Girl Scouts, Brownies and DaisiesIn December, 87 Girlscouts, Brownies and Daisies from Schroeder Elementary School in Troy and 20 parents, helped our Streathreads Ministry make 350 sandwiches and 600 cookies. The sandwiches and cookies were then used to feed the homeless of Detroit.

StreeThreads

January 2015

HERE I AM, LORD, SEND MEmissions ministry

HERE I AM, LORD, SEND ME

“I feel good knowing the homeless people will have something

good to eat.”

“I put two kinds of sprinkles on

the cookies for the homeless.”

For more information on StreeThreads, please contact Jan Peabody-Kratt at 248.373.0793 or Kirsten Layer at 248.894.7438

Upcoming EventsCooking with CassFeb 7, Mar 7, Apr 11, May 11Focus Hope DeliveriesMar 14, May 16Empty BowlsFeb 18Art & SoulWeekly on Mondays and ThursdaysStreeThreads - Haven in PontiacFeb 9, Mar 9, Apr 13, May 11StreeThreads - Central UMCFeb 23, Apr 20

Upcoming VIM TripsHaiti - April 17-24McCurdy - May 10-23Henderson - June 21-27

Building FamilyArt & SoulArt and soul returned to Central UMC in Detroit in September with a wonderful “Welcome Back” party for our participants. What a party it was!! Everyone was so pleased and happy to be reunited with their Art & Soul “family.” There were many laughs and lots of hugs as they shared what they had been doing during the warm months.

At the November Missions Fair we offered several pieces of artwork for sale, but the highlight of the day was the excellent sale of hand-designed and handmade pins. The artists had spent time in the studio making them and they were beautiful and “sold like hotcakes.” Lots of ladies walked out that day with a pretty new pin on their jacket or coat. You might have even caught sight of two Birmingham church ladies sporting brightly colored hats made by Denise Dotson whom many of you know as Diva D.

Then along came Thanksgiving and what a Thanksgiving it was! All of

the participants worked to make this a special day, held the Friday before Thanksgiving. The day before, they set up the dining tables and chairs and then set the tables with tablecloths, napkins and homemade centerpieces. They were very proud and very happy that this event was just for the A&S family. Their participation was very heart-warming. We provided the turkeys but much of the food was provided by the A&S attendees; from potato chips to mashed potatoes and gravy and the much anticipated collard greens. No one went home hungry that day. It was truly a day of giving back and not just taking, exactly what they hoped it would be.

In December, the studio was full of red and green and oodles of glitter and glitz. They made gifts for someone they wanted to remember, either in their natural family or in the A&S family. One day they decorated Christmas stockings that Santa filled with treats for them at the Christmas party. That was another memorable day with cookies galore and carols of joy, led by our own songstress, Diva D.

In A&S, we are truly a family. We celebrate holidays, birthdays, births and other events that are well worth celebrating. We are together as a family to help hold us through the toughest of times. God leads us and loves us and we are forever grateful for His sustaining encouragement.

By Shirley Klipfel

Two of our family members shared with us recently. Both came from sad and horrendous backgrounds. The first said that before she came to Art & Soul, she was a homeless alcoholic. In trying to define her life before A&S, she said “I was NOT what I am now”. Today, she is working, a talented artist who is always creating and a constant help to those around her. The other is now sober and clean and works for Central UMC. He is very loving and caring and people look up to him. When asked one day how he managed to stay so happy and to maintain the smile on his face, he looked straight into the eyes of the one asking the question and said, “Life’s too short to be miserable”.

Come and join us. Life’s too short to miss out on the Art & Soul family.

For more information or to participate in our Art & Soul ministry, please contact Susan Greenhalgh at sbgreenhalgh@gmail.com

She said that before she came to Art & Soul, she was a homeless alcoholic. In trying to define her life before A&S, she said “I was NOT what I am now”.

Haiti Update!

From April to December 2014—the progress we’ve made!

The construction of the new school in the rural mountain village of Chiraque, Haiti continues because of the generosity of this church. Your designated funds have allowed us to send money for the second phase of the new school—the walls and roof. The Haitians are hard at work—a good thing for it promises a paycheck and a future new school!

In April we departed Haiti as the foundation and floor were completed. As of December the walls are built! Thank you.

The construction will continue and we hope to be painting when we return to Chiraque this April 2015.

Human interest update!

In April you learned of the need of the local Pastor in Chiraque—a prosthesis for a lost limb. We measured and worked hard to get him the proper prosthesis that would function properly on the difficult mountain terrain.

Now it’s December just have a look. We’ve never seen him smile so big!

Thank you, FUMC!

The Progress We’ve Made!Haiti

By Nancy Smith

“We’ve never seen him smile so big!”

For more information on Haiti, please contact Nancy and John Smith at 810.678.3327

A Real Christmas

He’s been helping his mother with the Angel Tree ministry since he was a toddler, but he’s nine years old now and is beginning to understand what it’s all about. Wrapping gifts for another nine-year-old boy on behalf of a father who is in prison, he asks, “Mom, are all prisoners mean? Do they still love their kids?”

“Of course, they do. Prisoners are children of God, just like you and me. They just don’t have any way to purchase Christmas gifts for their children.”

“When will Jimmy’s dad get out of prison?”

“Not until 2066.”

“How old will Jimmy be?”

“He’ll be sixty years old.”

All across the country families wrap Christmas presents during December for the 2.7 million children in the United States who have an incarcerated parent. It’s a way in which we can make real the love of Jesus Christ to children who may not otherwise be able to celebrate Christmas.

FUMC has participated in Angel Tree since 1996 when we served 75 children. This year we served 148 families, consisting of 363 children. Angel Tree was started by Prison Fellowship and is the only nationwide

Reprinted from Rev. Laurie Haller’s blog - lauriehaller.org

program that is directed toward the hundreds of thousands of children who suffer poverty and hardship because one of their parents is in prison.

The Salvation Army is the largest organization sponsoring Angel Tree, but many local churches across the country participate as well. Purchasing and delivering Christmas gifts to so many children is a huge venture in any church.

The kick-off is on the Sunday before Thanksgiving when individuals and families pick the names of children from the Angel Tree. The families, given to us by Prison Fellowship, live in our geographical area, although the parent may be incarcerated

Angel Treein any part of the country. Eligible prisoners for this program have to be a part of Prison Fellowship, which is a Christian ministry to incarcerated men and women. Prisoners are invited to send messages to their children that accompany the gifts.

After receiving names, church members have two weeks to purchase two gifts for each child, an article of clothing and a fun item, with a price limit of $30-$40. The gifts are wrapped by the families as if given by the incarcerated parents. If the children have siblings who are not biological children of the parent in prison, we include them as well, although it is not mandated by Angel Tree. That price limit is $10-$15. One family this year has eleven children. Only four are the biological children of the father in prison, but the other seven children received sibling gifts because it’s important to include everyone.

Paperwork filled out by the parent at home includes specific requests by the children and teenagers. Sometimes they ask for school uniforms, coats or sweaters. One child wrote, “My Christmas wish: ‘For Dad to come home.’” Another requested, “Books that I can read.” When children and teens ask for personal items like underwear or bras, it tugs at the heart. No one ever asks a stranger to buy intimate wear for them unless there is a critical need.

A Real Christmas

In early December church members return their wrapped gifts to the church. The flurry of activity is a sign to behold as hundreds of people deliver bags filled with brightly wrapped presents. In addition, three different missions groups in the church donate a total of $5,000, which is used to buy food for each family. The usual request is for breakfast and snack items since children are home over the Christmas vacation.

Each food bag contains approximately $35 worth of food as well as two additional items: a booklet from Prison Fellowship that describes God’s love for them and for the world and a card from the church that says, “Your friends at First United Methodist Church Birmingham are praying for you this holiday season. Have a blessed Christmas. You remain in our hearts and in our prayers. Jesus is the reason for the season.”

Our Angel Tree coordinators are present all week, along with dozens of volunteers who sort and categorize the gifts and assemble food bags for each of the 148 families. Meanwhile, a volunteer begins mapping routes so that the thirty-one drivers each deliver presents to four or five families on a Saturday morning. It’s a mammoth job. Families are asked to be home

between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. If no one answers the door, another crew tries again on Sunday.

Angela has been the coordinator for the past eight years. “Why do you do this?” I ask. “Because Prison Fellowship is a great organization, and I love to help innocent children.” Angela remembers families who are served year after year and has fallen in love with the children, some of whom will not receive any other presents than the ones from the church. One year Angela delivered presents to Donovan. Donovan, a long-time recipient of Angel Tree gifts, is 18 now and has even come to the church to speak about what Angel Tree means to him.

Diane and her sixteen-year-old daughter are also present throughout the week. Diane started helping with Angel Tree when Skylar was just a toddler, and they haven’t missed a year since. Family vacations are even planned around Angel Tree. When I ask, “Why do you do this?” Diane says, “Angel Tree is a labor of love and puts all of life into perspective. By doing Angel Tree at the beginning of December, it sets the tone for the Christmas season. I am more realistic now about spending habits and don’t buy as much for Skylar.”

“Angel Tree is a labor of love and puts all of life into perspective. By doing Angel Tree at the beginning of December, it sets the tone for the Christmas season.”

DianeAngel Tree Volunteer

Story continued on page 6.

One prisoner thanked us by writing, “Angel Tree provides a special connection between my three sons and me at the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and allows us to share in this celebration even though we are miles and miles apart. What Angel Tree does for incarcerated men and women embodies what Jesus did for all of us and the teachings he left for us. I am so grateful that through this program my sons and I can experience the gift of giving and receiving because my children understand what it means to give to others and to freely receive God’s love.”

The looks of wonder on the faces of the boys and girls who benefit from Angel Tree are etched in our hearts forever. We are signs of God’s love for children who feel abandoned and confused because of their parent’s incarceration. They hope that their parent in prison remembers them, and they need to know that through the love of Jesus, God can bring healing into their family.

Ultimately, we are delivering more than food and gifts. We are making real God’s love in the real world. Unfortunately, in Michigan alone, 16,000 children were waiting in eager anticipation but were not taken into the Angel Tree program last year. Every child deserves a chance, and every church can find some way to reach out to the children in their community at Christmas.

“Real isn’t how you are made,” says the

Skin Horse in Margery Williams’ The Velveteen Rabbit. “It’ a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?’

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Real is incarcerated men and women loving their children, even from prison. Real is children experiencing both the pain of separation as well as the love of others who care. Real is other children who learn that not everyone receives more Christmas presents than they know what to do with. Real is disciples of Jesus Christ who know that when you are real no one is ugly, passed over or forgotten. How can you become real so that other can experience a real Christmas?

Blessings,

Laurie

For more information about our Angel Tree ministry, , please contact Kirsten Layer at 248.894.7438

A Real Christmas Continued from page 5.

Reprinted from Rev. Laurie Haller’s blog - lauriehaller.orgAngel Tree

Continued from page 5..

Methodist Children’s Village benefited from the generosity of the Birmingham First United Methodist church.

“Christmas Wish Lists” from the 64 foster care children were filled by many generous members of our church. This helped make a joyous Christmas for the children.

On December 5th, the annual bowling party for the foster care children and their foster parents, took place at “Beech Lances.” All enjoyed two hours of bowling, a pizza party and a special visit with Santa Claus for the children.

Over the year Missions and the United Methodist Women also provided

monies to help fund the programs of the residential boys and the boys in the new transitional housing.

In December, Missions and the United Methodist Women granted over and above monies to the Methodist Children’s Village which was greatly appreciated.

For more information about the Methodist Children’s Home Society in Michigan go to www.mchsmi.org.

A Real Christmas Continued from page 5. Activities AboundMethodist Children’s Home

For more information on the Methodist Children’s Home, please contact Nancy Overman at 248.646.5360

Doing God’s Work with the Ngobe PeoplePanama

This past November, the FUMC Birmingham dental mission team traveled to Cienaguita,Panama to serve the Ngobe Indians. This was our second trip to this remote area and we enjoyed being able to greet many of the friends we met on our first trip. Life is improving in Cienaguita as evidenced by our friend, Joachim. He lived on the Ngobe Indian reservation in a mud hut and was very ill. He was too ill to leave his home and he spent his days sewing Ngobe clothing. After mission teams rebuilt his family home to add a cement floor and make it more sanitary, Joachim’s health greatly improved. When our dental team arrived in Cienaguita in 2012, Joachim’s health had improved enough to allow him to leave his home and work with us that week with our VBS program. On our return this year, Joachim greeted us in Panama City where he now lives, attends classes

and works to send money home to his family. His story points out the impact that can be made by Volunteer in Mission teams.

This year we had three dentists on our team, Dr. Jeffrey Grabiel, Dr. Douglas Sweeney, and Dr. Ralph Wilkie, all either present or past members of FUMC Birmingham. Dr. Sweeney and Dr. Wilkie spent their days at the dental clinic located at the Methodist Community Center in Cienaguita. Four

dental assistants worked at the clinic with them. Dr. Jeffrey Grabiel made arrangements to visit a school in order to educate the children about good dental hygiene. Dr. Grabiel, his dental assistant, Cindy Clark and all of the non-dental team members squeezed together in two trucks to make the very rough and bouncy ride up the hill to the school. Most of the non-dental team members presented the educational program. Afterward, all the children were seen and evaluated by Dr. Grabiel and received fluoride treatments. It took four days to complete the process at the school.

On our last day in Cienaguita, the non-dental members remained at the clinic and engaged the children in craft projects centered on the theme of “Fishers of Men”. We also interacted with the women of the village by painting decorative bags with them.

By Ann Littleton

For more information on our Panama Volunteers in Missions, please contact Ann Littleton at 248.723.1929.

Karima Ledezma, one of our dental assistants and the only one who spoke Spanish, expressed her thoughts about the trip on our blog:

“I want to thank the First United Methodist Church for giving me this opportunity. I would have never thought that being a new grad and just finishing dental hygiene school that I would have been given this once in a lifetime chance. I cannot explain in words how seeing so many children that needed so much work in their mouths made me feel. The fact that some people here don’t even have toothbrushes to keep their teeth clean is an eye opener.”

The entire team is very grateful for the support given by the Missions Ministry Committee and the UWM of our church. As with all our mission work, it could not be done without the assistance from our church groups and individuals. The goal for all our mission teams is to not only be there

to give immediate assistance but to also help the local people to become self-sustaining. We were very excited this year to find out that the Health Ministry of Panama has now hired two dental assistants to work at the Methodist Community Center Dental

“The fact that some people here don’t even have toothbrushes to keep their teeth clean is an eye opener.”

Karima Ledezma, Dental Assistant Volunteer

Clinic three days a week. Two years ago, the lines of people waiting for our services were very long. This year, the lines were much shorter and we were able to have the children with the most acute dental problems brought into the clinic. It was so gratifying to see the village starting to become self-supporting.

Dr. Grabiel ended this mission trip with a prayer: We thank you God for giving us the talent and determination to do God’s work with the Ngobe people. God bless Rhett Thompson, the Panama missionary, and the Metodista Mission and may it continue to provide help to all the people of that region.

A Barn Raising in the D

Those of us who have spent most of our lives living in southeast Michigan have gone through the throes of many ups and downs with the City of Detroit. We are overdue for some good news. On a recent visit to Brightmoor Aldersgate UMC, I experienced the optimistic sign for which I have been looking! A barn! Yes, the Brightmoor Campus is sporting a 1,080 square foot barn/garage located at the rear of the Church property.

Now, we all know that these kinds of buildings do not just appear out of the blue. This one is no exception. How will the project be funded? Who is experienced in designing and managing the structure? Where will we find someone to build this barn? Why do we even need a barn? Is constructing this building a worthwhile project in Brightmoor?

By Jean McKeehan

I can report that, according to Courtney Williams, Pastor at Brightmoor, the barn in front of me answered all of my questions.

1. Yes, donors came forward to fund the project because they had a vision for what can happen and is happening at Brightmoor Aldersgate UMC.

2. Experienced designer and project manager required? That would be Jim Miller, well-known to many FUMC-Birmingham members because of his building expertise and years of involvement with our foreign mission projects. One person who knows Jim well said, “Without him, there would not have been a barn.” And Courtney said of Jim, “He sure knows how to get ‘er done.”

3. An experienced Detroit-based company, Grissom Garage Builders, was hired and completed the project within one week. Their knowledge of City Hall enabled the amazing speed with which this project was completed.

Brightmoor4. Churches are notorious for not having enough storage space, but Brightmoor has a special need for storage as it strives to become a neighborhood church. According to Pastor Courtney, providing a lending program for lawn mowers and other garden/yard equipment for neighbors is important in assisting homeowners/renters to keep up their property. The Pastor pointed out that neighbors often want their properties kept up but do not have the means to purchase yard equipment. Brightmoor Church has 6 lawn mowers plus all kinds of

garden/yard equipment to lend but nowhere to store the things until they found their new home in the “barn.” In addition to lawn equipment storage, the Brightmoor Free Store also requires space for their inventory of clothing, household goods, etc. Until now, storage lockers were rented at considerable cost to hold these supplies. The “barn” will now be the home for the Free Store inventory.

A Barn Raising in the D

For more information on Cass, please contact Karla Bole at 248.890.1262

5. Finally, is this a wise investment for Brightmoor? Pastor Courtney’s vision for the Brightmoor project has always been that it become a neighborhood center where anyone can come and find a home. And this has begun to happen in a big way. The Free Store serves nearly 100 families each Saturday morning, over 150 people are fed a hot lunch on Saturday, and dozens attend the church service prior to the Free Store opening. This year, Pastor Courtney instituted Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve Watch Night services that were well attended by members and neighbors whom he had never seen before. The Free Store in mid-December included a Brightmoor youngster who gave away over 100 coats to neighborhood children and a live nativity set up by Canton Friendship UMC on the front lawn of Brightmoor Church. These special events drew the attention of people as they drove by the Church or saw the coat giveaway featured on a local news channel. Many stopped in to see what was happening, including several Detroit police officers. Adding a new, permanent structure (a barn) says that Brightmoor UMC is here to stay and is building a neighborhood for God in new and different ways. All are welcome here!

For more information on Brightmoor, please contact Mary Pickett at 248.646.7238

Christmas Party!Cass Community Social Services

After 7 Tuesdays of crafts, snacks and play at Mom’s Place this Fall we began gearing up for our annual Christmas Party for Cass families. Pizza’s ordered, presents bought, cookies baked, empty frames waiting for pictures and Santa ready - all we needed now were our guests. Once that bus rolled into the church parking lot things got pretty busy - families walked in and immediately had a chance for their picture with Santa then a meal of pizza, salad and fruit. We then had loads of fun icing cookies, decorating picture frames, playing basketball or picking out some wonderful Christmas gifts. But best of all we had a chance for laughter, baby holding and a wonderful sense of community. A couple weeks later the Cass Christmas store, run by Amy Bouque, once again was able to provide for 362 children. Christmas’s to be remembered. And thanks to Margaret Valade and her ladies, everyone at Cass had Christmas stockings that Rev. Fowler had the privilege of handing out. It was truly a blessed Christmas

Heading into the new year we have some exciting things on our calendar - come visit our table in fellowship hall February 22 to sign up for Cass’s annual dinner at St. Johns Seminary on March 21st or volunteer for Make a Difference day or plan to help out at Mom’s Place this Spring. And don’t forget to ask us how you can get your own pair of flip flops made at Green Industries.

By Karla Bole

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said,

“Here I Am, Lord... Send Me”

Our Purpose: To gather, nurture and equip disciples of Christ for ministry and mission in the world.

1589 West Maple RoadBirmingham, MI 48009

248.646.1200fumcbirmingham.org

Missions Ministries, Co-LeadersJohn and Nancy Smith, 810.678.3327Laura Dickerson, 248.539.1925

For more information on any of our Missions Ministries, please contact:

Bev Richardson, Missions Coordinatorbrichardson@fumcbirmingham.org248-646-1200 ext. 3156

The projects in this newsletter and many more are supported by your generous contributions to the Partners in Mission fund. Please consider making a donation today by filling out a deposit envelope at church or going to our website and choosing Partners in Mission.

Our Missions Ministry equips disciples of Christ to share God’s love through gifts and service, creating hope and sustainable opportunities for those in need.

Led by Mary Engelhardt and Donna Sutton, the McCurdy VIM team traveled to New Mexico to help beautify the school grounds. They dismantled broken school desks to salvage scrap metal with the proceeds going to the school. They pulled and weed-wacked weeds on a walking path around the athletic fields. Once weed-wacked, the tractor mowers could be used. These paths provide a safe walking path for neighborhood walkers, and paths for the children to safely walk to school. Larry Engelhardt got hugs from two of the local woman who were so happy to be able to walk the path again! Sara Burnside created craft activities for the children, who participate in the after school care program. Eric Slowik

provided the most wonderful activity of making tie-dyed tee shirts. They were a total hit with all the students! Donna and Mary hope you will join the team on their next trip, May 10-16, 2015.

Creating Safe PathsMcCurdy

For more information on McCurdy Ministries, please contact Mary Engelhardt at 734.663.0604 or Donna Sutton at 248.545.1752