Introduced at the 2012 Rocky Mountain Annual Conference,
the United Methodist effort to rid the world of deadly malaria is now underway
in congregations throughout the conference.
Bishop Elaine led a team of RMC clergy and laity to Angola in October to
deliver, dedicate, and distribute 9,000 treated mosquito nets. Visit ImagineNoMalaria.org
for pictures and stories. Also, see the
full-page INM piece in the Nov.-Dec. Interpreter, p. 11.
Begun as Nothing But Nets in 2006, the INM effort has a
goal to raise $75 million by World Malaria Day 2014. Over $23 million has already been
received. The RMC INM Steering Team has
set a Miracle Goal of $1.2 million to be given by the 64,000+ members of the
congregations in the conference. Team
co-chairs Robin Ball, Chair of the Conference Board of Global Ministries from
Pagosa Springs, and Michael Dent, pastor of Trinity UMC in Denver, point out
that if each member gave just $20 over the next 20 months ($1/month), we will
reach the top goal.
Resources, information, DVDs, wrist bands, and other
materials to support local church campaign efforts are available at the website
above or through Tiffany Fletcher in the RMC office, at tfletcher@umcom.org. Other members of the steering team include
malaria expert Becky Buxton of Salt Lake City, Conference Co-Lay Leader Kunle
Taiwo of Denver, and RMC Mission Director Youngsook Kang.
When the campaign was announced at the recent orders’
retreat, the Fellowship of Local Pastors immediately gave $300 to lead the
way. A visitor to Trinity Church in
Denver gave a generous gift the week the campaign was announced because her
father had malaria in World War II.
To learn more about the goals, growth, partners,
progress, facts about malaria, methods and resources of the RMC INM campaign, click here. Every pastor and every local
church is encouraged to commit to save the lives of children though this vital
effort.
