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 Wholeness for our Clergy, Congregations, and Communities |
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| Connecting Points | Outreach Newsletter
April 2011 |
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Dear Michelle,
CBS news reporter Scott Pelley shocked many people in Central Florida with his report on homeless children in Seminole County schools that aired on 60 Minutes three weeks ago. He says,
"Unemployment improved a bit last month but it is still nearly nine percent and the trouble is job creation is so slow, it will be years before we get back the seven and a half million jobs lost in the Great Recession. American families have been falling out of the middle class in record numbers. The combination of lost jobs and millions of foreclosures means a lot of folks are homeless and hungry for the first time in their lives.
One of the consequences of the recession that you don't hear a lot about is the record number of children descending into poverty....it is estimated the poverty rate for kids in this country will soon hit 25 percent. Those children would be the largest American generation to be raised in hard times since the Great Depression.
In Seminole County, near Orlando, Florida, so many kids have lost their homes that school busses now stop at dozens of cheap motels where families crowd into rooms, living week to week."
 The reality is, this report could have been made from any of the counties in our District. Especially during Lent, as Christians we see the brokenness of our lives and of the world around us. The Good News of Easter is that God has triumphed through Jesus Christ and we who have been given new, abundant life get to share what we have received with others. This Easter season, let us commit again to sharing the spiritual, physical and material blessings that we have in the name of the risen Christ.
Below there are several connections for Seminole County and around the District where you and your church can be involved. Together and working with community partners, we can make a difference!
Grace and peace,
Marilyn |
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Responding to Needs of Children in Poverty
Families in Transition: this program in Seminole County Schools featured on 60 Minutes needs the following:
· Birthday kits - packets with cake mix, icing, candles and a small toy
· Personal Hygene kits - toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shampoo
· Gift cards
· Clothing - especially underwear and socks
For more info: http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/title1/Home/FamiliesinTransition.aspx
 | A documentary on Protecting the Rights of Homeless Children & Students
(Produced by Seminole County Public Schools) |
50 Ways You Can Help Children in Poverty: this brochure lists connections in Seminole County, but the ideas can work anywhere. www.scps.k12.fl.us/Portals/34/assets/pdf/50_Ways.pdf
Be a Summer Feeding Site for Children and Youth: Your church can feed children for a short period of time or for the whole summer. The food is provided and already prepared. You need the space, a refrigerator and a few volunteers. Go to www.summerfoodflorida.org and click the "Site Interest Form". Fill it out and your form will be forwarded to the provider in your area. They will send you information about the program. The final application deadline is May 6 for Summer 2011 so you will want to follow up soon for this year. If you have questions, you can contact Lynette Fields LFields@St.Lukes.org or Marilyn Beecher mbeecher@flumc.org.
Support the Food Pantries in your area: The area food pantries are the first stop for families in crisis. Sponsor food drives or send volunteers. Check with your local schools to see if they provide food for children to take home on the weekends.
Prayer and fasting: Aloma UMC is raising extra funds by asking every family in their church to fast for one meal per week and give savings to a special fund to use in ministry to homeless families.
Learn about Homelessness in Central Florida: read the annual reports on homelessness, go to:
Lake County [Click Here]
Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties [Click Here]
Volusia/Flagler Counties: [Click Here] |
 Better Together: An Interfaith Approach to Creation Care Wednesday, May 4, 2011 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Harry P. Leu Gardens, Camellia Room, Orlando
Join Sunshine State Interfaith Power and Light and the Central Florida Energy Efficiency Alliance. As a prominent faith leader in the community, please consider attending this important and free introduction to the resources available to participating congregations. Please feel free to bring one other staff person with you (clergy, business manager, or maintenance staff) who may benefit from learning to become more environmentally and socially responsible in our use of energy and building management practices. Seating is limited, RSVP early!
The Central Florida Energy Efficiency Alliance (CFEEA) was created to build solidarity around the issue of environmental sustainability in the business, academic, religious, & government community. Its goal is to decrease energy consumption, implement realistic and comprehensive recycling programs and evaluate opportunities to reduce water usage county wide.
Agenda
Pastor Joel Hunter, Northland Church - "Creation Care: Called to be Good Stewards"
Jerry Lawson, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C - "How Do We Put Energy Into Stewardship?"
Personal Testimonies - "What Does Creation Care Look Like?"
Free Resources to Put it all in Action - Orange County Energy Specialists Creation Care
More information and RSVP at:
Chris Kuebler: 321-972-1748; ckuebler@skytop.com or
Sunshine State Interfaith Power and Light: 407-246-4819; eclayton@orlandodicoese.org
directions available at: www.leugardens.org/locate.html |
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 Harmony House An Interfaith Habitat for Humanity Home Build
Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim congregations will be working together to sponsor the building of a Habitat for Humanity home in Seminole County. The project is planned for 16 weeks starting in October (this misses the Jewish High Holidays and time will be taken off for Christmas and Thanksgiving). The cost will be $80-85,000. Habitat will list out the expenses and each partner congregation will raise funds or get donations of goods as they are able. Volunteers will come from all the partner groups.
The next meeting to finalize the partner congregations will be on Thursday, May 5 at 3:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church in Winter Park. If you are interested, please contact Marilyn Beecher for more information. MBeecher@flumc.org.
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Other Ministry Opportunities
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 Wisdom and Grace ConferenceAugust 8-11, 2011 at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place
The Wisdom and Grace conference at Lake Junaluska offers a professional track workshop entitled "Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place,". Participants earn one CEU. This year's leader is Brian Jones, Senior Research Engineer, Interactive Media Technology Center, Georgia Tech. Mr. Jones will cover advanced technologies that have the potential to help older adults remain in their home longer, while reducing the need for constant on-site supervision by both professional and family caregivers. Participants will learn about technologies for: 1.) monitoring independent ambulation (daily activities), 2.) providing medication reminders and adherence, and 3.) assisting with social communication. A portion of the workshop will introduce the future of such technologies providing: wellness coaching to maintain health; tools for self-management of chronic conditions; and the potential to enable clinicians to provide more personalized care through better understanding of the individual's behavior and needs. Demonstrations of some products currently available in these categories will be provided to help participants understand how they function. Additionally, the conference preacher is Dr. Leonard Sweet. For more information and/or to register, go to http://www.lakejunaluska.com/wisdom-and-grace/. Submitted by Martha Virginia Spivey, Aloma UMC |
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| Calendar
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Better Together: An Interfaith Approach to Creation Care
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Harry P. Leu Gardens, Camellia Room, 1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando
directions available at: www.leugardens.org/locate.html
Harmony House: Interfaith Habitat for Humanity Home Build
Thursday, May 5 at 3:00 p.m.
First Congregational Church in Winter Park
Contact: MBeecher@flumc.org
Wisdom and Grace Conference:
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