Today more than ever we need to turn our faith into action. We are called to help our siblings in so many ways. From disaster relief to providing sanctuary, read below on how United Methodists respond to an ailing world.
Charmaine Robledo, Director of Communications
Dear sisters and brothers, siblings of the Mountain Sky Area,
As Hurricane Harvey continues to unleash its violent weather in Texas, I ask you to join me in prayer for all those impacted by this unprecedented storm. We in the Mountain Sky Area are no strangers to the devastating impact of flood and fire. We know how deep the losses, how great the grief and how long the recovery. May we turn to the promise found in the Psalms:
God heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
The strength of our United Methodist connectional system is evidenced in these times of crisis, as we offer one another – across our conference boundaries – financial support, emergency response teams, Volunteers in Mission, and the power of our prayers. You will find in this email ways you can support those affected by this storm.
Together, we make God's love visible so that hope can be felt and healing begin.
Blessings,
Bishop Karen
Hurricane Harvey: What you can do to help
As Texas and Louisiana continue to feel the impact from Hurricane Harvey, please keep praying for those in the path of the storm. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is ready to assist with recovery efforts, but they need our help. The following message is from Amy Fuselier, Director of UMCOR Relief Supplies:
As we here at UMCOR prepare to provide assistance to those who need it most, I also ask for support of our efforts in building our inventory of relief supplies. At this time, we are in need of hygiene kits and cleaning buckets. With many potentially suffering damage to their homes from flood waters, our greatest need is cleaning buckets. If there are opportunities for assistance, please encourage participation in this ministry. Kits can sent directly to Sager Brown, Depot West or delivered to an affiliate warehouse nearest you. Thank you all for your support.
The Rev. Gary Haddock, Mountain Sky Area Disaster Response Coordinator, also said churches can start collecting money and supplies for UMCOR so they can provide help as needed. He is already checking into Early Response Teams (ERT) to send as well as offering tool trailers. Haddock said United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) teams can start getting ready to help with recovery in a few months. And finally, prayers are always needed.
Other resources:
Donate online to UMCOR's U.S. Disaster Response Advance Project #901670
How to make a hygiene kit | How to make a cleaning bucket
Updates from Rio Texas Conference
Updates from Texas Annual Conference
Louisiana Conference Disaster Response
Sanctuary as more than shelter
By Sam Hodges
Aug. 24, 2017 | DALLAS (UMNS)
As the U.S. under President Trump moves toward stricter enforcement of immigration laws, the act of sanctuary is still understood mainly as a church or other place of worship taking in those at risk of deportation.
Mancos United Methodist Church in Colorado and Arch Street United Methodist Church in Philadelphia have lately made news by providing living space on their grounds to individuals facing possible deportation.
Even more recently, Park Hill United Methodist Church and Temple Micah in Denver, through a shared building, took in a woman who asked for sanctuary. Read more
Park Hill UMC becomes second church in Rocky Mountain Conference to publicly offer sanctuary
Pastors Nathan Adams and Angie Heesacker, of Park Hill United Methodist Church in Denver, Colorado, and Rabbi Adam Morris, of Temple Micah, held a joint press conference and worship service Aug. 23 to officially welcome Araceli Velasquez and her family to their communities. (Watch the archived Facebook live video online)
Velasquez, a mother of three, sought sanctuary Aug. 9 at Park Hill UMC and Temple Micah after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicated it would not renew a stay of deportation.
Velasquez came to the U.S. from El Salvador in 2010 fleeing for her life and asked for asylum. She was denied that request, but granted an initial stay of deportation. While living here in the U.S., Velasquez met her husband, Jorge. They have three children together: Jorge, 4 1/2, Cristofer, 2, and Kevin 10 months. Jorge and the children are all U.S. citizens.
Park Hill UMC and Temple Micah share a building and both congregations agreed this summer to offer sanctuary together. They first held a press conference Aug. 18 to publicly announce they will offer sanctuary to Velasquez after ICE went to Jorge's place of work to question him.
The Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition is partnering with Park Hill UMC and Temple Micah and assisting with Velasquez's case.
Park Hill UMC is the second United Methodist church in the Rocky Mountain Conference to publicly offer sanctuary. Mancos UMC in southwest Colorado held a press conference June 29 to announce it is offering sanctuary to Rosa Sabido, a local woman and church secretary. (Learn more about Rosa Sabido and watch video of the press conference) The church has been housing Sabido since early June. Watch a video of Pastor Craig Paschal talk about Mancos UMC becoming a sanctuary church during the 2017 Rocky Mountain Annual Conference.
Conference Office holiday closure
The Rocky Mountain Conference Office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day. There will still be a regular newsletter, but the deadline to submit items has been moved up to Thursday at noon. For questions or submissions, email communications@rmcumc.com.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for all of the participants traveling to Cuernavaca, Mexico for the Spanish-Language Theology, Culture, & Social Justice Immersion trip led by Mountain Sky Area Bishop Karen Oliveto from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8. The travelers will be visiting schools, learning about social justice issues in Mexico, and gaining a better understanding of the world from the perspective of marginalized Latino communities.
Please pray for the Rev. Hugo Venegas, of First United Methodist Church in Pueblo, Colorado, who is traveling to Costa Rica to set up an aid distribution site for supplies and donations to be sent to people in Venezuela. The country has been in crisis because of increasing political unrest, with many people in dire need of food. First UMC is accepting donations to resource volunteer groups in Venezuela that are feeding local neighborhoods. Read this newsletter to learn more about the "Feeding Venezuela Initiative."
Please pray for the family of the Rev. David West Engle, who passed away Aug. 1. Engle served the Rocky Mountain Conference from 1961 to 1987. He retired in 1989. View his full obituary online. A service will be held at 1 p.m. Aug. 30 at Allen United Methodist Church in Washington. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be sent to the Hospice of the Northwest.
Please pray for the family of the Rev. Gary Blackmon, who passed away Aug. 8 in Harrison, Arkansas. Blackmon first served Little Rock and North Arkansas annual conferences from 1987 to 1999. He served the Rocky Mountain Conference from 1999 to 2000, and transferred his membership to the conference in 2000. Blackmon had been on disability since 2002. View his obituary online. A service was held Aug. 12 at Hillcrest Home Chapel in Arkansas.
Prayers are requested for the Rev. Dave Moorman and his family on the death of his mother, Mildred, on Aug. 11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the age of 92. A memorial service will be held Sept. 2 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The family appreciates your prayers. Expressions of care can be sent to Dave and Sheri Moorman at 178 14th St., Burlington, CO 80807 or email rev.dave.moorman@gmail.com.
Please pray for the family of David Marie Hunter, who died July 13 in Texas at the age of 96. She was the surviving spouse of Clarence Vandyke Hunter, who served the Rocky Mountain Conference from 1950 to 1986. Clarence died in 1995. A service was held for Marie on July 15. View her full obituary online. Condolences can be sent to her nephew, David Lindsey, at P.O. Box 262, Jacksboro, TX 76458.
An updated prayer list with details can be found on the Prayer Requests page online.
Appointments/Assignments
Go to the Appointments/Assignments page online to see an updated list of appointments and assignments. A list of current church openings for the Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone annual conferences is available on the Mountain Sky Area website.
What's Happening?
- Veterans Memorial Golf Tournament hosted by Scott UMC United Methodist Men, Sept. 23
- Rocky Mountain Conference 2017 Leadership Summit at St. Andrew UMC, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Sept. 23
- Lay Servant Basic Course at Grace UMC, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Sept. 30
- Bunko & Bling to benefit UMW missions at Christ UMC, Fort Collins, Colorado, Sept. 30
- 2017 RMC United Methodist Women Annual Meeting at Hilltop UMC, Sandy, Utah, Oct. 20-21
Learn more about these and other activities on the Conference Calendar. Also, submit an event online!
Classifieds
- Chief Connectional Ministries Officer - The Connectional Table of The United Methodist Church, Chicago, Illinois
- Youth Ministries Assistant - Trinity UMC, Denver, Colorado
- Office Manager/Bookkeeper, A/V Technician, Nursery Coordinator - First UMC, Windsor, Colorado
Go to the Classifieds page online for new job postings, items for sale, and items for free. Also, submit a classified ad online!
Communication Guidelines
The Conference Communications Office strives to inform and connect clergy and laity to the missions, ministries, news, and events of the Rocky Mountain Conference of The United Methodist Church. We welcome the submission of news and requests (job openings, ministry materials) that benefit the local church and serve the mission of our larger connection. Go to the Communication Guidelines page online for more information on how to submit items and to get resources for your communications needs.
Subscriptions
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Rocky Mountain Conference communications list. This includes the weekly e-newsletter distributed on Mondays, a monthly M&M (Mission & Ministry) newsletter, letters from Bishop Karen Oliveto, and urgent news as needed. Clergy are required to receive these newsletters. To check or update your subscription information, click here.
Newsletter Archive
Bookmark this Newsletter Archive link for past email communications from the Conference.
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