would also like to pur­chase some of the fabric for your own church fundraiser ideas the cost is $15/yd.

They have a sufficient supply of health kits, but have a shortage of both school and layette kits.  One can go to their web site, www.sagerbrown.org, and click on “Send Relief Supplies” (located near the top of the page on the right hand side).

Scroll down to each kit.  School and layette kits are separate kits.  There are instructions on how to put those kits together.

We are also including direct links to those lists below.

UMCOR School Kit

UMCOR Layette Kit

Advance # 3021317
Providing emergency relief and long-term recovery support for disaster-affected communities

“In response to the Earthquake on March 10, 2011 that struck Japan, The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will be working with local communities to rebuild. UMCOR is now better able to help when earthquakes and tsunamis or other disasters hit the area. UMCOR works in shelter and infrastructure reconstruction, water and sanitation, income generation, health and nutrition, education and community development.

Please use the following link. Advance #3021317

“Empty Bowl” Fundraiser

Sunday, March 6 from 11:00 – 2:00

Faith Center at First United Methodist Church

400 N Fredonia St., Longview  75601

Gourmet soups, bread, and desserts will be served

To go orders are welcome

Cost of the meal is $10/children 12 and under free

Proceeds benefit Newgate Mission a program that feeds people in body, mind, and spirit.

For more information, call (903) 757-6146.

Ms. Marty Vaughan

District Mission Coordinator

–

In His grip,

Keith Tilley

3515 Piping Rock St.

Nacogdoches, TX 75965

m-936-615-2496

my email: sentservants@gmail.com

my websites: BonitaFriends.org & GospelOutpost.Net