Pelham United Methodist Church supports a wide range of missions at home and around the world. Here's an overview of who we support with our time, talents and resources:
2011 Mission Trip
Destination - Fuerzas Unidas: A poor community near the Honduras capital city of Tegucigalpa. For information about this community and the United Methodist Church at this location, please visit:
Accommodations: Monte Carmelo Retreat Center —
Distance from worksite—about a 20 min. drive.
Setting—secluded, wooded area in hills outside the city.
Rooms—dorm style. Bunk beds.
Showers—many; hot water showerheads
Toilets—many
Bedding and towels—available
Phone—none available, cellular in emergencies only
Electricity—yes
For more information go to: http://www.ccdhonduras.org/english/programs/montecarmelo/montecarmelo.php
Cost of trip: Mission Trips total cost run in the neighborhood of $1,300 to $1,500 per person. Each team member is required to pay $550 with the balance paid by fund raisers like the annual Softball Concessions, Golf Tournament, and Yard Sale. The total cost includes travel, lodging, all food (with a couple of exceptions), supplies, insurance, translators, etc.
Will the whole $550 be required in one payment?: NO if you sign up early. A $100 deposit is required when the Volunteer Mission Application, International Missioner Profile and Release of Claim Form is turned in to team leader. This should be done at the September meeting. To help spread your cost over time, payments of $100 ($150 last payment) will be collected at monthly team meetings.
Other forms that will be required later: Medical Information and Release and Notification of Death Forms. At the end of the trip a UMVIM Team Member Evaluation Form will be given out to be completed before leaving our lodging.
Sponsor Letters: Team members are encouraged to contact friends and families and ask them to support the team through their prayers and other assistance.
Team Members are required to: Attend all team meetings, unless excused by team leader, and participate in at least 80% of Missions extra activities/fund raisers. This is so all team members can get to know each other by working together before the trip. As previously noted the fundraisers pay more than half of the cost for each team member.
Will I get a refund if an unforeseen problem requires me to cancel? YES
Full refunds will be given if cancellation occurs prior to plane tickets being purchased. Plane tickets are usually purchased 2 to 3 months prior to trip in order to get a favorable rate. After that the ticket cancelation fee may be deducted from the refund.
What will we be doing: Showing our love for God and our neighbors by providing a Vision Clinic, Bible School, Health screening, and doing light maintenance/construction at the church. Team members may choose where they want to work and change work area with team leader approval. Some areas, such as the vision clinic, require a minimum staff to function effectively.
Day Off: We will leave the Monte Carmelo Retreat Center one morning and travel to lodging in Tegucigalpa. After settling in we will probably travel to a town named Valley of the Angles. This is where you will have an opportunity to buy souvenirs, art work, etc.
How much spending money do I need to take? About $100.00 is what most people take.
Passport: If you do not have a Passport or the one you have has expired you will need to apply for one 6 months in advance. Your Team Leader will need a copy of the photo page. For information concerning United States Passports go to http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
Shots: If you are concerned about the vaccinations that you may need for Honduras contact the County Health Department or your family doctor. Vaccinations can be obtained there as well, though there is a charge for the service.
Shirts: Why do we have special shirts? There are two main reasons. The first is for those traveling out of the country. Having everyone in the same shirt, greatly speeds up the customs process, it also makes us more visible during our local activities. The cost of the shirt is $15.
Meetings: September 2010 – Information Meeting
October TBA – Turn in your initial paperwork and
deposit if you have not already done so.
November TBA – Update and Q&A
December 2010 – no meeting
January 2011 TBA – Orientation and Training
February 2011 TBA – Training
March 25 - April 2 - Mission Trip
Middle Tennessee Personal Energy Transportation Project (P.E.T.).
Good Neighbor Fund
Gideons: Placing Bibles. www.gideons.org
We collect a World Hunger Offering
Golden Cross: Funding benevolent care for seniors who have outlived their resources at McKendree Village in Hermitage, TN. www.mckendreefoundation.org
One Great Hour of Sharing: Endowing the administrative costs so 100% of disaster relief funds can be used when the need is greatest. www.onegreathourofsharing.org
Keep up with THE UMC e-newsletter
Local Missions
Blue Monarch: Local battered women's shelter http://www.bluemonarch.org
Shepherd’s House: Short-term shelter, food and clothing. 393-4818
Food Baskets: Provides holiday food baskets to the needy and elderly in Coffee & Grundy County
Operation ABC Program: Providing school supplies for local area students.
Mid-Cumberland Mountain Ministry serves area families with numerous programs throughout the year. To donate or volunteer, call Cathy Kirkland at 931.924.3380.
Angel Tree at Christmas provides gifts to needy children in the area
Haven of Hope: Shelter and assistance for victims of family abuse. 728-1133
Appalachian Women's Guild: The Appalachian Women's Guild is a support facility for women that offers services including peer support, resource referrals for domestic violence, counseling, housing, and much more. The Guild also operates the following programs: a thrift store, which provides free clothing and household items for those in need; the Learning Center, which offers comprehensive training projects for low-income women and individuals designed to transition them into living wage jobs; an emergency food bank, which provides food for those who are hungry and in need; an Adults and Youth in Transition program, which provides training, support, and guidance in selecting a career for individuals between the ages of 16 and 21.
Good Samaritan: Food pantry and assistance as available. 728-5122
Partners for Healing: Low-cost health care for the working uninsured. 455-5014 www.partnersforhealing.org
Regional Missions
MTSU Wesley Foundation: www.wesleyfoundationmt.com
TTU Wesley Foundation: http://orgs.tntech.edu/wesley/
Miriam’s Promise: Adoption, pregnancy and parenting help. www.miriamspromise.org
Super Bowl Sunday for the Souper Bowl of Caring collects money and canned goods http://www.souperbowl.org
Food label collection for Appalachia's Red Bird Mission www.rbmission.org
World Missions
Heifer International: With Heifer’s proven approach – almost 60 years in the making –people obtain a sustainable source of food and income. www.heifer.org
Matamoras Mexico - Child Sponsorship
Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes (www.samaritanspurse.org)
Trick or Treat for UNICF http://www.unicef.org/
Mercy Ministries: Young women's rehabilitation and support http://www.mercyministries.org
We have sent 3 local church Missionaries to Africa
Doctors Without Borders http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/home.cfm
Sponsored 1 local High School Missionary to Campus Crusade for Christ (Chicago) http://www.ccci.org/
In addition to these budgeted items and those listed above, our church and its members are involved in a number of mission projects some of which may not be listed here. We also support our Murfreesboro District's twice-yearly mission trips to Matamoras, Mexico. To learn more about that, and in particular the Bless the Children program, please click here.
If you have an idea, a passion, want to get involved, or even have a personal need in missions please contact us we want to help.
