published 9/2/2010
By Paige Roberts EIU Wesley Foundation CHARLESTON -- What do you get when you combine one university, one campus ministry, seven generous churches, and 150 new college freshmen? The answer is 200 health kits and 35 flood buckets for the Midwest Mission Distribution Center. On Aug. 21, about 3,000 freshmen and transfer students at Eastern Illinois University participated in a morning of service called Jumpstart to G.I.V.E. (getting involved in volunteer efforts). The Wesley Foundation campus ...
published 9/2/2010
By Sheila Smith Decatur Herald & Review DECATUR -- Marguerite Taylor was busy taping boxes and stuffing them with items to send to troops abroad while thinking about her 23-year-old son, Brandyn, who is getting ready to leave for Afghanistan after recently spending 15 months in Iraq. Taylor was part of an Operation Enduring Support effort on Monday at Grace United Methodist Church that was putting together 100 fun packages to send to soldiers. As Taylor was working, her son was getting ready...
published 9/2/2010
By Charles Graul Co-chair, IRD Mission Team It all began as a question. “Want to go on a district mission trip to Henderson Settlement?” We asked. You said yes! We asked again and you gave and gave and gave! Back in the early 1990’s was the last district mission trip Iroquois River took we were told at the kickoff picnic held in June. Two years ago a survey was sent out to the 90+ churches of our district. There was much favorable response back then. It all had started as an invitation by ...
published 9/2/2010
By Kathie Bassett Alton Telegraph EAST ALTON - While residents of Delhi, Iowa, wondered why their homes had been suddenly destroyed, missionaries from East Alton First UMC felt they were in the right place at the right time to do God's work. "It was so moving to be there right after this disaster happened," group co-leader Kimberly Allen said. "This was quite a spiritual journey for us." The group of nine young people, ranging in age from 16 to 18, was adamant that they wanted to participate...
published 9/2/2010
By Noelle McGee Champaign News-Gazette DANVILLE – Earlene Roberson doesn't even want to think about how she would put lunch on the table for the three grandchildren she's raising and the eight others she babysits during the summer, if the St. James United Methodist Church's summer sack lunch program didn't exist. "All I know is it's wonderful," Roberson said Tuesday. "The kids really look forward to it, and I'm really grateful for it." "It's a godsend when school's out," added Angie Lanier, ...
published 9/2/2010
Wolf Lake UMC recently honored one of its youth, Autumn McMahan for a mission project, “Smiles for Haiti.” McMahan created beaded smiley-face bracelets which she made and then sold to raise $138 to send to children who were earthquake victims in Haiti. The daughter of Shelly and Luke McMahan of Wolf Lake, Autumn is active in her local church and has participated in the Bald Knob Cross Walk, VBS and a car wash for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in addition to her bracelet project. Rev. ...
published 7/20/2010
By Tom Barker The Southern CARRIER MILLS - A familiar face for local football fans returned to Southern Illinois on Sunday morning, as former SIU football coach Jerry Kill came to share a patriotic message of life lessons learned on and off the field. Now coach at Northern Illinois University, Kill returned to the region to give an Independence Day sermon at First United Methodist Church in Carrier Mills. "As a ball coach, you speak at a lot of clinics and things of that nature, but you don't ...
published 7/20/2010
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio - Twenty teens and adult leaders from the First United Methodist Church recently attended a weeklong mission trip in Steubenville, Ohio. Partnering with YouthWorks, the team was divided in half between work projects and Kids Club activities. Kids Club allows local children a place to come in the afternoons to play games, learn about the Bible and get a meal. The work projects team helped to paint a house, worked at the marina and a local park, and picked up trash in some of ...
published 7/20/2010
By Patti Welander Bloomington Pantagraph LeROY -- When her grandmother and an uncle died last year, LeRoy High School senior Hannah Sammer relied on the support of her church and her friends. But instead of "paying back" those who helped, Sammer is "paying it forward" by organizing Hoops for Hope, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament on July 17 to benefit Bloomington-based Chestnut Health Systems, which provides support for people in crisis. "I want people who are going through a tough time to know ...
published 7/20/2010
By Herb Meeker Mattoon Journal-Gazette MATTOON — Jacob Zike obviously did the sales pitch, while Jack Lapeyrouse was apparently the shy silent partner for their lemonade stand business last weekend at Lake Paradise. The 4-year-old entrepreneurs raised $42.50 in four hours while selling refreshments near the start of the garden walk sponsored by the First United Methodist Church of Mattoon. Their effort was helped by brilliant marketing, enhanced by their preschool cuteness, and great timing ...
published 7/20/2010
By Patrick Oldendorf Peoria Journal-Star DUNLAP —Thursday's mission, the final one, brought about 70 kids to an exploration of a supernova. But the students weren't at space or science camp. They were at a vacation Bible school. God, space and science were key themes of Prospect United Methodist Church's vacation Bible school last week in Dunlap. This year's Bible school was called Galactic Blast, and organizers said it offered the students, ranging in age from 4 to 12, a unique kind of Bible ...
published 7/20/2010
By Scott Fitzgerald The Southern HERRIN - Fifteen-year-old Alexandra Banks finished her Oreo cookie first and couldn't help but eye the unopened cookie packet on her 7-year-old sister Journey Banks' tray. "Sissy helped me with my apple and drank some of my chocolate milk," Journey Banks said about their Monday noontime meal of hot dogs, carrot sticks, celery, apples and Oreo cookies with milk. The two girls were enjoying the first lunchtime servings of the Summer Food Service Program, "Food that...
published 7/13/2010
The Williamsfield UMC's Vacation Bible School, held June 28-July 2 used the theme To Give With Love, based upon the book Let the Children Give. The entire week was about serving others, from the stories to songs to mission projects to art projects. Each day, a mission project was introduced to the children during the opening. On Monday, Heifer Project International was discussed and the children went home with pledge sheets after they hoofed it for a heifer during recreation. In all, 3,722 steps...
published 7/3/2010
Camp Point UMC held its third annual MIssion Extravaganza on June 19 to make UMCOR cleaning buckets for the Midwest Mission Distribution Center. The event was organized by Tammy Smith and Pastor Joe Tomich. After raising nearly $20,000 for materials, the group assembled 500 flood buckets during a three-hour period on Saturday morning. MMDC Executive Director Pat Wright and Warehouse Supervisor Mark Freeman drove to Camp Point to help oversee the process of putting the buckets together and ...
published 7/3/2010
By Jake Russell Jacksonville Journal-Courier JACKSONVILLE -- Depending on how one looks at it, it’s the same services in a different place or an old church with new life. The administrative council of Grace UMC made the decision for The Salvation Army to run its services out of the church during construction of a new citadel, said the Rev. Mike Fender, pastor of Grace UMC. The moving date will depend on the success of The Salvation Army’s capital fund drive. The agency will stay at the church ...
published 7/3/2010
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- “Who is your city light?” asked the director of “Awaken the City” (ATC), the urban mission hosted by Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio (The Rev. Dr. Tim Bias, former senior pastor at Peoria First UMC, is now at Hyde Park). Citing Matthew 5:14, Associate Pastor . Sarah Thomas asked the question of 16 volunteers from the St. Joseph UMC (Iroquois River District), part of a 50-person contingent which spent a week working on a variety of mission projects in the...
published 6/24/2010
Editor's note: This brief history was written by Camilla Byers’ father, John Hatchett, as told to him by his mother, Mary Sullivan Hatchett. Mt. Etna UMC, located in Franklin County, completed its mission of 188 years of faithful ministry and was recognized at the 2010 Annual Conference. The congregation was organized in 1822 -- four years after Illinois became a state. Pastor Janice Devor read this brief history at the closing service on May 30. It would not be easy to say just when or where ...
published 6/24/2010
The combined youth program of Atlanta, Ebenezer, Mclean and Waynesville is looking to make a "Day of Change!" Looking to serve with their hands and feet, the youth are embarking on making a change in the life of a single parent family in McLean. The work day, which begins at 6 a.m. and will run until 6 p.m. includes the following activities: Replace and rebuild roof Trim trees/yard work Scrape and paint exterior Repair wood siding Clean interior and shampoo carpets Install new exterior...
published 5/21/2010
The United Methodist Children’s Home recently hosted its annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. In attendance were special volunteers who visit with youth on a weekly basis. These mentors are called Visiting Resources, and their help is invaluable to every UMCH program. Also present were volunteers from the Governing Board of Directors, Foundation Board of Directors, Mt. Vernon Friends Auxiliary, and Centralia Friends Auxiliary. The Friends make an impact on youth in UMCH programs, by helping ...
published 5/21/2010
Youth in the United Methodist Children’s Home’s Residential Treatment Program have been given the opportunity to join 4-H and start a garden this Spring. The seeds and seedlings were planted and the youth are in charge of watering, pulling weeds, and tending to the garden. They will see the plants mature and celebrate with every fruit or vegetable produced. Activities, like the garden, are a great way for the youth to focus their energy and develop positive results. The garden is a ...
published 5/11/2010
By John Kraps CHAMPAIGN -- Jesus called Simon and Andrew to become “fishers of people.” People from Fisher and members of Mt. Vernon UMC in Champaign, are reeling in pre-adolescent fish from their community to the new fourth through eighth grade youth group hosted by the church. After just a few months, attendance in the new ministry averages 20 young people. The youth group is the brainchild of the Rev. Dr. Rachel Berry. She says there are several keys to the success of this ministry: “Great ...
published 4/30/2010
Two John Wesley Fellowship Awards were presented by the Orville Mueth Chapter of the United Methodist Men at Caseyville UMC March 21. Barb Kinnison and Barb McCann were presented with the Fellowships during morning worship in honor of their service to church and community. Kinnison served on the missions committee, served as lay member to annual conference, created Bear You Up Babies to recognize new residents of Caseyville and new arrivals of the Caseyville UMC. She also served for eight years ...
published 4/30/2010
The youth program at Quincy Union UMC has grown from an average of four to nearly 30 young people in less than two years. Numerous factors account for the dramatic growth. One of them is the group's underlying sense of identity and purpose. That identity is reflected in their unusual name -- the Methodist Misfits. The term was coined by one of the young people in the group and was adopted by the rest. Some parents expressed objection to the moniker, not wishing their kids to be labeled as "...
published 4/30/2010
The men of Fairview Heights Christ UMC recently collected more than 100 long-handled shovels and rakes, five containers of hammers and saws, one large container of nails and numerous other tools. Rev. Shane Bishop issued a challenge on Easter Sunday to everyone to bring a tool the following Sunday with a dollar bill attached. He pointed out that our mission includes helping those in our neighborhood as well as helping those around the world. He encouraged families to take their children with ...
published 4/30/2010
Fourteen volunteers (12 men and two women) from the Pleasant Grove and Bloomington Grace UMC's traveled with their tools and carpentry skills, a van and a truck with a trailer to Pass Christian (near Gulfport/Biloxi), Miss., a journey of 800 miles one-way to help build a log home for Billy Melton, a member of the Bible Fellowship Church, who lost his home during Hurricane Katrina. Pastor Anet Satvedi and PPRC Chair Homer Bozarth were part of the volunteer work team. The men spent a week Feb. ...
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If you have ever met Pastor Janusz Daszuta you would never forget his big booming voice, his energy, or his visionary spirit. There is no doubt he is a Man of God by his actions and his speech. Pastor Daszuta is the lead pastor of Kielce United Methodist Church in Kielce, Poland and conducts a huge Vacation Bible School Day Camp in the rural community of Zaborze, Poland. In June seven members from OFallon, Illinois First United Methodist Church departed for Poland full of enthusiasm and ...
