A Prayer for Christmastide

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Yes, the one big day of gifts and feasting is over for most of us, but in the Christian calendar, Christmas lasts for 12 days, until we celebrate the arrival of the wise ones with Epiphany on January 6.

If you haven't seen it yet, make sure to check out this great brief video created by Imagine No Malaria staff in Iowa, Missouri, and Holston Conferences - consider showing it in worship this Sunday or next! As we keep our hearts and minds focused on the gifts of Christmas in the coming days, I offer this Prayer for Christmastide:   

God of blazing galaxies and blades of grass,
     Creator of worlds and healer of wounds,
we give you thanks once more for the gifts of Christmas:
     For Jesus, the baby who grew up to proclaim your blessing on the poor
          and your boundary-breaking plan to redeem all people by love;
     for Mary and Joseph, who risked security and social standing
          to say yes to your invitation to parent that Holy Child;
     for the shepherds, and all who work and watch by night,
          who were awake to hear the angels’ chorus
          and were willing to go and see what they had been told;
     for the Magi, who were wise in the ways of heaven and earth,
          paying attention, bearing gifts and returning home by another way.
Open our ears to hear your voice
     proclaiming wonders and new worlds being birthed;
open our eyes to see your signs
     blazing brightly overhead or quietly resting in mother’s arms;
open our hearts to new ways of loving, new ways of living
     that continue the gift of the Incarnation
     by letting your Word of Love become flesh in us once more;
open our hands to reach out in generosity and care,
     to work for justice and to touch with compassion,
that the world may know you are still Emmanuel,
     God-with-us,
     living within and among us
     in this time and place.
In the name of the babe in the manger,
     our Friend and Teacher,
     Healer and Savior,
     Jesus the Christ,
     we pray.
Amen.

Rev. Kerry Greenhill ©2013

May Christ be born anew in your life this year!

The UMC and the Global Fund: a unique voice at the table

Bishop Bickerton Reports on UMC Leadership Role
at the International 4th Global Fund Replenishment Conference,
December 2013

Pittsburgh Area Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, chair of the UMC's Global Health Initiative, shared the following report and his statement from the Global Fund Replenishment Conference with United Methodist Church leadership.  He shares it now with leadership in the Imagine No Malaria Campaign.

Dear Friends & Colleagues,

On Monday and Tuesday of this week I had the privilege of representing the people of The United Methodist Church at the 4th Global Fund Replenishment Conference in Washington, D.C.  This conference gathered under the theme “No Time to Lose: Sharing the Responsibility to Save Lives.”  This conference gathered representatives from across the world to share their commitment to the ongoing global fight against HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.

During the conference, these representatives sat at tables, each taking their respective turn in making a pledge from their organization.  China made their pledge.  So did Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, France, India, and the Netherlands.  Country after country took the microphone and made their pledge for the 2014-2016 cycle.  It was then that Nafsiah Mboi, the Indonesia Minister of Health and the Chair of the Global Fund Board said these words, “I now call upon the representative from The United Methodist Church.”
 
Our church sat with government and private sector representatives as the only faith-based partner at the table in the collaborative fight against HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria.  There is no doubt that there are other faith-based organizations that are working to eliminate killer diseases.  But we are the only ones that are pledging our resources, both financial and personnel, in a joint fight with governments and the private sector. 
 
After a while in the pledging conference, persons began looking at their cell phones and notes.  But when the United Methodist Church was named, all eyes turned our way.  It was a different voice, a different organization, a different pledge of commitment.  There is no doubt that as a faith-based partner, we play a critical role on the world scene in this ongoing fight to eliminate killer diseases.  We may not have the pledging capacity of a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  We may not have the power of a large country.  But what we do have is an understanding of the local communities and villages that benefit from this collaborative effort.  What we do have is a relationship with people through traditional birth attendants, rural clinics, and hospitals.  What we do have is something a government or a private sector contributor does not have: the trust of the people.  Often we underestimate our worth.  We will not eliminate the killer diseases on our own.  But today it was very evident that the killer diseases will not be eliminated without us.  We are an essential piece in the puzzle of making the world a healthier place for all God’s children.

Below are the remarks I was privileged to share on your behalf and on behalf of all of our people.  In the midst of ongoing conflict and controversy within our church and throughout the world, there is a unifying effort taking place which requires everyone’s participation, even ours.  Today I was proud to be a United Methodist Christian.  As I left the meeting today I said a simple prayer, “Thank you God for letting me be a part of such a great church.”  I hope that this can be your prayer as well.
 
The Journey Continues,
 
Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton

Global Fund Replenishment Conference

Washington, D.C.

Pledging Remarks

Let me say a genuine word of gratitude on behalf of the people of The United Methodist church to the Global Fund for the opportunity to participate in this very important conference.

The United Methodist Church – with eleven and a half million members in the United States, Africa, Europe, and the Philippines currently has a campaign which is a holistic approach to fight malaria called “Imagine NO Malaria.”  Our goal is to raise $75 million dollars for this fight against malaria.  Part of the proceeds from this campaign is going to strengthen our United Methodist hospitals and clinics in Africa.  Another portion is going to the Global Fund.  The United Methodist Church has already contributed $8.1 million dollars to the Global Fund.  Based on the anticipated successful fundraising campaign of $75 million dollars, today The United Methodist Church is pledging another $19.9 million dollars to the Global Fund over the next three years.  This will bring our total contribution to $28 million dollars.

The United Methodist Church is the first faith-based organization to directly support the work of the Global Fund.  We are fully aware that collaboration among the governments and private sector partners around this table is a key in this fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.  None of us can eliminate these diseases of poverty on our own.

The United Methodist Church has developed health initiatives in Africa for more than a hundred years.  We provide clinics, hospitals, and community-based health services without regard to race, religion, or political creed.  This has been our calling and it is why we believe that support for indigenous health systems and infrastructures, especially on the continent of Africa, is essential to the success of the Global Fund.

As a church, we place great importance on community and faith-based health organizations and advocate for their role in the fight against HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria.  We are convinced that strategies developed on a national, or centralized level must also integrate and involve the local level, where solutions are often created and generated by local communities and people.  We want to make sure that partners such as local churches, mosques, temples, self-help groups, and schools are involved in meaningful ways in a country’s health coordination and service delivery.

Our financial commitment to the Global Fund is an affirmation of the efforts of faith-based organizations in the fight against HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria.  Churches and mosques exist in the smallest, most remote villages of sub-Saharan Africa.  Often they have no road access or electricity.  Yet, the church is there providing a significant presence and influence.  We are extremely committed to activating these community entities to support the Global Fund as well as national efforts to fight the diseases of poverty.  We believe that The United Methodist Church is in a unique position to see the challenges from both a global and local perspective, which is why we joyfully contribute to the Global Fund and also continue our church and community-based health services. We are committed to the promotion of the Global Fund in our churches around the world and continue to stand as a ready partner in delivering health services to the people who need it most.

More than 40% of the health infrastructure in Africa is run by faith organizations.  It is only in close cooperation with those systems that the Global Fund can make a difference.

I would ask all of the Global Fund sponsors and donors to work with the faith-based organizations and the civil society in eliminating deaths from HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria.  We are convinced that a collaborative effort is the right way at this place in history.  It is in a spirit of hope and partnership that we continue our pledge of $28 million dollars.

Thank you.

Giving Tuesday reminder & Rocky Mountain Conference progress

Today, December 3, is Giving Tuesday, a day to give back to ministries and causes around the world after what is for many an intense weekend of spending on Christmas gifts. Today only, gifts made to United Methodist projects like Imagine No Malaria are being matched by the Advance, which means your dollar counts for double when you give through this site:

http://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/Search-for-Projects/Projects/3021190

And in case you haven't heard, we are making great progress in the Rocky Mountain Conference toward our goal of raising $1.2 million toward the global effort to end preventable deaths from malaria. As of early November, we had gifts, pledges, and church goals totaling $698,000 - about 58% of the way - and we have received several more since then that we are still processing!

Thank you to all the Ambassadors, Organizers, pastors, lay leaders, and other advocates who are helping raise awareness across the Rocky Mountain region of the great need and tremendous opportunity we have to end preventable deaths from malaria in our lifetime!

Fundraising Thermometer by:
Provided by Easy Fundraising Ideas

What we have accomplished

Since Imagine No Malaria first launched in 2010, we have funded anti-malaria programs and public health infrastructure in the areas of education, communication, prevention, and treatment in 16 countries in Africa. Just in 2012-2013, 12 United Methodist conferences in Africa have received grants to fund training, nets, medications, supplies, and more.

A new handout, the "Snapshot of Activity," breaks down not only how much we've raised and how it is being spent, but how the grants are made in ways that ensure accountability and sustainability.

It's important to note that much of the $60 million that has been committed to the overall campaign consists of goals set by annual conferences and local churches: while we are confident that these funds will come in as promised, they are not yet in the form of cash in hand that can be spent out.

Download the Snapshot of Activity for all the details, including a success story from Sierra Leone, and share with your family, friends, neighbors, and congregation how their gifts continue to be put to good use to save lives and transform communities across Africa.

Advent & Holiday Giving Review

If you've been following the blog regularly, you already know about most of our Advent resources for worship and study, as well as Giving Tuesday. But in the interest of putting it all in one place (with a little less theological reflection to distract you from it than usual), I thought I'd run a quick review:

If you're making Imagine No Malaria a mission focus for Advent and Christmas:

• Check out these Advent Worship & Study Resources: includes Advent candle liturgy, prayers, sermon starters, and more
• Find weekly images, videos, crafts, and other files in this folder
• Use this bulletin insert for Christmas Eve (contact me if you want to edit the wording).

Best option for giving online to Imagine No Malaria next week:

• Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2013, when all gifts made at this page will be doubled by matching funds from the Advance, up to $10,000 per donor and a maximum of $50,000 per project. (Please note that where affiliation is indicated, your gifts will count toward church and conference goals, but the matching funds will count only toward the overall campaign goal of $75 million, not individual conferences or churches.)

Christmas gift options:

• Order a teddy bear, pajama pants, or bead bracelets made by artisans in Africa, and help support Imagine No Malaria as well as other health and economic development organizations with these fun and vibrant gifts.
• Host an Alternative Gifts Fair at your church to encourage giving that honors the child whose birth changed our world by helping to save and transform children's lives in Africa. Download the inserts that describe gifts at various levels from this folder.
• Make a gift in honor of family and friends at http://imaginenomalaria.org/donate - make sure to check the box to indicate your church or conference membership. When you give through this site, you can have your honoree notified by email or regular mail of your donation, in addition to these honor cards that you can download, print, and give to family and friends.

At Christmas, we honor the coming of the Christ child who transformed our world. Will you help save and transform the lives of children in Africa by making a gift to Imagine No Malaria this holiday season?

As always, please contact me, kerry [at] rmcumc.com, with any questions or if you need help getting other resources. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed entrance to the Advent season!

Giving Thanks, Giving Back

Next week is Thanksgiving, a time for celebrating the abundance of God's good gifts, especially time with family or friends, and often a table laden with rich foods. It is also a time when many people recognize how blessed they are and are moved to bless others through acts of generosity and kindness.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to be generous with the gifts and resources entrusted to us, sharing with those who have less so that all might have enough.

I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.

2 Corinthians 8:13 -14

The reports coming in from churches across the Rocky Mountain Conference demonstrate that we United Methodists take seriously this call to generosity, both out of a sense of gratitude and often from a sense of God's desire for economic justice as well. Thanks to your work so far, we have already received gifts and pledges totaling $700,000 - that's 58% of our goal!

In contrast, we are barraged by messages in the media that emphasize buying and spending more than ever at this time of year, with an increasing number of stores starting their "Black Friday" sales on Thanksgiving day, or even earlier online. In recent years, "Small Business Saturday" has joined "Cyber Monday"as a significant way to kick off the holiday shopping season. Of course, gift giving can be a fun and meaningful experience; we can participate in the marketplace and still be faithful Christians. But the more we tune in to commercialism, the more difficult it can become to stay grounded in our Source and Center and to keep our focus on the deeper meanings behind the season.

However, even in the midst of this frenzy of "more, bigger, newer, better," there are ways to live out the values of God's kin'dom. Consider including Imagine No Malaria in your charitable giving this holiday season, and give a gift that will transform lives. All of the usual giving channels are appropriate (the Donate link above, which takes you to the RMCUMC giving website; www.imaginenomalaria.org; or through your local church), but we have a special opportunity to make your gift go further on "Giving Tuesday," in two weeks.

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become one of the largest donation days of the year. Any gifts given online on Tuesday, December 3, will be DOUBLED through The Advance.

Local churches can be credited, and gifts can be made in honor or in memory of someone you love. To make your gift count double, make sure to give at this page on that day. (You can also click on the "Giving Tuesday" tab on this site, above and to the right, which will take you directly to the page.)

Learn more about The Advance at http://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/The-Advance.

Charge Conference Season

As a pastor friend of mine posted on Facebook recently, for United Methodist clergy and church leaders, this isn't yet the "holiday season"; it's "report season"! In our connectional system, each church (or charge, usually used if a pastor serves more than one church) where a pastor is appointed holds an annual business meeting to report to each other, to the district, and and to the (regional) conference office some of the highlights and challenges of ministry in the past year.

This includes lots of statistical and other numeric reporting - budgets, attendance, membership, baptisms, deaths, and so on - but also offers an opportunity for the church to practice telling its story about how God has been at work in and through the congregation. Not just, do we have enough money and do we have more or fewer people than in January, but also, how have we experienced the power of the risen Christ in our ministries? How are we responding to God's grace in our lives? How are we growing in the call to love our neighbor through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness? How is the kin'dom of God breaking through in our midst? And where might the Spirit be leading us in the coming year?

This year, one of the reports churches in the Rocky Mountain Conference will be asked to give is for Imagine No Malaria. District Superintendents (or their designated presiding elders) will be asking each church/charge to respond to 3 simple questions as part of their "holy business":

1. How many lives does your church plan to save? ($10 saves a life)
2. What progress have you made toward that goal? and 
3. What plans do you have between now and April 25, 2014? 

If your church has not yet set a formal goal, this is an excellent opportunity to have that conversation. (Download the Imagine No Malaria Report form here to be ready to respond at your church or charge conference.)

Churches will also have an opportunity to take up an offering for Imagine No Malaria during the charge conference. If individuals wish to make gifts or pledges, they have two options: they can give to/through the local church, or make checks and pledge forms out to the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMCUMC). We encourage churches to track pledges that will be paid off over time, but we are always happy to receive information about individual donors so we can acknowledge them at the conference level as well.

The Rocky Mountain Conference Steering Committee understands that many churches are facing financial challenges, and also that there are many worthy causes that United Methodists are asked to support. However, we believe strongly that Imagine No Malaria is a vital and urgent opportunity for all of us to put our faith into action as we join the global movement to end deaths from this preventable, treatable, and beatable disease. We can be part of making history as we empower the people of Africa to win a sustainable victory over malaria within our lifetimes, and to make a more abundant life possible for communities across the continent. I hope you'll join us!

Utah - we can't do it without U!

United Methodists in Utah have waited patiently all year for a chance to get all the details about Imagine No Malaria and how to join this extraordinary effort to save lives. Some churches have already jumped in and begun raising awareness and funds, while others are eager to learn more. Your wait is almost over!

Next week, I will be offering two training/information sessions in northern Utah - details are below. I regret that time constraints don't allow me to travel to all corners of the state, but I hope folks from several churches will be able to travel to join us in either Ogden or Sandy. I still plan to offer another webinar before the end of the year for those who have been unable to attend a training in person.
 
Imagine No Malaria: YOUtah Can Make It Happen!
It's time to GET INVOLVED!  Learn more about Imagine No Malaria and how you can help save lives. This training/information session begins with a detailed overview of the extraordinary effort by the people of The United Methodist Church to end deaths from malaria in Africa. You will then learn ways to engage your church and community, as well as some of the different volunteer opportunities available. (Attending a training does not obligate you to take on any specific role!)

When & Where:Friday, November 8 at 6:30pm: Community UMC, Ogden
Saturday, November 9 at 10:30am: Hilltop UMC, Sandy
Who:

These trainings are appropriate for anyone who wants to learn more about Imagine No Malaria, as well as for those who want to lead efforts in the local church or volunteer at the district level.

RSVP:
Please email Kerry Greenhill (Kerry@rmcumc.com) by 9am on Wednesday, November 6 to make sure we have enough materials.

Hope to see you soon!

Engaging young people around the world

Students in Anya Greenhill's
Year 12 Geography class,
East Doncaster Secondary College

In September, I (Rev. Kerry Greenhill, Field Coordinator) had an opportunity to talk about Imagine No Malaria with the very bright and engaged students of a 12th-grade Geography class in Australia. My cousin's wife, Anya Greenhill, is a teacher at East Doncaster Secondary College, and she decided to spend their final unit of the school year (which runs January to December) on malaria.

The wonders of 21st-century communication technology (Skype) allowed me to give a 15-minute presentation about the challenge of malaria in Africa, and how the people of The United Methodist Church are responding through Imagine No Malaria, and then spend another 30 minutes or so answering questions from students.

It was an excellent experience, in spite of some minor challenges in volume levels, and as I have found to be true in other settings, the young people asked questions that were every bit as insightful and probing as questions asked by adults. They had done their homework in researching both the topic of malaria and some of the background of Imagine No Malaria, and we had what I experienced as a thoughtful conversation across the thousands of miles of Pacific Ocean that separate us. Anya has set a goal to invite them to get involved in the global fight against malaria in one way or another, and it was clear that they are well on their way.

If you are a teacher or otherwise connected with a local school in some way, consider whether it might be possible to invite the students, faculty, and community to join you in learning more about malaria and in taking action to end preventable deaths from this killer disease of poverty. I'd be glad to offer support and resources (as soon as I return from vacation on Oct. 24) - just send me an email or give me a call at the Rocky Mountain Conference office!

Advent is coming!

Advent is coming! Yes, it's just October, but we know many pastors and congregations like to plan ahead.

Advent worship resources (prayers, wreath liturgy, Bible study, and sermon starters) are now available! Download the file here.

And in a couple weeks, we'll have information about some adorable teddy bears and pajamas you can order as Christmas gifts that also benefit Imagine No Malaria.

Meanwhile, start letting friends and family know that if they want to make a one-time gift to Imagine No Malaria, consider doing so on Giving Tuesday, December 3. We recently learned that The Advance will MATCH EVERY GIFT made through their website on that day! Local churches can be credited, and gifts can be made in honor or in memory of someone. To make your gift count double, make sure to give at this page on that day. (You can also click on the "Giving Tuesday" tab on this site, above and to the right, which will take you directly to the page.)

If you haven't heard much about The Advance before, it's just one of the channels for giving to important United Methodist projects around the world like Imagine No Malaria:

The Advance is an official program of The United Methodist Church for voluntary, designated, second-mile giving. Through The Advance, United Methodist annual conferences, districts, local churches, and organizations, as well as individuals and families, may choose to support mission programs or mission personnel with their financial gifts. Each Advance project has been vetted and approved by Global Ministries and Advance staff.

The Advance is an official program of The United Methodist Church for voluntary, designated, second-mile giving. Through The Advance, United Methodist annual conferences, districts, local churches, and organizations, as well as individuals and families, may choose to support mission programs or mission personnel with their financial gifts. Each Advance project has been vetted and approved by Global Ministries and Advance staff. - See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/The-Advance#sthash.G2gKyixd.dpuf

Learn more at http://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/The-Advance.

Stay tuned for updates on these great Advent and Christmas resources!

Greeley Training Sep. 18: Confirmed

Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have lost loved ones, homes, livelihoods, pets, or belongings in the flooding this past week. May you know God's love and grace through the caring of others, even in the midst of grief.

In case you haven't seen it already, you can get updates on how churches across the affected area are doing, and how you can help, at http://rmcumc.org/COfloods.

AND, even knowing that many in the district have much more pressing concerns right now, we are going ahead with tomorrow night's training/information session at First UMC in Greeley: 6:30pm on Wednesday, September 18; address is 917 10th Ave, Greeley CO 80631.


The main roads into town (25, 85, 34) are all open, the church is high and dry, and for those who are able to get there, we will continue the work of educating, advocating, raising funds and engaging community on behalf of our sisters and brothers who suffer from malaria in Africa.

There is still room for more to join us if you have been thinking about it and are available; email kerry (at) rmcumc.com or comment here to let me know if you're coming.

Cheyenne Challenge

As an addition to last week's Progress Update & round-up of creative plans, I have to share this video made by the UMC pastors in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was the funniest thing to come through my inbox last week.

The five pastors of the four UMCs in Cheyenne have put together not just a local fundraising challenge/competition, but also scripted, performed, filmed, and edited the first in what will be a series of 3 videos in which they discuss Imagine No Malaria in character as old-time frontier folks. Enjoy, and feel free to share as an inspiration for others!

Imagine No Malaria - Cheyenne UMC Challenge

Progress Update & Creative Plans

Thanks to the churches and individuals that have given, pledged, or set goals since Annual Conference, we continue to make tremendous progress toward our fundraising goals:

• The overall Imagine No Malaria campaign has raised $53 million in gifts and pledges toward its total goal of $75 million. 
• Rocky Mountain Conference has received gifts, pledges, and church goals totaling $594,121 so far, which puts us at 49.5% of our goal! 
• This includes an individual matching gift of $50,000 from a donor affiliated with a Denver-area church, and another $45,500 committed by members of that church toward the matched amount so far!

Churches are also making plans to Advocate, Raise Funds, and Engage Community in all kinds of creative ways, including:

Cameron UMC volunteers with Kunle Taiwo, Sarah and Kristi
Kinnison, at the (Denver) South Pearl Street Farmer's Market

• Hosting Imagine No Malaria as part of their booth at the weekly farmer's market (Cameron Church, Denver)
• A knit/crochet-a-thon at Platteville UMC
• Donations from an annual Trunk or Treat event, plus a "Whack a Mosquito" activity involving beating up an old car (First UMC, Longmont)
• Benefit concerts featuring church and/or community musicians (Mountain View, Boulder; Good Shepherd, Thornton)
• A Western Slope youth camp-out where participants have to solve real-life problems as family groups based on assigned identities and circumstances faced by families in Africa

I know many other churches are planning creative and exciting activities - please email me at kerry [at] rmcumc.com to share your story, along with any photos or videos you may take!

And if you want to learn more about how to get involved, consider joining us for one of the following training/information sessions (see full list here):

August 29	Thursday	6:30pm	Hope UMC, Greenwood Village, CO
September 12	Thursday	6:00pm	First UMC, Durango, CO
September 13	Friday	6:30pm	Hotchkiss UMC, Hotchkiss, CO
September 18	Wednesday	6:30pm	First UMC, Greeley, CO

Together, we are transforming and saving lives!

Advocate: Lift up your voice!

The need to not only sustain but increase global funding for malaria control efforts is tremendous. The United Methodist Church will raise $75 million by 2015, a major undertaking for our denomination. But the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that a total of $5.1 billion is needed each year in order to continue making progress against the disease. Read more about the need in this WHO report.

As Katie Dawson, Iowa Field Coordinator for Imagine No Malaria, explains,

While the money we raise with Imagine No Malaria makes a huge impact, one of the things you can DO to help our effort is to advocate for global health funds from our U.S. government.

The budgets from the President, House and Senate for 2014 all include $1.65 billion for the Global Fund and between $650-670 million for the President's Malaria Initiative.

Those funds are available for our United Methodist conferences in Africa, our health boards, our hospitals and clinics to receive through grants. Because of our work raising funds and our incredible distribution and connection on the ground, we are a voice at the table with the Global Fund.

Talk to YOUR legislator in support of funding for global health in the budget to help save lives.

Some 100 anti-malaria advocates visited Capitol Hill in
December 2012 to speak to legislators about global health
funding.

While phone calls and hand-written letters still have the greatest impact in conveying how important the topic is to you, you can also sign an online petition in about a minute at the General Board of Church and Society's "Take Action" site.

Proverbs 31:8-9 offers this instruction (from The Message paraphrase by Eugene Peterson):

“Speak up for the people who have no voice,
    for the rights of all the down-and-outers.
Speak out for justice!
    Stand up for the poor and destitute!”

How will you lift up your voice on behalf of those who have no voice? Join us in advocating for global health funding to fight malaria!

We are making progress - and the need continues!

In the last month or so, two very different news reports regarding the fight against malaria have received significant attention.

First, in July, the BBC and Public Radio International aired a story (Bed Nets for Malaria: Losing the Arms Race?) that raised serious questions about whether bed nets were making genuine and sustainable progress in reducing malaria infections, because mosquitoes in some areas were shown to be developing resistance to the primary insecticide with which the nets are treated.

Rev. Larry Hollon, General Secretary of United Methodist Communications, wrote a thoughtful response to the questions raised in the BBC article. Rev. Hollon contended that malaria experts had long anticipated the problems now being observed, and that this evidence demonstrates the importance of a more comprehensive, holistic approach to eradicating malaria. This is one of many reasons that Imagine No Malaria goes beyond just bed nets to include other methods of prevention, alongside diagnosis and treatment, education, and communication strategies.

Then last week, CNN.com reported on a breakthrough in U.S. efforts to develop a malaria vaccine. A study conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on a vaccine developed by Maryland-based company Sanaria showed highly promising results, but the initial trials were quite small, involving just 57 volunteers, and more extensive field testing is required before the drug can be considered scientifically proven in order to be approved for distribution - a process that could take 5-10 years. 

This development is very encouraging in thinking about the big picture of preventing malaria infections in future, although the requirement to receive five intravenous doses of the vaccine could make it difficult to administer widely in areas of very low incomes and lack of infrastructure like roads. Other researchers around the world are working on different approaches to a vaccine (see, for example, this CDC page.) However, the length of time before these vaccines come on the market, even if they prove very successful, makes it all the more important that we keep up our efforts to reduce malaria infections through prevention and education, and to relieve suffering through diagnosis and treatment.

Ending deaths from malaria in Africa is no small undertaking. This disease has been a scourge of humanity for thousands of years, but we know that it can be done because it has been done in the United States and other developed countries. What is needed to accomplish the same goal in Africa is, quite simply, the will to dedicate resources to ease the suffering of the poor who cannot otherwise afford quality health care, in order to enable more families, more communities, more nations to live life to the fullest - something that Jesus cared quite a bit about.

You can donate to Imagine No Malaria here or here, or text MALARIA RMC to 27722 to give $10. Thanks for helping us save lives!

Schedule of Training/Information Sessions

I'm having some trouble getting the permanent page for the schedule of volunteer trainings/information sessions to display in the header, so here's a big ol' link:

Training/Information Sessions

Hope you can join us in person this summer or fall, or perhaps even tomorrow at 11am via Webinar!

Webinar: YOU can make it happen!

Join us for a webinar on Wednesday, July 31, at 11am MDT:

Imagine No Malaria: YOU can make this happen!

It's time to GET INVOLVED!  Learn more about Imagine No Malaria. This informative webinar will begin with a detailed overview of this extraordinary effort to end deaths from malaria in Africa. You will then learn ways to engage your church and community, as well as some of the different volunteer opportunities available. (Attending a training does not obligate you to take on any specific role!)

Rev. Kerry Greenhill, Field
Coordinator (on the left!),
will present this training/
information session.

Title: Imagine No Malaria - YOU can make this happen!
Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM MDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Mac®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.6 or newer
 
Mobile attendees
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Equip & Empower

One of the things I love about The United Methodist Church and our approach to mission and service work is that we really strive to go beyond a simple 'charity' approach. What I mean by that is we don't simply drop off supplies or funds to people in need and go home. Nor do we come in with a strict, cookie-cutter plan for how relief or development work should happen. Rather, through the United Methodist Committee on Relief and other agencies, we seek to partner with the people with whom we are in ministry.

Young people in Nigeria help educate their community
about malaria

We take time to listen to their needs, concerns, hopes, and strengths, and to learn from those living the experience what will be most helpful. And we work with local leaders to develop a plan that not only alleviates immediate suffering, but also builds capacity for the long term. Our goal is to equip and empower people in need to first become part of the solution and ultimately to chart their own future.

That's exactly what Imagine No Malaria is doing with the 16 African countries where Health Boards have been established and trained in economic sustainability for health care institutions. After learning best practices in planning fee structures, grant writing, and similar topics, members of the Health Boards - many of whom are health care providers themselves - have the opportunity to write grant proposals to the General Board of Global Ministries (UMC) and to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

Since 40-60% of health care in Africa comes from faith-based organizations (depending on the country), this work of equipping and empowering local leaders to pursue infrastructure development is vital--not only to reduce deaths from malaria, but also to increase opportunities for abundant life along a variety of measures. These leaders can share their knowledge and skills with colleagues and neighbors, who can then pursue similar improvements in education, nutrition, overall child and maternal health, economic development, and other areas.

Rev. Kerry Greenhill leading a workshop
at First UMC, Limon, CO

And on the flip side of the initiative, we are also working to equip and empower individuals and congregations across the United States to become advocates and leaders in the fight against malaria here. If you want to get involved - and invite your church or community to join you - in this extraordinary effort to save lives and offer hope and healing in Christ's name, contact me, Kerry Greenhill, Field Coordinator, today: 303-733-3736 x152, or kerry@rmcumc.com. I'm currently scheduling volunteer trainings for summer and fall, and will make sure you get the information you need about training opportunities in your area.

Here is a tentative schedule of trainings over the next three months (subject to change, but updated here when they do); each training will last approximately 2 hours:

Date         Day             Time         Location
July 31    Wednesday   11am       Webinar (online/anywhere)
Aug 6     Tuesday        6:30pm     Highlands UMC, Denver    CO
Aug 10    Saturday       10am       First UMC, Pueblo, CO
Aug 29   Thursday      6:30pm    Hope UMC, Greenwood Village, CO
Sep 12    Thursday      6pm        Durango, CO
Sep 13    Friday           6:30pm     Hotchkiss, CO           
Sep 14    Saturday       2pm          Meeker, CO (UMW District Mtg)
Sep 18    Wednesday   6:30pm     First UMC, Greeley    CO

Sep 28    Saturday       10am        First UMC, Casper, WY
Sep 29    Sunday          4pm         First UMC, Cheyenne, WY

I am still hoping to add one or two Colorado trainings the week of August 26, and a trip to Utah sometime this fall! Hope to see you sometime soon as we equip and empower one another to proclaim the good news of God's desire for abundant life for all people!

Children saving children's lives

Rev. Dr. Leanne Hadley, Misty the Mosquito, and
Rev. Kerry Greenhill

Last week I had the privilege of visiting the final day of Vacation Bible School (VBS) for First UMC of Colorado Springs. Along with several other churches in our conference, First UMC chose to make Imagine No Malaria a mission and curriculum focus for their summer children's program - I only wish I could have had time (and perhaps a teleporter) to visit them all!

Rev. Dr. Leanne Hadley, Minister to Children and their Families, planned four days of learning, singing, and craft activities around this extraordinary effort by the people of The United Methodist church to end deaths and suffering from malaria in Africa.

Each morning, a human-sized mosquito named Skeeter arrived during the opening session to try to cut or blast holes in a mosquito net up front. On the final morning, Skeeter, with the support and encouragement of the 150 children in the sanctuary, decided not to try to bite children any more, but to become a "fruitatarian"!

Throughout the morning, children in each age group had the opportunity to work on different kinds of crafts, all of which would eventually be put on sale to the congregation through the "Imagine No Malaria Marketplace." Products ranged from tile coasters to headbands and other hair accessories, from wooden birdhouses and squirrel feeders (painstakingly prepared by a volunteer for the older children to assemble) to silverware wind chimes and hand-dyed silk scarves.

In the closing session on Thursday, guests from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo brought in some African animals for the children to see up close. No, there was no live lion in the church building, but a lizard, a salamander, and a vinegaroon (like a scorpion but spits vinegar instead of stinging with its tail) made appearances, and the children were also able to touch the pelts of a lion and a zebra that had died of old age at the zoo.

VBS participants also learned an African song to which they tapped wooden sticks (dowels) in unison to get a feel for the rhythms of Africa, and a driving dance beat with a chant of "No more mosquitoes, no more malaria!"

Rev. Hadley describes her enthusiasm for the mission:

"One of my volunteers called me a few days before VBS began and said, 'Can you imagine the day when our kids open the Gazette and the headline says, 'Malaria is No More'? They will never forget this VBS because they are truly making a difference in the world, in the name of Christ!' And he is right! You know that one of the reasons young people leave the church today is because they say it has no direct connection to real life... well, curing malaria is a direct connection to real life. I just can't wait for the day when we can tell the kids that malaria has been eliminated and that the work they did made a difference!"

Some children were going above and beyond making crafts for sale to members of the congregation, bringing in bags of change to add to the offering. One little girl made her own bead necklaces at home and brought them in to be added to the marketplace, and all of the children were bursting with pride at the chance to ask their parents to buy the items they had made. In the six days since VBS concluded, First UMC has already raised $5,143.00 through the Imagine No Malaria Marketplace!

Rev. Hadley is more than happy to share ideas, mosquito skit scripts, and stories with any church that would like to know more or adapt this approach. Of course, not every church has 150 children in VBS, or the resources available in larger congregations. But every church can find a way to introduce this mission of saving lives to members of all ages, and when presented with creativity and passion, we may find that the children are the ones who lead us to save the lives of other children! Let's find out what happens when we allow God to work through us to Imagine No Malaria and make that vision a reality!