2007 Trips

United Methodist Church offers numerous service opportunities. Mission trips are organized locally, nationally, and internationally. Spending our time and talents to help others is the way we put our Christian faith into action. The personal experience is always rewarding. You receive much more than you give.

The CUMC missions committee helps members of the congregation get connected to the right missions project. If you would like more information on missions or the CUMC missions team, please contact us at info@communityunitedmethodist.org. Take a few moments to browse some of the activites that our members are involved in.

Luhahi's Missionaries, Meru, Kenya - 2007

Yema and Lahi Luhahi, our United Methodist missionaries in Kenya, need two additional rooms to be built in the existing clinic at Kenya Methodist University to support women and children with HIV/AIDS. The CUMC Christmas offering will try to raise $10,000 to help our missionaries and the church with this on-going work.

Three families from CUMC have been working on-site with them the past three years. Yema will be speaking during the October Missions Month at CUMC. A small group from CUMC may accompany the Luhahis as they return for their final three years in Kenya.

I am attaching the draft plan for the clinic addition. The part which is surrounded in red is the part that will be added. We are waiting for the final plans from the achitect. Hemay has some modifications. I am told a chuck of money will go toward relocating the sewage.

Peace, Yema and Lahi too.

Post Katrina: Ocean Springs, MS - March 3, 2007 thru March 10, 2007

This is my second year to visit Ocean Springs, Mississippi with Christ Methodist Church of Rockford. This year Betsy Roche and Judy Allen joined me for a return visit. All are ready to return next year if there is still a need for assistance.

God is working in Mississippi. I could see it everywhere. Last year we came to assist an older couple who were giving up hope and seriously thinking of ending their lives. Our group worked for three days on their home before we found that we went to the wrong house. God is working. These stories and several others have made an impression on me that has changed how I feel about myself and my religion.

I was a "So-So" Christian before my first visit to Mississippi. I now feel God working within me and with the people of Mississippi. -- Dick Legg

Post Katrina: Gulf Side, MS - February 11, 2007 thru February 16, 2007

Post Katrina: Pass Christian, MS - May 6, 2007 thru May 12 2007

Back to The Pass (Pass Christian, MS) – 2007 By Ronald Van Buskirk

It was 5 AM on Sunday May 6th. Five of us had loaded our gear into a van and headed south to Pass Christian, Mississippi. The trip ended at about 9:30 PM when the van arrived at First UMC in Pass Christian, MS – our base of operations for the rest of the week. The coordinator, Jocelyn, met us, showed us around the church, and explained the rules. This was all new to Ed Green, Bob Kinsman, Don McFee, and Deane Manbeck, but I had been in Pass Christian in May of 2006 with a group of 30 volunteers from the four Naperville United Methodist churches. Locals refer to Pass Christian as “The Pass”.

Read the Whole Letter

	Jocelyn discusses the work left to be done with the home owner Clyde	Clyde's house had 11 feet of water from Katrina. Clyde's house should be finished in June

Red Bird Mission, Henderson, KY - April 28, 2007

Dear Mission’s Committee & CUMC Friends,

In October 2006 Elmer and I went to Henderson Settlement on a Volunteer in Mission trip. While there, we were told, if we came as an individual volunteer for four weeks, they would pay our room and board. Volunteering was what I wanted to do when I retired. So in May of 2007 I returned to Henderson Settlement.

This area has 54% unemployment. Henderson Settlement is the largest employer in the area. So in addition to the programs to help the people of this area, the jobs they provide are equally important. However, while I was there several people were just returning to work after a three-month lay off. Money doesn't come in like it used to. If you would like to help, Henderson Settlement is an Advance Special #773365.

Read the Whole Letter

CUMC Youth Trip, Sikeston, MO - August 5, 2007 thru August 11, 2007

UMCOR Sager Brown Depot, Baldwin, LA - October21, 2007 thru October 27, 2007

Gullah People, St. John Island

Rockford Urban Ministries, Rockford, IL - October 27, 2007

The Rockford Urban Ministries (RUM) trip was a big success. Eight members of CUMC participated. During the morning 6 of us helped with Kid Club at Centennial United Methodist Church while the remaining 2 went on ahead to Christ the Carpenter Church to prepare the food pantry for painting.

At Kid's Club the team played games, took a walk down to the playground, and helped out with the production of the Kapok Tree (a play written by Lynne Cherry). At 12:30 all eight of us had lunch with the kids. Afterwards we went to the RUM headquarters and learned all about the Free Trade movement, which provides honest wages to migrate workers and crafts workers.

We then all went back to Christ the Carpenter Church and painted their food pantry and serving kitchen used to help providebasic food needs for the surrounding neighborhood.