Report from Team Susan...

Team Susan (and Gabe) are working to get the underpinning board level today.   The weather is 83 and humid.
Can you find Andrew, Emma, Alexis, Liz, or Logan?   That was team Susan/Gabe before they left Valparaiso. 

Snippets from ASP...

Here are a few of the details for the creature comforts.

• They are living in an old school that was used for offices on indoor/outdoor carpet.
• There are about 30 females using 2 bathrooms.   (1 had a backed up toilet.)
• There are about 40 males living on the 2nd floor living near the 3 showers which are open 5:00 am -10:00 pm.  Males use the shower area on the hour and the females use the showers on the 1/2 hour. 
• The floor is hard!!!! (Even with a sleeping pad.)  

  

  Home away from home.

    

  

  Blurry may be the best way to check out the girls sleeping areas.  Can you imagine
  the Thursday night view?  

Our Mission Council is all about...

This is the theme graphic for the Indiana Conference Mission Team.
It also fits for us.  

Valparaiso 1st has a mission council to help coordinate the mission outreach of our church.   The components of the council are the following 4 groups Hilltop Ministries, Breakfast Club, Local Missions, and National/International Missions.   The Council also includes representatives of the youth, children, United Methodist Women and United Methodist Men.  All of these groups have a focus of mission outreach so we hope to keep one another in
formed and working together. 
In recent years the Council has had an $8,000 budget to help with the basics of the four main groups.  This means part of the work that we do is because all those who pay a pledge to the church are supporting the specific mission outreach groups.    This year since the overall church budget was tight, the Mission Council budget was cut to $6,000.    Thus for Local Mission to be the mission focus for June was to help cover that short fall.     Thanks to all who have supported the June Mission giving.   Your gifts will be used to support the many programs of our church that involve many volunteers in and around our community.     

Day 2 of ASP Mission Team

They have arrived in Jeff, Kentucky around 2:00 Eastern time.   Unpacking, being involved in orientation, meeting other youth from two other churches, and getting organized is the order of the day...all are important in getting off to a good start for any mission trip. 

Vans are lined up, luggage is loaded and they are
heading out.  

Yesterday they worked around the travel day with one van not having air conditioning. Brett's solution was to draw chips and "let the chips fall where they may" for assigning seats in cool van and not cool van.   

Not sure how it happened but for the travel today both vans  had AC in working order.  We don't ask questions when things are working.  YEAH!!

Thanks Susan Larson for the updates. 

 

 

Loading instructions...keep an eye on the blue cap!!

On Their Way

They are packed, loaded and on their way to Jeff, Kentucky. 

Good to have a shot of the whole group.   Do you find the 8 "youthful" adults ready to take on 19 youth for the next 10 days?  We can see who are morning people and who are just not quite ready for socializing. Carter, might be a morning person!!
Mike Wuebbling is really ready to keep the team on schedule with his hat positioned for "Listen up". 
Thanks John for the photo.   Enjoy the ride.  

ASP Team countdown...schedule update

The ASP mission team will have breakfast at Asbury Center early Saturday morning for a 7:00 a.m. departure following breakfast prepared by Chris Stewart and Deb Wuebbling.  Send off is a great time to be around so feel free to join the families as they bless the team and their mission in the parking lot just before departure. 

June 26 was suggested as the day that you should have written and mailed notes of support to the team.   See the previous post for the address.

Prayers for the next 10 days are also very welcome.  

Abbreviated schedule for the week. 

They will drive to Indy to pick up a bus and van and on to Lexington, KY, the Wesley Center at University of Kentucky.  They will be eating dinner at Tammy Scheibel's cousins house, then going to an evening worship service.( or vise versa) 

Sunday morning they drive to Jeff, KY  to the facility that will be their home for the week.   They need to check in at 1:30 p.m. to begin orientation and get specific home/family assignment.  Monday morning up bright and early for a week of work.  

On Saturday July 5th they begin their trip home stopping briefly in Newport, KY for a visit to the Newport Aquarium, and on to St. Luke's United Methodist Church on the north side of Indianapolis to spend the evening while returning the rented vehicles.  Sunday worship at St. Luke's and back home before sundown will round out the 9 day experience.

 

Commissioned and Ready to Serve

Too many to get in one photo so looking left to right...here we go.  What was
needed was a third photo.   We missed some youthful adults on the end.    

Mike Wuebbling introduces the team to the congregation. 

Twenty-seven strong...youth and youthful adults were blessed and sent out to serve at Valparaiso 1st UMC today.   They depart on Saturday, June 28 for Kentucky and the ASP projects that have been planned for the team.  

Some people have picked up cards and are assigned a prayer partner.  They have their instructions.    However if you'd like to be a prayer warrior for this team, please write a note of support and get it in the mail on or before June 26.  Let the team know that you are thinking of them and praying for them and the family for which they are partnering.  

Send cards/notes to:

Valparaiso 1st Mission Team
ASP General Delivery
Jeff, KY  41751

Kids (and a few adult kids) are counting down to Kentucky

It's not too late to get behind the Youth and some not so young but youthful adults who will soon leave Valparaiso for Kentucky to participate in an Appalachian Service Project mission experience.   Years ago our church empowered volunteers in the Appalachian area to serve with respect and an openness to understand the cultural differences.   Fond memories of a life experience never fade for those youth who are now youthful adults.   Your prayers and good wishes are always welcome for our 2014 team.   Check the ASP display between services to show your support. 

ASP is a great way to extend a hand to those living in poverty in the Appalachian Mountains.   ASP is an organization recognized by the United Methodist Church as one who "does it right".  They are listed as an Advance Special project #982050.  They have partnered with local people and business to give real assistance to those living in poverty since 1969.  This ministry was started by a United Methodist Pastor "Tex" Evans during the time he worked at Henderson Settlement (another project of the United Methodist Church).    ASP staff works long before a team arrives with the family to determine what is needed to make their home more livable and does the necessary follow-up once the team has departed for home.   ASP staff carefully selects homes either own by the family or if rental makes sure that once the home is improved that the family may continue to live there for a reasonable amount of time without rent increases or pressure to move out.  The goal is to make the house warmer in winter, safer than it currently stands, and drier after a mountain storm and in the process to meet new friends in Christ.   

If you'd like to check out ASP just click here.   Thanks again for supporting the youth/youthful adult team leaving June 27 and will be home on July 6.  

Volunteers needed in East Chicago

A building is being prepared for the new Hispanic Ministry in East Chicago, IN.  Years ago the Methodist Church had a presence there under Oscar Carrasco.   After he left our conference to pastor in Northern Illinois Conference, the church closed its doors.  Once again Indiana Conference has Hispanic leadership in the area and we are about to launch a new church.  

 

We are looking for a few volunteers to finish Phase 1 by June 29th.    Pastor and volunteer, volunteer supervisor Esequiel Berecca would love to hear from anyone who might be able to donate some time to getting the facility ready for inspection to obtain the occupancy permit.  Phase 1 consists of laying tile or vinyl floor,  dropping the ceiling on the first floor, and doing a bit of updating on the electrical.  

 

If you can help, please contact Pastor Berecca at 219 808-8080 or manna5@att.net .   Pastor Berecca has construction experience and has been doing most of the work himself so let's give him a hand and most of all encouragement that the June 29th deadline will be met. 

 

  

Indiana's Annual Conference of the UMC

Just returning from Indiana's Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and what a surprise we had to see the ministry that has been our focus for May being highlighted at the Laity Luncheon.   Check out this 4 minute video to see for yourself  why the Upper Room Recovery Community is such a great ministry.   Click here.   In the middle of this web page is a video... Just press play.   South Bend 1st UMC embraces homeless men in their recovery from addiction.   Thanks for your support of this fine ministry. 

UPDATE:   We are able to send $1,000 to the Upper Room Recovery Community thanks to all who supported the Mission Offering this month.  

In March our focus was Midwest Mission Distribution Center (because we sent a team there) and $878 was sent to support the construction of another building at the depot.  Thanks for all your support.