The Holy Cows (Christians on Work Service, based at St. Paul UMC, Chambersburg) will be serving in Asheville, NC the week of September 21 to 27th in response to Hurricane Helene disaster.
For more information or be kept informed, please contact Dianne Hetrick at gingervalley21@gmail.com / 717-261-1722
VIM Trip to Asheville, NC Psalm 46 1-2 reads, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Here we are eight months after Hurricane Helene and there is so much devastation still left from the hurricane, but the Lord is near the brokenhearted and saving the spirits through this devastation. A group from Mt. Calvary UMC (Harrisburg, PA - River Valley District) and Faith UMC (Bellefonte - Mountain Valley District) are just returning from a Volunteer in Missions trip to Asheville, NC. As they worked to help the survivors rebuild they saw many things that showed them that this area is still in need of help. As you drive through, there are vehicles that were once functioning that are now junk cars. Many of the businesses that were once thriving are now no more. One homeowner had many raised garden beds, a B&B cabin, a hot tub, green grass, and it is all now wiped away from the storm. This particular family had to climb up the mountain to escape the ragin...
UMVIM, the acronym for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, has often been thought of as just the arm of our church that sends volunteers out for mission journeys stateside and abroad. While that is an important part of the ministry there are many other opportunities. In fact, it has been said that any mission outside the doors of the local church is an UMVIM project. For example, Shiremanstown UMC, through their Hands and Feet committee, provides monthly opportunities to help their neighbors. According to team leader Darlene Thomas, “Shiremanstown UMC has been doing their Hands and Feet ministry for 8+ years. Each month a dedicated group of volunteers helps "neighbors" in our local community with various projects around their property. They undertake things like yard work, home repair projects and small construction. During August and September of this year, the teams helped neighbors with yard clean up, taking away debris, and repairing a handica...