VIM: Gulf Coast Missions

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Michigan VIM teams working on Gulf Coast

    Michigan United Methodists are making their presence felt in the recovery process from Hurricane Katrina. And, as is always the case with Volunteers in Mission (VIM) teams, the blessings go both ways.
    Wayne Bank, who just returned from leading a Port Huron district VIM team based at Gautier UMC in Vancleave, Miss., recalls, "We heard the stories of the people impacted. We were a blessing and received blessings during our time in Mississippi. We are happy to say one of our team members will be leading another team to Gautier UMC in March."
    Bank said the Port Huron team did a total interior drywall and roof replacement in one home and painting and molding replacement in three other homes.
    Bank is the Port Huron District Disaster Coordinator.

You will learn to say "ya’ll"

    What is it like to work on a mission team? David Graham, a member of Midland: First UMC and a native of Louisiana wrote this recruitment blurb for the church newsletter:
    "Join a mission team to travel to the Gulf Coast to de-construct or construct houses or churches damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Typical work will be low-medium skilled labor to ‘muck-out’ houses, which is removal of carpet, drywall, old appliances and general debris to prepare a house for reconstruction or yard clean-up. Reconstruction may involve repairing or replacing roofs, steps, window replacement, insulation, drywall installation, taping, floating, painting, cabinet installation, trim work, siding replacement, etc.
    "You will see devastation and hope. You will meet new people through fellowship and learn new skills on the job. You will get on-the-job training. There is no instruction book to this disaster relief. You will learn to say ’ya’ll’."
    Team member Nancy Osborn wrote after her team experience, "The whole experience was so life-changing, I fell compelled to tell everyone who will listen about the trip and how much remains to be done everywhere in the region."

Michigan UMVIM / Disaster Response Teams and team leaders
going to the Gulf Coast through UMCOR

Returned teams

Oct 29-Nov 5, 2005 – Gulf Port, Mississippi - Nancy Osborn and Mary Ecker Port Huron: First UMC (DAC)

Oct 23-30, 2005 – Biloxi, Mississippi - Tom Darling (DAC)

Nov 1-6,2005 – Biloxi, Mississippi - Michelle Bresser, family group

Dec 26-31, 2005 – West Bank Station at the Aurora UMC, New Orleans - Ken and Dawn Reha dreha@gsfwc.org

Jan 7-14, 2006 – Vancleave, Mississippi - Wayne Bank, (DAC)

Jan 7-14, 2006 – Biloxi, Mississippi - Tom and the Rev. Judi Darling (DAC)

Jan 8-14, 2006 – Moss Pt., Mississippi - The Rev. Ray McGee (DAC), Flint: Calvary UMC

Jan 14-22, 2006 – Safe Harbor, Mississippi - The Rev. Mary Margaret Eckhardt (DAC)

Teams serving now

Jan 21-Feb 5 – Pascagoula, Mississippi - Don Tippin (WMC)

Jan 22-Jan 28 – New Iberia, Louisiana - Jim Reisinger (DAC)

Jan 28-Feb 5 – Slidell, Louisiana - David and Dugie Graham (DAC)

Teams with a waiting list

March 25-April 2 – Slidell, Louisiana - Duane and Terry Townley (DAC) ddttown@aol.com

Teams still forming

Feb 24-March 11 – Mississippi Bob Gregereit (WMC) Cgrigereit@aol.com

March 18-25 – Gautier, Mississippi; reconstruction of damaged homes - Bob and Lisa McCormick mccormickrj@hotmail.com

April 1-9 – Slidell, Louisiana - Bill and Sheri McKinstry (DAC) wrm81466@aol.com

April 1-8 – Louisiana - Jerry Bukoski (WMC) jbukoski@homeworkswildblue.com

April 1-9 – Ocean Springs, Mississippi - Gail Clancy (WMC) glclancy@pplant.msu.edu

April 14-28 Pinebelt Restoration District in Laurel, MS. Some will stay for only a week. Team leader: Phil Lavendar (Detroit Conference/Lake Orion UMC) Ph:(810) 762-9848

April 22-30 – Slidell, Louisiana - Jim & Karen Gray (DAC) JKGray2885@aol.com

April 22-30 – Moss Point, Mississippi – Don Stoughton and Jim Kellermann (team full)

June 23-July 3 – New Orleans - Nancy Bitterling (WMC) njbit@yahoo.com

June 25-July 3 – West Bank Station located at the Aurora UMC, New Orleans - Ken and Dawn Reha, Chapin UMC (DAC) dreha@gsfwc.org

Raising funds for relief

    Midland: First UMC recently held a Lousiana Benefit Soup Supper to raise funds to send for building materials in Slidell, La. "In spite of a very slippery icy January night, 200 people came in out of the cold to support supper, reports Terry Townley, co-coordinator of Volunteers in Mission (VIM) (with her husband, Duane) in the Detroit Conference. Pictured is Dugie Graham serving Bob Currie authentic chicken gumbo with her homemade rue.
    Four Midland: First UMC teams are scheduled to work on reconstruction in Slidell in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
    Townley forwarded to the Advocate these other ideas for VIM fund raisers from Lorna Jost, North Central Jurisdiction VIM coordinator:

On a big window or wall put your church and a line leading to the mission destination. Put a replica van with the pictures of the team members on the van and start it on its journey to the destination. So much money moves the van so far on its way… And it has to get back home too!

Use Lego blocks to build a replica building in your church narthex or Sunday school. People buy Legos and watch the building go up!

Table Tapestry. A family or church group sponsors a table and decorates it in a theme. They sell the tickets for that table for a catered meal. If you have 10-15 tables and ask enough it can bring bring in a nice chunk of change. And since there are many people doing the selling and decorating, it isn’t a huge drain on one or two people.

Silent auctions of items purchased in other countries. We have done this for the Haiti Solar Oven project and made a lot of money, particularly on bright paintings, clay crèches and metal sculptures.