Missions

MISSION NEWS
The National Office of United Methodist volunteers in missions has recently finalized a 3 yr, 3.9 million dollar plan for disaster response to Haiti. They now have permanent staff on the ground in Haiti to receive and support mission teams as well as a designated person at the VIM office in the United States to coordinate all Haiti disaster response efforts. There are plans in place for medical, construction, and church support teams. At this time they prefer team leaders who have already served in Haiti to lead groups. First United Methodist Church of Eldorado will not be leading a team in the near future but we can put you in contact with established teams who would welcome additional members. If you feel called to serve in Haiti contact Kay Hardin.

Dollar Giving Fund update:
Our Lenten season dollar giving offerings yielded a total of $854 to go toward support of our missionaries. Thank you for your generous giving. Remember that all one dollar bills placed in the offering plate each week go to support mission projects or worthy causes that you, the congregation, identify. If you have a project or cause that you think is worthy please notify the mission committee! Come prepared each Sunday with at least one single dollar bill to contribute!

Spring Break Project:
In March our congregation worked with the 'Salvation Army Spring Break Lunch Feeding Program'. Each year the Salvation Army provides sack lunches that are distributed throughout the community. The goal is to provide a meal for the children and youth in our city that receive subsidized breakfast and or lunch when in school. 1st UMC provided well over 150 volunteer hours during that week! We made sandwiches, packed lunches, and helped distribute them. Over 3000 lunches were given out; 1000 more that last year. Their goal is to reach the 5000 mark. This was a great project for our congregation as the work could easily be done by all ages. We plan on this being a yearly project.

Foreign Mission Trip:
Plans are already underway for our Rio Bravo mission trip for 2011. The trip will be the last week of May 2011, just days after the El Dorado school system adjourns for the summer. We continue to feel led to serve there in conjunction with 'Manos Juntas Mexico' - this ongoing mission is a combined effort of the UMC of Mexico and the UMC of the United States. Safety is of course high in our minds. The staff at Manos Juntas continually monitors this situation. Please pray for our plans and whether God may be calling you to serve in this way. We have had 5 successful and meaningful trips to Rio Bravo. Manos Juntas strives to provide education health care, housing and church growth in Rio Bravo and the surrounding areas. If you feel called to serve on a foreign mission effort but are interested in other areas, the Arkansas Volunteers in Missions office can get you in touch with other congregations with a wide variety of sites.

Focus on our Missionaries
First UMC provides monetary support for two missionaries. This on-going annual support began in 2009. This Lenten season our Dollar Giving Fund offerings will be credited towards these commitments. The annual total for both missionaries is $1,720. Please plan ahead and bring dollar bills for the offering plate, as this is all that will go towards our goal.

Rev. Harrison is a native of Carlisle, AR and graduated from Lyon College in Batesville. She received a M. Div. from Duke University Divinity School in Durham, N. C. and is a member of the North Carolina Annual Conference. She has been serving in Chile since 2000.

Our goal is not just to provide financial support for Rev. Harrison, but to form a bond with her and welcome her into our church family. She has generously agreed to visit our church in October, so everyone will have an opportunity to meet her in person. Please keep her in your prayers and consider sending her letters and notes of encouragement and support. Mailing address is:

Rev. Shana Harrison
Montenegro 2257, Depto. 501
Ñuñoa
Chile

Zac Shepperson is a native of El Dorado. Zac and his family serve in Slovakia through the organization Josiah Venture, a ministry based in Wheaton, Illinois. Josiah Venture is an organization which strives to reach to people of Eastern Europe for Christ. Having previously been under communist rule, thousands have never been exposed to the Word of God. The Sheppersons have served in Eastern Europe for 12 years. Many of you may have met Zac and his family on his last visit home. You may learn more about his ministry at josiahventure.com.

Zac and Kim Shepperson
8 Murgasova
00100 Silina, Slovakia
(phone Vonage 864 335 9388)

The Mission Committee has voted to designate the Dollar Giving Fund money collected on the first Sunday of each month to the Pastor's Discretionary Fund. This fund provides the pastor with money to help "walk-ins" who come into the office with specific needs. Currently, the only contribution to this fund comes from donations left on the altar rail during Communion.

Mission Fund Allocations for 2010

Miscellaneous

• Missionary support for UM missionary Rev. Shana Harrison
• Missionary support for missionary Zac Shepperson (Josiah Project)
• The McCurdy School (UM sponsored school in New Mexico)
• Ozark Mission Project
• "A God Thing" city-wide youth rally for September 2010
• Haiti Education Foundation