From: Laura Pauls-Thomas, MCC East Coast <EastCoast@mcc.org>
Date: Tue, Nov 19, 2019 at 12:01 PM
Subject: November Church Announcements from MCC
To: info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org <info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org>
| November 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 Extraordinary Give Open House On Friday, November 22 from 9:00 a.m. to noon, visit the Material Resources Center in Ephrata, Pa., for an open house to celebrate the Extraordinary Give, Lancaster County's biggest day of online giving! Take a tour of the warehouse, talk one-on-one with MCC staff about young adult programs in Lancaster County, enjoy refreshments and bring your little one(s) for some fun children's activities! And, if you'd like to donate online at extragive.org/organizations/mcc but aren't sure how, our friendly MCC staff will be happy to enable your generosity with a Giving Station and technical assistance. For more information, visit mcc.org/extra-open-house or contact Laura Pauls-Thomas at LauraPaulsThomas@mcc.org. More about the Extraordinary Give: The Lancaster County Community Foundation and their presenting sponsors, Rodgers & Associates and the High Foundation, are providing people like YOU with the opportunity to give to over 400 non-profit organizations based in Lancaster County for 24-hours only on November 22, 2019. Donations will be stretched by over $500,000 in stretch pool and prizes! For 24-hours only, you, as a supporter of MCC, can visit MCC's Extra Give page at extragive.org/organizations/mcc, make a donation (min. $10) and every dollar you donate will go directly to providing life-changing experiences for young adults in Lancaster County.  Support MCC on GivingTuesday! GivingTuesday (which falls on Tuesday, December 3 this year) is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. How can you get involved? Watch MCC's social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) on December 3 and share the video clips about 25 ways to give through MCC's Christmas Giving with your networks! For more information, contact Jim Wiegner, MCC East Coast donor relations director, at JimWiegner@mcc.org.  Give MCC school kits for Christmas! From hurricanes and flooding to conflict and drought, MCC is responding to many disasters around the world. This Christmas, why not gather your family, Sunday school class or small group and pack school kits as a gift to other families whose lives have been disrupted by war or disaster? For a full list of school kit contents and kit drop-off information, visit mcc.org/kits or call the MCC East Coast Material Resource Center in Ephrata, Pa. at (717) 733-2847. Download and share the poster  Singing Light: Walking Roots Band Christmas Benefit Concerts (Lancaster, PA and Harrisonburg, VA) This December, the Walking Roots Band is excited to announce two Christmas music benefit concerts in Lancaster, Pa., and Harrisonburg, Va., to support Mennonite Central Committee's development efforts around the world.
For more information, contact Jim Wiegner, MCC East Coast Donor Relations Director, at JimWiegner@mcc.org.  Choose gifts that change lives! This Christmas, cherish the loved ones in your life with gifts for your global neighbors. From sustainable chocolate and art supplies to soccer clubs for peace and the silly, squirmy gift of worm composting, you can give gifts for all interests in all price ranges! Learn more and give online to more than 20 MCC projects at mcc.org/christmas or by calling 888.563.4676. Download and share 2019 Christmas giving poster.  Who Cares About Climate Change? SLT Pre-Conference Seminar Do you care about climate change? If you are like most people, you think that the warming of the planet is real and caused by human activity, but give it a low priority. Conversations about climate change are often laden with denial or despair. What do pastors have to offer this vexing worldwide dilemma? Join fellow pastors to wrestle with what you might have to offer conversations around climate change. The Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions & Mennonite Creation Care Network have partnered to offer this pre-conference seminar at Eastern Mennonite Seminary's School for Leadership Training (SLT) for pastors concerned about climate change. The seminar will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on January 13, 2020 at Eastern Mennonite Seminary (1181 Smith Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802). Pre-registration is required. Visit mcc.org/climate-change-seminar for more information and to register by June 6, 2020. This seminar is FREE for pastors and includes lunch.  Restoring Hope & Dignity: MLK, Jr. Service Day Join Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), in collaboration with Kingdom Builders Network (KBN), on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2020 (January 20) from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at The City School (Poplar Campus) for a morning of celebration and service as we remember those in prison whom are often forgotten and discarded from communities. We will hear from a panel of community leaders and formerly incarcerated individuals as they share their stories discussing the impact of mass incarceration. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details by visiting mcc.org/service-day.  Open positions East Coast Thrift Shop Coordinator (Salaried): This position provides support and services to all MCC East Coast thrift shops who annually contribute nearly $3 million to the ministries of MCC. The person in this position is expected to assist with problem solving in daily shop operations, to advocate for and be a resource in board development and sound policies and to nurture manager skill development, while offering and promoting MCC Thrift Shop Network resources, all resulting in consistent annual growth in net income. This person also acts as a liaison between MCC and East Coast thrift shops, communicating regularly the shops' issues, needs and feedback to MCC and MCC's mission and use of funds to the shops. Packing Coordinator & Material Resource Assistant (Hourly): The individual in this role, based at the Ephrata Material Resources Center (MRC), functions as the packing coordinator and a material resource assistant. The purpose of the center is to process material resources for MCC, involve volunteers in the ministry and vision of MCC, provide educational opportunities for MRC visitors and generate a portion of the MRC budget needs. This individual also functions as a significant contact person for the culturally conservative churches supporting MCC. Seek Discipleship Program Coordinator - East Jerusalem (Stipend): Seek is a new intentional discipleship program which focuses on exposing young adults in the 18-20 age range in what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ, from an Anabaptist faith perspective. The Seek Coordinator will provide leadership and assume responsibility for the spiritual direction, development and implementation of the program. The coordinator will maintain a well planned, carefully balanced program throughout the year. In collaboration with the local MCC Representatives, the coordinator will develop program goals and periodically evaluate against those goals, measuring enabling process, indicators of change and outcomes. To learn more and to view more open positions, visit mcc.org/careers. Ongoing Bulletin Announcements 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 at mcc.org/service-webinar! 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 full contest rules and more information, visit mcc.org/essay-contest.  Looking for opportunities to serve? The MCC Material Resources Center (MRC) in Ephrata, Pa. needs volunteer groups now 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...
Learn more at greatwinterwarmup.org. 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, 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, visit mcc.org/alumni, 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.
We appreciate your church's support of MCC! |
