November 22, 2011
The UMCOR Hotline
In Today's Hotline:
THAILAND: FLOOD RELIEF
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is supporting the efforts of Church World Service, who is working closely with the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) to provide relief in the wake of record-breaking floods in the country. The grant will provide immediate relief and recovery support to 22,400 flood affected by providing food, non-food items and shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, and livelihood recovery.
Your gifts to International Disaster Response, UMCOR Advance #982450, help UMCOR to provide assistance in the wake of this and many other disasters each year. 
DR CONGO: TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN MUCH IS REQUIRED
Judith Santiago, UMCOR communications staff member, reflects on her recent visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to visit sustainable agriculture and development projects in UMCOR’s blog.
On our drive to Kasungami, we witnessed escalating poverty from one community to another, including makeshift homes, less-than-quality foods at the markets, and visibly malnourished children. I greatly admired UMCOR for fulfilling its part to alleviate suffering, empower communities, and provide sustainable solutions to severe malnutrition and hunger. Read more
You can support this program that teaches rural farmers how to grow more abundant and nutritious foods in communities such as Kasungami by giving to UMCOR Advance #982188, Sustainable Agriculture and Development.
REFUGEES: CHRIST CHURCH UM REFUGEE MINISTRY
Christ Church United Methodist in Louisville, Kentucky, sponsored their first refugee family in 1989. Led by their associate pastor, the congregation answered the call to serve a resettled Bosnian family that had fled during the war. Since then, Christ Church has sponsored a total of eight families spanning seven countries of origin, four religions, and ages ranging from three months to 80 years old.
“I enjoy being exposed to cultures from different parts of the world,” reports Wenda Webster Fischer, who became involved with this ministry in 1991. Wenda leads a team of approximately eight volunteers who work in partnership with Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) to collect donations and serve the needs of the families once they arrive. One ongoing ministry of the church is a scholarship fund for refugees and their families in need of financial support for vocational schooling or higher education. This fund also keeps Wenda and the team connected with the families after the official sponsorship period is over. Read more
Give to UMCOR Advance #901779, New Hope for Newcomers to support resettlement around the country.
GLOBAL: WORLD AIDS DAY
World AIDS Day is less than two weeks away. On December 1 of each year, people around the world remember those who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS and renew their commitment to creating an AIDS-free world.
Your church can participate in this important day by using the many resources available through the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund for a worship service on or near December 1.
To honor the day, give to support the efforts of the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, UMCOR Advance #982345.
UMCOR: GIFT CATALOG
Add hope to your Christmas list this year. The UMCOR gift catalog provides a way to help others as you shop for Christmas gifts. Consider purchasing a cleaning bucket on behalf of a loved one who is concerned for others affected by natural
UMCOR provides emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR’s ministries, please visit umcor.org. You can donate to any project by placing a contribution in the offering plate at a local United Methodist church; by sending a check to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068; or by calling 1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted. You can also give online by clicking on any of the “Give Now” links. UMCOR is exempt from tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and qualifies for the maximum charitable contribution deduction by donors. And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.
And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.
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