United Methodist Church (UMC)
Sunday, April 7, and Sunday, April 14, 2024, 5 PM – 6:30 PM, Room 217
Join General Conference delegate Judy Ehninger as she presents information regarding the UMC General Conference 2020-2024 (being held in Charlotte, NC, April 23-May 3). Petitions and resolutions for action at the General Conference will be discussed.
An upcoming UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) project will be taking place in Philadelphia on January 13 and January 27. For more information, please contact Jerry Schuler, Volunteer in Mission Coordinator, using the form below.
About Project Restoration
An initiative of the Eastern PA Conference of the United Methodist Church (EPAUMC), Project Restoration is working to help residents recover from the severe damages – physical, financial and emotional – wreaked by floods caused by recent severe weather events in our region. People of all skill levels needed for them to be successful in their initiatives – a project manager will equip you with the tools and skills needed to help! Learn more on the EPAUMC website | Submit your volunteer information | (after submitting your information). After you’ve submitted your information, a representative from Project Restoration will reach out to you.
The following article was written by Dick McCreight of Asbury in Mission. Dick has been instrumental in fostering the relationship with and infinitives for our friends in Liberia.
Asbury Church has had a relationship with their brothers and sisters in Liberia for over 20 years. It began when Asbury connected with the Reverend Jerome Kennedy, who at that time was the District Superintendent of the Voinjama District in rural Lofa County Liberia. After years of sending clothing, educational curriculum, and medical supplies through Asbury’s Barrels of Love ministry, it was suggested by a member of Asbury’s United Methodist Women that Asbury start a sewing school so that parents could earn an income to provide for the basic needs of their families.
In 2014 the first one-room school was founded in Paynesville, a suburb of Monrovia. The facility could accommodate only 14 students. In 2020 the school lost their lease on that space and was in need of a new, larger, space to accommodate more students. Through the generous support of Asbury members, construction of a new building dedicated to the sewing school began in 2021 on Tylers Island, another Monrovia-area suburb. Through the leadership of Rev. Kennedy and School Director Yamah Wymon, the school was completed and opened in 2022 with funds for sewing machines and instructors provided by Asbury.
Asbury was thrilled to hear news of the first graduation class of the Tylers Island Home Economic Training Center in October 2023. School Director, Yamah Wymon writes, “[I] am so happy to present to you the first graduates of Tylers Island Home Economic Training Center, a vocational school in Tailoring. I am so proud to be a part of history-making in Liberia. Thanks [to] the Asbury United Methodist Church [for] their continued support in the life of Liberians, They are the reasons behind our success today. May God continue to bless the work of their hands. To my students, go into the world and explore the new skills acquired and make a difference. Thanks [to] the teaching staff for their patience and tireless efforts doing every section. Thanks to our parents, friends, and well-wishers for gracing our occasion this past Sunday.”
Asbury is blessed beyond measure by being a blessing in the lives of our Liberian friends and looks forward to many more graduations from the Tylers Island school.
Your help is needed to assist with the fall shipment of much needed supplies for Liberia!
NOVEMBER 11, 9 AM AT ASBURY
Barrels will be packed with clothing leftover from the Annual Holiday Bazaar and then moved to the lower level in preparation for loading onto a truck. Additionally, 60+ boxes of textbooks will be numbered and taped for shipment before also being staged for loading. Estimated time commitment: 2 hours.
NOVEMBER 18, 10 AM AT THROUGH THESE HANDS (LEHIGHTON AND SLATINGTON) AND ASBURY
Medical supplies will be loaded at Through These Hands in Lehighton. Following this, the group will return to Asbury to load the barrels packed the previous week.
If you can assist on either date, please contact Dick McCreight.
The following is a message distributed by Bishop John Schol on Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Dear United Methodists of EPA&GNJ,
In the shadows of grief and concern, I reach out to you today regarding the deeply distressing events unfolding in the Middle East. The devastating acts of war by Hamas against Israel, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives and the taking of individuals as hostages, are heartbreaking and incomprehensible. Such acts of violence and brutality have historically intensified animosities rather than fostering resolution, and we must resoundingly condemn these actions.
What can you do? I humbly call all of us, and invite our pastors to call congregations, to the following responses:
While this is an ancient conflict dating back to Abraham, we must never give in or give up on hope. Jesus has always shown through prayer and working together that God does bring peace.
I want to give thanks and prayers for several EPA pastors and laity who were in Israel during this attack. They have been safely moved to another country and are or will be returning home soon. We give thanks for their safety and pray for their continued safety and consolation as they travel home.
In this daunting challenge, let our faith be the beacon that guides us and our congregations to embody Christ’s message of love, hope, and peace.
Peace,
Bishop John Schol
The United Methodists of
Eastern Pennsylvania & Greater New Jersey
Help is needed with a project for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Project Restoration.
A repair project is being completed in Downingtown as part of recovery from damage incurred from Hurricane Ida. Tasks as determined by the Project Restoration team are as follows:
A project lead will be on-site; and coordinators estimate a half day of work (depending on the number of volunteers available). They are targeting a date of September 9 or September 16.
This project has been completed – thank you.
Soil-transmitted helminth infection (parasitic worms) thrive in the warmer climates of the earth. Unfortunately, these are the areas of most of the world’s poverty. This poverty is accentuated by the presence of worms that cause the depletion of already scarce nutrients in the body. Worms enter the body in various ways. Hookworm larvae (immature worms) mature into a form that can penetrate the skin of humans. Hookworm infection is transmitted primarily by walking barefoot on contaminated soil. Flip-flops are a simple and effective means of combating the transmission of hookworm.
On July 15, Asbury in Mission will be making their next Barrels of Love shipment to Liberia. Your donation of flip-flops (all sizes) will help prevent parasitic infections in the villages served by Healthy Women, Healthy Liberia. Look for barrels to collect flip-flops in the Mission Donations Area across from the office. We will be accepting donations until July 13.
Questions? Please click below to
contact Dick McCreight.
A message from Asbury’s Trustees on Scouting
As you probably know, Asbury has a long history supporting Boy Scouts and have Chartered Boy Scout Troop 12 and Cub Pack 12 for many years (dating back until 1958). We, at Asbury, have been privileged to see the best of Scouting. Our support for scouting and the development of youth has not changed.
Due to claims of sexual abuse and pending litigation that have occurred over the last many decades, the National Boy Scouts of America Organization had entered into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 while they put together a plan to settle with those abused. We want to make it clear that this is a national issue with no incidents occurring within our Troop or Pack.
But in July of this year our conference (the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church) instructed us to not sign any charter renewal beyond December 2021. We communicated this with the Troop and Pack at the time and it made sense that they started looking for other potential chartering organizations, since without a charter organization they would cease existing, leaving their current youth without a home unit.
In October we were informed by our conference that the UMC and BSA were in active mediation to resolve matters related to BSA’s financial restructuring and have agreed, in the best interest of the young people who participate in Scouting, to strongly recommend to United Methodist chartering organizations and Boy Scout Councils to extend existing charter agreements and facility use agreements in force at this time through March 31, 2022. This extension was communicated with our Troop and Pack, but due to the continued uncertainty, they continued their search for a new charter organization.
At the end of November, the leadership of the Troop and Pack informed us that they found a new charter organization (First Presbyterian Allentown) and requested that we release them from our charter as of the end of the year.
While we are regretful for the end of our long relationship with the Troop and Pack, we are happy that they have a clear path forward so that the youth can continue with their activities and development.
Asbury in Mission‘s Barrels of Love were today’s featured story in the United Methodist News! Read the article, “Wheelchairs provide freedom for 50 Liberians,” at https://www.umnews.org/en/news/wheelchairs-provide-freedom-for-50-liberians.
