UMconnect 11-10-09

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Support students on Sunday, Nov. 29

On Sunday, Nov. 29, the United Methodist Student Day offering will give people the opportunity to give the gift of education through donations. Erin Shanti Smith, a 2008 Trinity University graduate, is a perfect example of how generosity allowed her to attend college and begin her career. Smith currently works for a private adoption agency in San Antonio as a birth, mother counselor and caseworker. When asked about her work, Smith said, "I enjoy the work, though sometimes it is emotionally trying…Getting to be a part of the adoption experience for families has touched my heart. I was adopted from India and never had the opportunity to know my birth parents. Counseling birth parents has given me insight into what a difficult decision placing me for adoption must have been for my birth mother. Although my adoptive parents are white and I am brown, people say my adoptive mother and I look and laugh alike."

Scholarships were essential to Smith's college experience. "Because my parents are missionaries in Mexico and do not bring in any disposable income," she explained, "I attended Trinity entirely on financial aid and scholarships. Scholarships paid for my tuition, room and board, books and health insurance for my entire four years of undergraduate study." From the donations that became scholarships, Smith graduated with a triple major in anthropology, Spanish and international studies. "They all, in some way, revolve around what I most enjoy: people and culture. Learning Spanish allowed me to communicate with people in other cultures. International studies helped me to understand their situations and circumstances, and anthropology helped me to understand their culture," she said.

Eventually, Smith hopes to further her career as a liaison abroad for international adoptions or as a domestic facilitator. Since these dreams were made possible through financial support from Trinity University, Smith is a strong supporter of the United Methodist Student Day offering. By giving to this cause, Smith says donors are "…doing someone a favor of indescribable magnitude." To join the support for education, donate to the United Methodist Student Day offering on Nov. 29 and help make college a reality for others.
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Columbia College proudly displays its leadership program.

Leadership opportunities transform students

United Methodist universities are striving to build their leadership development programs to benefit their students future careers. Three colleges succeeding in this goal are Columbia College in South Carolina, Centenary in Louisiana, Southwestern in Kansas and Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma.

For instance, Anna Connell says Centenary College's Christian Leadership Center "definitely let me see where God is calling me to be." The 19-year-old member of University United Methodist Church in Lake Charles, La., said her internship at Common Ground, a nonprofit organization that provides services in a low-income neighborhood in Shreveport, La., has convinced her she wants to continue working with nonprofits after she graduates.

Many colleges and universities have leadership programs, but officials at United Methodist-related institutions say the church influence makes a difference. Students with unsure futures now see themselves leading others to do God's work.
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Ethnic Local Church grant applications due by Jan. 10

The deadline to apply for an Ethnic Local Church Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) is Jan. 10, 2010. The grants are used for programs that strengthen ethnic minority local churches through education, advocacy or leadership training and development as they engage in social justice. For more information, please contact The Rev. Neal Christie at 202-488-5611.
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Apply for Human Relations Day Grant by Jan. 10

Jan. 10 is the deadline to apply for a Human Relations Day Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). The grants support ministries that respond to nonviolent, young offenders through education, advocacy or leadership training and development.

Grant funds are raised through The United Methodist Church's Human Relations Day Special Sunday each year. Special Sundays are an opportunity for United Methodist churches to celebrate the denomination's connectional work. This day of social action and raising awareness supports the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program.

Human Relations Day happens the Sunday after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday on Jan. 17, 2010. The United Methodist Book of Discipline describes Human Relations Day as a call to "the Church to recognize the right of all God's children in realizing their potential as human beings in relationship with each other."

To qualify for a Human Relations Day Grant, the applicant must be a United Methodist local church, district, annual conference or other affiliated group/organization; or the applicant is an ecumenical group/organization working with and through at least one United Methodist agency or organization, whose program affects at least one United Methodist local church.

Grants are awarded on two funding cycles. Jan. 10 is the deadline for March funding, and Aug. 10 for October funding. Grant decisions are made by GBCS's Board of Directors.

For more information, contact the Rev. Neal Christie, assistant general secretary, Education and Leadership Formation, General Board of Church & Society at (202) 488-5611.
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Arapahoe First UMC to host an auction Nov. 21

On Nov. 21, the Arapahoe First United Methodist Church will be hosting a Lord's Acre Auction from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ella Missing Center. The auction will include handcrafted quilts, home-cooked dinners, furniture, clothing and artwork. The United Methodist Women will serve lunch during the auction. All of the proceeds will go to the Arapahoe First UMC.
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Cambridge Trinity UMC celebrates 125 years on Nov. 15

The Trinity United Methodist Church will celebrate 125 years of service on Sunday, Nov. 15. The congregation cordially invites you to join them on this special day. The schudule will include worship, recalling the congregation's history, anticipating its future, fellowship and food. The day's events will include:
9:45 a.m.-Sunday school for all ages
10:45 a.m.-Prelude of Celebration
11 a.m.-Worship
12 p.m.-Luncheon served at UCC across the street (for reservations please call the church office at 308-697-4352 by Nov. 1st. The price for adults is $7.00, youth to age 11 is $4.50 and children under 11 are $3).
1:30 p.m.-Celebration Program will be in the Trinity Sancutary. Followed by an old-fashioned, homemade Ice Cream Social. Trinity UMC welcomes all visitors to join us on this special occasion or anytime for our services and activities.
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Support B1's fight against poverty

"One being, being one" is a new program from The Advance that focuses on educating children and teenagers about poverty and it is usually referred to as B1. B1's objective is simple. They wish to raise money for impoverished people and countries, while teaching participating youth groups the causes of poverty within a society. B1 youth groups will select an Advance project and begin raising money through family and friends. However, you can help, too. By donating to B1, you will be assisting the United Methodist Church in educating the future generation about poverty, a step toward ending these harsh living circumstances that so many people have come to know as a way of life.
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Advent hymn texts set to Christmas tunes available from the General Board of Discipleship

Advent begins on Nov. 29 and churches will soon be searching their hymnals for seasonal songs. Since many resort to using Christmas hymns during Advent, the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) has set Advent hymns to popular Christmas tunes specifically for churches, keeping the Christmas hymns for the appropriate Christmas season. If you are interested in hearing some of the hymns, the GBOD has provided many samples on their Web site.
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Souper Soup Day on Nov. 19

The United Methodist Women of Columbus will be hosting their annual Souper Soup Day on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The women will be serving chili, turkey noodle soup, sandwiches and homemade pies. There will also be a large bake sale. Come enjoy hot food and fellowship.
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Registration for Civil Rights themed conference is due Dec. 21

The Elders for Today Conference is being held Jan. 5-8, 2010, at Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, Tenn. Participants will engage in interactive conversations and activities about the Civil Rights Movement and social justice issues of the past and present. The conference theme is "Memories, Dreams and Reality: The Civil Rights Movement 1960-2010." The conference will examine how the meaning of the movement has evolved from 1960 to 2010. The conference will have workshops and activities, including Writing Memoirs of the Civil Rights Era, Civil Rights Music, Computer Communications in Today's World, Story-Telling with Fabric, a tour of the Civil Rights Room at Nashville Public Library and a look into poverty and other social justice issues. Furthermore, there will be time for worship and meditation on Scarritt-Bennett's peaceful grounds. If you are interested in attending the Elders for Today Conference, registration is due by Dec. 21.
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