COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT NEWS

The Community Engagement Team is the new name for what was the Mission Team in legacy Yellowstone Conference and Compassion Ministries in legacy Rocky Mountain Conference. Community Engagement encompasses many ministry groups in the Mountain Sky Conference. It is committed to engaging with communities across the United Methodist connection locally, nationally, and internationally.

As an introduction to Community Engagement, each issue of the newsletter will highlight the different ministries over the next few months and how churches across the conference have been involved in those ministries, and how you can be involved now. This month will focus on our Angola partnership, Intermountain, Mission u and Church and Society. But first, news from Mountain Sky!

Bridge of Love - Part 2

Arkansas Valley Circuit Mission Day a Success, But Not Done!

By Marty Lee, Pastor of Rocky Ford UMC

The Arkansas Valley Circuit Bridge of Love mission project, located in southwest Colorado, went to work on Saturday, Oct. 20. We have five projects in four communities within our circuit that we are working on. We painted a house in La Junta (which you see above the before and after), and built an ADA accessible ramp for a parishioner who had a stroke. The third project was to build a sidewalk for a disabled person in Swink, Colorado. The fourth and fifth projects are still awaiting the delivery of materials needed to complete the projects.

We had hoped to get all the projects done in two days, but it simply wasn’t in the cards. The circuit was represented by four of our churches: Olney Springs, Rocky Ford, Swink and Cheraw. From these churches we ended up with 10 workers.

The two remaining projects are waiting on materials, for windows to be sealed and lumber for a handrail. Once the windows are replaced and the railings repaired, we will paint the window trim on the house. The final project is to finish the trim and paint a garage for a church member in Ordway UMC.

The Arkansas Valley Circuit would like to thank God for all the prayers and support we have received on this endeavor. We would also like to thank the Conference for their support and the volunteers for all their hard work. It has been a challenge, but the Holy Spirit stepped in and walked us through it.

Angola Pastor Support

In 2003 Bishop Warner Brown challenged legacy Rocky Mountain Conference and legacy Yellowstone Conference to partner with the East Angola Conference of The United Methodist Church. He had seen the devastation that 40 years of warfare had brought to the eastern part of Angola, and especially The United Methodist Church and its ministries. Specifically, the conferences were challenged to help support the pastors so that the ministries of the church could continue. Click here to see a timeline of how our conference has been involved in East Angola.

Legacy Yellowstone Conference has been supporting up to 66 pastors for about 10 years. They now receive $50 a month. This is the only salary they receive. Click here to read more about the partnership. The center photo above is pastor Tome Lucas Lucala. Read about him here. The photo above on the right is with pastor Famoroso at Emmanuel UMC. Read about him here.

We offer hope to the pastors and their churches through financial support and prayers.

Angola Agricultural Support

The legacy Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain conferences have also established a partnership with missionary Kutela Katembo and his work at Quessua Methodist Mission. Kutela is an agriculturalist that has transformed the acres of fields around the mission, teaching farming techniques to students and villagers as well as feeding them. You can read his recent newsletter by clicking this link.

The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church also has a partnership with the East Angola Conference. We work together to compliment each others ministries. They are primarily involved with education and medical issues.

Intermountain

Intermountain is a nationally recognized Montana nonprofit specializing in nurturing, therapeutic environments for children under severe emotional distress. They provide mental health and educational services to effectively meet the diverse needs of children and families facing emotional challenges. Their primary services include: residential treatment, community based services, and community trainings. Operating for more than 100 years, Intermountain is one of Montana's oldest child welfare agencies.

The United Methodist Church has a long history with Intermountain. Brother Van and Louise Stork convinced the Wesleyan University board to convert the abandoned campus in the Helena Valley into the Montana Deaconess School. Intermountain got its start in 1909 when Brother Van declared “we cannot continue to allow the suffering of children to go unchallenged.” Click here to learn more and how you can become involved.

Mission u

For more than a century, United Methodist Women has been on the forefront of mission and mission education. Mission u continues that pioneering spirit of reaching out in mission and promoting understanding of our call to faith and action. Mission u is an opportunity to study current issues impacting society based on current mission study topics with particular attention to the responsibilities of women in fulfilling the mission work of the church. Participants grow in understanding the mission of the church in the current world context. Conference events are open to members and non-members of United Methodist Women.

The 2019 topics for Mission u are, "What about our money?", "The Gospel of Mark: Radical Discipleship", and "Women united for change". Contact Janet Wolfer, Mission u dean for more information and click here for more information on the topics.

Church and Society

The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) is dedicated to the work of living faith, seeking justice, and pursuing peace. It challenges United Methodists to work in areas of important social concern and develops resources to inform, motivate, and train United Methodists on issues of social justice in the society. Persons involved with Church and Society seek to address issues related to civil and human rights, economic justice, environmental justice, health and wholeness, peace with justice, and women and children.

Within the Mountain Sky Conference we are actively developing an incubator program to resource and accompany individuals as they identify, plan and implement advocacy programs in their local communities. The incubator program will include deep spiritual engagement, online learning, and monthly interactions with peers and topic experts. Contact Rev. Sarah Beck or Laurie Day for more information.

OTHER NEWS

United Methodists in Angola Celebrate Connection

By Ken Koome, Missionary in Angola

It was a moment of joy, dancing, singing and prayers in Malanje, Angola, on Sept. 9 as the Methodist family gathered to mark 133 years since the arrival of The United Methodist Church in Angola. It was a time to go down memory lane to reflect and thank God for how the gospel of Jesus Christ has spread through the ministry of The United Methodist Church in Angola. Apart from spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through evangelism ministry, churches and new congregations were started, schools and vocational training centers opened up, hospitals were built and demonstration farms were started to train communities on modern farming methods as well focus on growing food that enhances nutrition for families.

The event was held at the UMC Conference office grounds in Malanje, graced by UMC members as well as different Methodist congregations who broke away from the UMC mother Church to celebrate this auspicious occasion. In attendance also was a mission team from Florida Annual Conference whose visit coincided with the occasion.

Global Mission Fellows Seeking Applicants

Global Mission Fellows is a two-year mission opportunity for young adults ages 20-30. Young adults are invited to engage with the local communities, connect the church in mission, and grow in personal and social holiness. This program allows for transformation and leadership development to take place while addressing roots of social injustices with other young people from around the world.

They are looking for young people who ask the hard questions about why people are suffering in the world and want to be part of the solution. They need health workers and preachers.They need those who love kids, and those who care for the plight of refugees. They need English majors and farmers.

Application deadline is Jan. 7, 2019. Early access deadline is Dec. 3, 2018.

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