From: Laura Pauls-Thomas, MCC East Coast <EastCoast@mcc.org>
Date: Fri, Aug 14, 2020 at 11:10 AM
Subject: August Church Announcements from MCC
To: info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org <info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org>
| August 2020 Church Announcements from MCC No images? Click here New Bulletin Announcements Relief for Beirut, Lebanon Mennonite Central Committee is responding to the need for food and other assistance in Beirut, Lebanon, following the massive explosion of ammonium nitrate on Aug. 4 that destroyed the country's main port and silos filled with grain. Food was already in short supply in the country because of an existing economic and political crisis. Download and share the poster  PA Relief Sale online quilt auction Didn't get your 'quilt fix' in this past April? Join the PA Relief Sale for their ONLINE quilt auction on October 24 featuring 100 quilts for MCC's 100 years! As cool weather approaches, you can purchase a beautiful and warm quilt while supporting MCC's ministries. For more information and to stay up to date on the status of this event, visit mcc.org/events or contact Ken Martin at (717) 697-1929.  Resources for anti-racism education Looking to learn more about anti-racism work and dismantling systems of oppression? Check out MCC's recommendations for engaging with these issues at mcc.org/stories/resources-anti-racism-education.  Seed program openings in Colombia and Guatemala/El Salvador Did you know that MCC has a 2-year international service program for young Christian adults called Seed? The Seed program brings together a diverse cohort of young adults ages 20-30 from around the world to reflect, serve and work for peace. The Seed program currently has openings in Colombia and Guatemala/El Salvador with a start date of February 2, 2021. For more information and to apply for this opportunity, visit mcc.org/seed.  Open positions MCC UN Office Program and Communications Coordinator (New York City): This full-time position will work closely with the MCC UN Office (UNO) Director and will coordinate all aspects of UNO advocacy, communications, and programming. The position carries significant advocacy, research, analysis, writing, speaking, networking, and event planning responsibilities, as well as office administration. Director of MCC U.S. National Advocacy and Program (Washington, D.C): The director is a senior management position in MCC U.S., responsible for the overall leadership and coordination of advocacy and national program. The director facilitates strong connections between international and domestic programming, supervises MCC U.S. national program and advocacy staff, leads and monitors strategic planning for the department as directed by the Executive Director and in collaboration with the MCC U.S. regions, and leads the budgeting process for the department. Representative for Haiti (Stipend) - 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. Representative for Bangladesh (Stipend) - The MCC Representative (Rep) for Bangladesh will be responsible to provide overall leadership to a mature, multifaceted MCC program that supports already-existing Bangladeshi agencies by providing expatriate volunteers, grants and technical support. To learn more and to view more open positions, visit mcc.org/careers. Ongoing Bulletin Announcements Virtual MCC alumni gatherings You're invited to MCC-hosted virtual alumni gatherings for four of the world regions where MCC works: Latin America and Caribbean (LACA), Asia, Europe and Middle East (EME) and Africa. Join us for this special time to hear updates from Area Directors about current programming, share stories of service experiences and engage in small group discussions to connect with your MCC friends or meet others who served in the same world region. Feel free to join the gathering for the area where you served, your home region or any area of interest!
Register and learn more by visiting mcc.org/virtual-alumni-gatherings. The Zoom link will be emailed to you closer to the date of the event.  TriState Relief Sale drive-thru supper fundraiser Join the TriState Relief Sale on September 19 at 4:00 p.m. for a drive-thru pulled pork supper fundraiser to raise money for MCC's ministries. The event will take place at Springs Mennonite Church (1686 Springs Rd., Springs, PA 15562). COVID-19 mitigation strategies will be in place for this in-person event. For more information and to stay up to date on the status of this event, visit mcc.org/events or contact Yvonne Devers at (812) 421-9008.  Help MCC meet the material needs of our partners! When you go shopping, what does your list look like? Imagine needing the following over the course of the next year: This is the desired humanitarian aid that Mennonite Central Committee needs to ship from the U.S. Fortunately, we are in it together! To learn more about how you can help meet the needs of MCC's partners, visit mcc.org/kits or contact the MCC East Coast Material Resources Center in Ephrata at (717) 733-2847.  Mobile meat canner operator needed Want to travel around the U.S. and Canada, meet new people and touch lives around the world? Apply to be an MCC mobile meat canner operator today! Each year since 1946, MCC has sent out a mobile meat canner, which MCC workers and volunteers use to preserve hundreds of thousands of cans of meat for communities in need across the globe. Canner operators travel with the meat canner to 34 different locations across the U.S. and Canada, canning beef, turkey, chicken, and pork. Canners are responsible for all aspects of the project including: operating steam and pressure vessels, coordinating volunteers, maintaining and communicating USDA regulations, and the maintenance of all machinery in the canning process. Lifelong relationships are forged, opening new doors for life after canning. For more information and to apply for this unique opportunity, please visit mcc.org/careers.  Volunteers needed at the Ephrata Material Resources Center Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the MCC East Coast Material Resources Center (MRC) in Ephrata, Pa., has continued to send material resource shipments around the world to vulnerable people. The Ephrata MRC, which has been deemed an essential business by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is in need of individuals or small groups of weekday volunteers (preferably 18-65 years old and at low risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19) so that we can continue the work of preparing kits and comforters for shipment and processing cardboard, paper and textiles for recycling. Other activities, like the preparation of kits, could be done by members of your congregation at a local park or in your church building. For available volunteer dates and hours and to learn how we're mitigating COVID-19 risks at the MRC, please contact Marilyn Peters, Ephrata MRC Volunteer Coordinator, at MarilynPeters@mcc.org or call the Ephrata MRC at (717) 733-2847.  Resources for a time of uncertainty (COVID-19) In a time of uncertainty and social distancing, we want to offer you a selection of resources that MCC has prepared over the years for congregations, families and individuals. From prayers to recipes and cooking videos, from coloring pages to videos that give you a glimpse of life across the world, we hope we are able to offer something that may encourage or nourish you in an extraordinary time. Visit mcc.org/resources-time-uncertainty-covid-19 to enjoy these resources.  Share your story: Postcards to MCC MCC is made up of thousands of people sharing their gifts in their home communities and around the world. And each MCC experience is unique, made up of small moments that tell a larger story. As MCC celebrates its centennial year, we want you to help piece together this story. Upload a photo or video with a short 750-character description, or submit a text-only story. Then, browse through more stories from our MCC community! To get started, visit mcc.org/centennial.  Sign up for 100 stories for 100 years MCC has a rich history of storytelling. For our centennial year in 2020, we've curated a collection of 100 stories that explore the breadth of MCC's work over time. To mark 100 years of sharing God's love and compassion, and your generosity and partnership through the decades, we invite you to explore these images and stories from MCC's decades of work around the world. Sign up for email highlights or share your own story at mcc.org/centennial. Resources for Church Leaders Invitation to collect a Centennial Celebration Offering - October 2020 Thanks to your support, MCC is at work in more than 50 countries around the world, sharing God's love and compassion for all. As when MCC began in 1920, this is a chance to come together with churches throughout the U.S to care for those in need. It's an opportunity to celebrate the dedication of churches like yours that have touched so many lives through the decades, and to give thanks together for what God has done and is doing through MCC. We invite you to plan for an MCC Centennial Celebration Offering on Sunday, Oct. 4, Sunday, Oct. 11, or another date that works best for your congregation. Then join us in giving thanks for this offering and the work of MCC on Saturday, Oct. 17, during Celebration 2020: MCC at 100, a national livestreamed celebration.Has your church recently taken a centennial offering that should be counted in this total? Please let us know by emailing donate@mcc.org.  Digital worship resources for churches In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, MCC continues to work for relief, development and peace in the name of Christ. We thank you for your continued support as we respond creatively around the world. As a way to thank you and your faith community, we've prepared pre-recorded digital worship resources in English and Spanish for you to share with your congregation or small group. At mcc.org/digital-worship-resources you'll find pre-recorded sermons, greetings, children's stories, Sunday School presentations and other MCC resources for your faith community to enjoy and discuss as you gather in person or virtually in the coming months.  MCC centennial worship resources In 2020, MCC is celebrating 100 years of sharing God's love and compassion with people in the name of Christ. We invite you to use these worship resources as you reflect on God's work of reconciliation in your life, in the church and around the world. Whether your church is planning an MCC-based worship service, taking an offering for MCC or just looking for an MCC story to demonstrate reconciliation, you can get started here. In this packet, you will find a litany of thanks, a historical reading, sermon ideas, stories from MCC's work, children's resources, prayers, videos, giving options and more. Please contact MCC East Coast at EastCoast@mcc.org for any additional resources, including guest speakers. Download the worship resource packet and consider taking an special offering for MCC in our centennial year. (En español) |
