APRIL MISSION PRAYER   During April please lift up UMCOR, the UM Church’s relief agency, in prayer.  The needs of people in the world constantly present many opportunities for the United Methodist Church to serve, not only on its own, but also along with other religious and secular non-profit agencies.  The work is tremendous.  Our prayers are one way we, as individuals and as a church family, can be a part of these efforts to help others.  These prayers by each of the members of St. Andrew’s family speak to God from the hearts of His people.

 “Have a Heart for The Neighborhood Center”

 There will be special-labeled envelopes on the back of the pews for any gifts you would like to give for this mission program.  Since we did not include the Neighborhood Center in St. Andrew’s 2010 budget, these gifts are very important to St. Andrew’s support of the Center’s programs in one of the poorest cities in the United States.

Playgrounds at The Neighborhood Center

It seems like so long ago that after visiting there, a new playground for The Center became the dream of some of St. Andrew’s faith family - a playground that would meet the safety requirements of the State of New Jersey.  Three years ago St. Andrew pledged money to build a playground at The Neighbor Center in Camden.  We were so impatient; and many of us have fretted over why it was taking so long for this project to happen.  But God had His Time, and fortunately it was not the same as the timing of St. Andrew’s plans.  In 2009 the State of New Jersey changed its standards for playgrounds; if that playground had been built earlier it might not have met those standards.  In December 2009, equipment was ordered for three playgrounds: toddler, pre-school and elementary.  Each playground will have equipment that is appropriate for the children who will be using it.  It is hoped that this equipment will be installed by the spring or early summer of this year.  God’s Time is always the Right Time!  Thanks be to God!

Earthquake in Haiti

As this newsletter is being written, St. Andrew is learning more about this disaster.  Many prayers will have been offered, an offering will have been taken and sent to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Advance # 418325 and a list of materials needed and their drop-off destinations will have been made available.  There is a plan for the faith family of St. Andrew to assemble health kits to be sent to an UMCOR depot for distribution.  The need for such items will be an on-going one in Haiti.  Thank you for your gifts.  Please continue to keep the people of Haiti in your prayers.

Thousandsticks UMC Mission Trip

Six men traveled to Thousandsticks, KY, the first weekend in December to help the Thousandsticks UMC redo their kitchen.  St. Andrew was also able to send the money needed to buy many of the materials the church needed to finish the remodeling and upgrading of its facilities.  St. Andrew has developed a special relationship with this church during the several mission trips made to the area by members and friends of our faith family and previously has participated in other such projects there.  Many thanks  to Glenn Morgan, Rev. Erik Hall, Russ Thistle, Mike Genovese, Pete Sabey and OT Pagan who took 5 days from a busy holiday season to be the “hands of St. Andrew” in the service of God’s people.   Each man was blessed by this effort and St. Andrew has been blessed through them.  God Is Good All the Time!

Birthing Kits

More than 20 birthing kits were assembled by the Naomi Circle.  After being dedicated at our Sunday morning worship on January 24, they were sent to an UMCOR depot to be distributed as needed.  The kits will go to undeveloped areas of the world to be used by UMCOR trained midwives as they assist women who are unable to deliver their babies at a medical facility.  Thank you for the donations of time, money and materials that made this possible.

Operation Healing Hope

Launched in March 2009 through a grant from the United Nations Foundation, “Operation Healing Hope” is an effort by the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) to raise awareness and promote advocacy about the hidden epidemic of obstetric fistula.  Obstetric fistula affects over 2 million women and girls, mostly in Africa and Asia.  It is a debilitating condition which often causes women afflicted with it to be shunned by society, and often by their families.   In most cases the problem can be cured surgically, but in these undeveloped areas facilities and doctors are rarely available.  Twenty-three UM Conferences in ten of the United States were asked to join in this program.  As a member of the Greater NJ Conference, St. Andrew volunteered to participate by making baby quilts that will be displayed in various areas of the U.S. as part of the awareness program and then sent to the Traditional Birth Attendants at Camphor UM Mission in Tubmanville, Liberia.  One quilt was made mostly from panels cut from material brought back from Liberia by a UM mission group that went to Liberia this summer.  On Sunday, January 24, these quilts were dedicated by the faith family of St. Andrew before they were sent on their way.  Many thanks go to Barbara Biles for making the quilts that St. Andrew donated to this project.  If you would like more info about obstetric fistula or “Operation Healing Hope”, you will find a flier next to the Missions bulletin board outside New Fellowship Hall.  You also can visit the website www.operationhealinghope.com or read the book Hospital Down by the River which can be found in the church library.  It is one of the books from the United Methodist Women’s Reading Program and was part of the St. Andrew’s Summer Reading Program in 2007.

Alternate Ways of Gift Giving

Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and other special times are often a time for gift giving.  If you don’t know what to give, perhaps the perfect gift would be one given in honor of the person(s) you would like to recognize - a gift that will make a meaningful difference in the life of its recipient.  A United Methodist website for this is www.gbgm-umc.org /umcor    If you would like to see the rating for UMCOR or other charities you are considering, please go to the website www.charitynavigator.org.

*Reminder: When you give a gift to an UMCOR Advance, 100% of the amount goes to the project you designate.  All administrative costs are covered by the special offering “One Great Hour of Sharing.