From: Laura Pauls-Thomas, MCC East Coast <EastCoast@mcc.org>
Date: Tue, Oct 15, 2019 at 3:00 PM
Subject: October Church Announcements from MCC
To: info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org <info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org>
| October 2019 Church Announcements from MCC No Images? Click here  Information for church leaders and congregations: These monthly updates are shared so that you are aware of events and information from Mennonite Central Committee and our partners. We encourage you to share these announcements with your church leaders and congregation through email, a weekly printed bulletin, a monthly newsletter, Sunday morning announcements, your church website, or social media. Use your discretion and share what your congregation will find helpful. New Bulletin Announcements Damascus Road Anti-Racism Training Racism is alive and well in our country. How should we, as followers of Christ, respond? What should we do? These times call for greater focus, clarity, vision and heart. Join Roots of Justice on November 21-23, 2019 for a 2.5-day Damascus Road Anti-Racism Training at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (8000 St. Martin's Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118). This workshop will help individuals and institutions sharpen their tools by providing an analysis and a solid foundation to challenge systemic racism and oppression. Learn to see and analyze racist systems: how they operate, where they come from and how to undo them. For more information and to register, visit www.rootsofjusticetraining.org, email roots@rootsofjusticetraining.org or call (539) 664-9926. Download and share the event flyer  SWAP needs your helping hands! Is your group looking for a fall opportunity to serve others in the name of Christ? Sharing With Appalachian People (SWAP) is a program of MCC Great Lakes, addressing multiple challenges of low-income families in Appalachia, including home repair and personal need. Groups of all ages are an essential component of SWAP's ministry. Fall is a great time for adult volunteer groups and home-schooled families. Please consider forming a group, large or small, to come and experience a week at one of the locations in West Virginia or Kentucky. For more information, visit mcc.org/swap or call Angela Maggard at 606-633-5065. Read the latest SWAP newsletter Download and share the 2019 SWAP poster  Economic Justice: Engaging the Faith Community Join your neighbors for an event on October 27, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at Fondersmith Hall at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (31 South Duke Street, Lancaster, Pa.). Hear from Jess King, Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Lancaster, Pa. and Ismail Smith-Wade-El, member of Lancaster City Council and Chair of the Community Development and Planning Committee as they discuss how the faith community can and must work together towards economic justice. This event is sponsored by the Lancaster Interchurch Peace Witness. For more information, please visit lancasterinterchurchpeacewitness.org or contact Titus Peachey at tilin2@gmail.com. Download and share the event flyer  Open positions Receptionist - Akron, PA (Stipend): The receptionist is the first contact people have, either on the phone or in person, when they call or visit MCC in Akron, Pa. By directing calls and helping visitors, the receptionist provides an important link for those contacting MCC U.S. and becomes knowledgeable about MCC's programs and goals. This position coordinates airport pick-ups for staff and for visitors to the office. Representative for Northeast Asia (Stipend): This role will provide leadership and programmatic direction to MCC's work in the Republic of Korea (ROK, or South Korea), the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea), and in regional peace education in NE Asia. This position maintains relationships with MCC partners in these countries and represents MCC to churches, agencies, community groups and their leaders, and the government. The MCC Representative(s) is responsible for providing team leadership and support for all MCC staff in this region. This position may be filled by one person or a couple. Representative for Haiti (Stipend): The MCC Haiti program is a mature and large program within the MCC system, recently celebrating MCC's 60 years of work alongside local partners. The MCC Representative for Haiti provides leadership and programmatic direction to the work of MCC in Haiti within the MCC Latin America/Caribbean regional strategic vision. This position also maintains relationships with MCC partners in the country and represents MCC to churches, agencies, community groups and leaders, and the government. The representative is responsible for providing team leadership and support for all MCC workers in Haiti. This position may be filled by one person or a couple. To learn more and to view more open positions, visit mcc.org/careers. Ongoing Bulletin Announcements Shop, donate and volunteer at the NEW ReUzit on State Looking to revamp your wardrobe or home this fall in an eco-friendly and affordable way? Look no further! ReUzit on State, formerly known as the Ephrata ReUzit, opened their new consolidated thrift shop in September 2019. You'll find abundant secondhand clothing, housewares, furniture, books and everything else all under one roof at 1054 S. State Street in Ephrata, PA! Come shop, donate and discover a volunteer role that's right for you! For more information, please contact Sue Shirk, Volunteer Coordinator, voldev@reuzit.org or call (717) 733-4934.  Work Experience with World Experience: MCC Webinar Are you a young adult (ages 18-30) interested in international service with MCC? Join us for a webinar on January 22, 2020 from noon - 1:00 p.m. (EST) to learn about our year-long, Christian cross-cultural service experience, SALT (Serving and Learning Together), as well as service worker, internship and career opportunities both here in the U.S. and around the world. Register today! Space is limited. Questions or unable to attend? Contact Jenna Villatoro, MCC East Coast HR Coordinator, at JennaVillatoro@mcc.org or (240) 565-3071.  MCC High School Essay and Video Contest Calling all high school students! MCC's annual essay contest is now open, and we have an exciting change to announce. In addition to essays, we are now accepting short (2-3 minute) videos as well. Prizes of $750 will be awarded for the top essay and the top video. Students are invited to examine one of these three topics: climate change, gun violence or immigration. The deadline for entering is January 24, 2020 and winners will be announced in late March. For more information, visit mcc.org/essay-contest.  Relief kits and hygiene kits needed Relief kits and hygiene provide valuable supplies to families whose lives have been disrupted by war or disaster.
Will you give relief and hope to displaced families through donating relief kits and hygiene kits? Visit mcc.org/kits for kit information, shipping information and drop-off locations. For more information, contact the MCC East Coast Material Resources Center at EastCoastMRC@mcc.org or call (717) 733-2847.  Looking for opportunities to serve? The MCC Material Resources Center (MRC) in Ephrata, Pa. needs volunteer groups from September through December. Tasks include book recycling, baling items for recycling, kit checking, sewing, quilting and more. Tasks are available for people with and without physical limitations. Groups of 15 to 30 people can volunteer Thursdays from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. For more information and to get started, contact David Miller-Glick, Volunteer Coordinator, at DavidMillerGlick@mcc.org or call the Ephrata MRC at (717) 733-2847.  Save the Date(s) for the Great Winter Warm-up Join MCC in celebrating 100 years in January 2020 by collecting 5,000 comforters in the East Coast for distribution to people in need all around the world. To participate, you can...
These Great Winter Warm-up comforter events are just a handful of various events in 2020 to celebrate MCC's centennial. See a full list of events by visiting mcc.org/events. MCC encourages your church or sewing group to host your own comforter event as part of the Great Winter Warm-up! For general information, tips and resources for the Great Winter Warm-up, visit greatwinterwarmup.org or contact the Ephrata MRC at 717-733-2847 or email EastCoastMRC@mcc.org.  2020 Alumni Reunions at the Welcoming Place MCC welcomes alumni to host reunions at the Welcoming Place in Akron, Pennsylvania in 2020 as we celebrate our 100th anniversary. To see if a reunion is already scheduled for the country where you served or to organize a reunion, call 888-563-4676 or contact alumni@mcc.org. Resources for Church Leaders Inspire generosity in children with My Coins Count Coins add up. Each year, spare change collected by churches, children and families add up to more than $600,000 for MCC's work around the world. Want to join the fun? Learn more and browse resources for My Coins Count.  New mass incarceration video from MCC Are you looking for a way to engage your congregation with the work of MCC in the U.S.? Check out MCC's Youtube channel for a new video that shows how MCC works in mass incarceration alongside partner organizations to reach out to inmates through Christian discipling and training, and to returned citizens through housing and employment opportunities. Watch on Youtube: Mass incarceration and the Christian mandate Download and share the video at your gathering  "Kits are for Caring" MCC relief kit curriculum Is your congregation looking for a giving project to connect children with the work of the global church? MCC has a resource for churches to get children and people of all ages excited about collecting relief kits! Relief kits are a valuable resource for families who have been displaced due to war or disaster. Last year, MCC distributed more than 24,500 relief kits, and the need for relief kits continues to grow. This resource is designed to be ready to use and even contains a curriculum that includes everything you need to guide a group of children toward a celebration of sharing God's gifts by collecting humanitarian aid for those in need around the world. Download and share Kits are for Caring |
