Rocky Mountain Conference Receives $500,000 Gift Toward Imagine No Malaria

On April 25, World Malaria Day - the date we set as our deadline to raise $1.2 million in commitments for Imagine No Malaria - we announced a very special gift from Jerre and Mary Joy Stead. Their tremendous generosity has allowed us to reach our goal (and then some!) of saving 120,000 lives from malaria through comprehensive prevention, education, treatment, and communication strategies.

Read the full press release here: http://rmcumc.org/new/component/content/article/436.html

We are thrilled to have reached our goal, but we know that the work is not finished yet - many churches are still raising funds toward the goals they set, individuals are still fulfilling their pledges, and many communities have not yet heard about the danger that malaria poses to billions of people around the world, or the opportunity we have to help end deaths from malaria in Africa in our lifetime. Please help us continue raising awareness, inviting generosity, and advocating for a healthier future and more abundant life for our sisters and brothers in God's family. Thank you for your part in this extraordinary effort to put our faith into action!

Growing up in Kenya: the personal impact of malaria

Pastor Alice Koech grew up in Kenya, and has several personal experiences of malaria that drive her enthusiasm for the United Methodist Church's response through Imagine No Malaria. Hear her story in her own words:

The science of Imagine No Malaria (part 3)

Note: This post was scheduled to be published in  March 2014. Apologies to anyone who went looking for it and got error messages!

Professor Rebecca Buxton wraps up her discussion of the science of malaria with some more information about bed nets, insecticides, and the big picture of ending deaths from malaria in Africa.

Watch Part 1 or Part 2 of this video series.

The science of Imagine No Malaria (part 2)

Note: This post was scheduled to be published in  March 2014. Apologies to anyone who went looking for it and got error messages!

Professor Becky Buxton continues her discussion of the science of malaria with a focus on vaccines and treatment, both the challenges that exist and the progress that is being made - and why it's so important to take action now.

Watch Part 1 or Part 3 of this video series.

The science of Imagine No Malaria (part 1)

Rebecca Buxton is Professor of Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Utah and a member of the Rocky Mountain Conference Steering Committee for Imagine No Malaria.

In this first video segment (of three), she explains how she got involved with Imagine No Malaria, what malaria is, and how it affects the human body.

Imagine No Malaria's Impact

Imagine No Malaria is having a tremendous impact in 16 African countries, and this new infographic lays out all the ways we are saving - and changing - lives.

Conference Planning Season

The Mission Banquet focusing on Imagine No Malaria at
Rocky Mountain Annual Conference 2013

It's still winter outside, but annual conference planning season is well underway. You have probably already heard that this year's session for Rocky Mountain Conference will take place in Pueblo, part of our effort to rotate among the districts every few years. Many clergy and lay members have to travel long distances every year because the Metro area is hundreds of miles from where they live and serve, so once in a while it's only fair that the Metro (and other Front Range Colorado) members travel to see other parts of our region as well.

When choosing a site for annual conference, the staff and other conference leaders take into account travel options, meeting space, hotel availability, and other logistics. But in Mozambique, it turns out they have to take malaria into account as well. Jill Wondel, one of the Field Coordinators for Imagine No Malaria in the Missouri Annual Conference, shares a story that puts things into perspective:

When I was sharing my story with our district superintendent, Kendall Waller, he told me his own story about malaria. He recently visited Mozambique, I think it was this spring, and was with one of the leaders of the church there.

They were visiting the northern part of the country and the man mentioned to Kendall that when they were planning for their annual meetings, their Annual Conference, they originally thought about holding the meeting in that area.

But because the prevalence of malaria is greater in the north, they decided to move the conference further south. They determined that if they held the conference in the north for one week that they would lose 70 people to malaria.

70 people.

They had to decide where to hold their conference not based on available hotels or the size of the conference center, but on how many people they thought would die in the week they were there.

Malaria is a powerful enemy. But we have an opportunity to change that.

What are you going to do with that opportunity?

Breaking down the myths of global health, poverty, and progress

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently released their annual letter, and this year they identify and take apart three pervasive myths that block progress for the poor. Please consider reading the whole letter, as it is thoughtful, informative, and compelling. But for those with limited time, here are a few of the highlights.

The Three Myths

1. Poor countries are doomed to stay poor
2. Foreign aid is a big waste
3. Saving lives leads to overpopulation

Do these sound familiar? Are they part of your understanding of the world? The Gates Foundation takes on these beliefs not only because they are based on a pessimistic outlook that tends to inhibit action for positive change in the world, but also because the beliefs themselves are simply, factually, false.

The Data

The letter goes into detail about how historical data demonstrates that many countries that were very poor just 50 years ago have since moved into a level of economic productivity that qualifies as middle-income on the global scale.

Of course, there are still countries - and still significant portions of the population in some middle-income countries - where average per capita income is still just US$1-2/day. But there are fewer of these countries now than before, and all economic measures suggest that this global trend toward greater economic development, and the improvements in health, education, and infrastructure that tend to accompany it, will continue in the coming decades. This trend can be attributed in large part to the success of foreign aid.

Video Snapshots

If you like visual aids to help improve your understanding, check out these two short videos that address some of the nuances of Myths #2 and #3:

Bill Nye, the Science Guy, on the leading causes of death among young children, and how foreign aid - a tiny percentage of the US federal budget - makes a huge difference:



And Melinda Gates explains why improving health and saving people's lives is good for the planet - it actually reduces overpopulation in the long run:

Invest in Health, Change the World

Health care is not the only area of development important in improving the lives of the global poor, but it is a major piece of the puzzle. The 2014 Gates Annual Letter helps provide some concrete facts and figures to address concerns that often come up when we talk about Imagine No Malaria's work to prevent needless death and suffering from malaria and transform lives and communities across Africa. Please help us to spread the word and #StoptheMyth so we can make an even greater impact!


In the interest of full disclosure: a grant from the Gates Foundation covers the administrative costs of Imagine No Malaria, including Field Coordinator compensation, but I'm sharing the letter here because it's interesting and relevant, not out of obligation!

New Year's Resolutions, or How to Save Lives in 2014

Happy New Year! Are you making any resolutions for 2014? The first day of the year always seems like a good opportunity to declare your intentions to be more healthy in mind, body, spirit, relationships, finances, and other important areas of life.

If you're looking for ideas on how to help proclaim God's love in the coming year, or want to share with family and friends what it means to be a United Methodist committed to putting faith into action, here are 10 ways to support Imagine No Malaria in 2014 - let me know in the comments if you take on one or more of these, or if you have other suggestions!

How to Save Lives in 2014

1. Schedule a monthly donation to Imagine No Malaria (make sure to check the box to indicate what church you're affiliated with). Remember:

• $10 Buys a life-saving insecticide-treated bed net
• $20 Pays for the cost of food and treatment of anemia in a pregnant woman with malaria
• $50 Provides malaria medication to treat ten adults
• $100 Covers the cost of an anti-malaria campaign in a local school
• $200 Trains Traditional Birth Attendants in malaria prevention and treatment
• $500 Provides all the resources for a one-day community leader training for 35-40 people on malaria prevention
• $28/month over three years adds up to a pledge of $1,000 that will save 100 lives - that's a whole community!

2. Send an email to your friends and family, telling them about the threat of malaria in Africa, what Imagine No Malaria is doing about it, and why you are supporting this cause. Invite them to join you in saving lives.

3. Like Imagine No Malaria - Rocky Mountain Conference on Facebook and follow @RMCbuzz on Twitter. Share or retweet a post at least once a month.

4. Host a screening of A Killer in the Dark, the documentary about the United Methodist Church's work to fight malaria in Africa. Invite friends, neighbors, coworkers, or church members to watch with you and discuss afterwards.

5. Talk to your pastor, Sunday school teacher, small group leader, or other church members to find out what your congregation is doing to support INM, and offer to help.

6. Make pipe cleaner mosquitoes with your own children or the church youth group. Sell them for donations (suggested: $5 each or 3 for $10) at church during coffee hour/fellowship time or as part of a bake sale or other event.

7. Contact your Senators and Representative in Congress to let them know that you support continued federal funding for global health work, including the President's Malaria Initiative. Tell the staff person you speak with that you are United Methodist and you are doing your part through Imagine No Malaria, and you hope the US government will continue to do its part to end this unnecessary source of suffering in our world.

8. Talk to leaders in your school, civic groups, local government, hospitals/clinics, or other congregations in your community to find out if they would like to partner with your church in saving children's lives in Africa.

9. Help your church leaders plan and put on an event that invites the whole community to come together in support of Imagine No Malaria. Possibilities include a basketball tournament, benefit concert, fundraising dinner, silent auction, knit-a-thon, variety show, or any creative option that will give people a chance to have fun while learning about malaria and giving generously.

10. Pray each week for those who suffer from malaria, for those who have lost loved ones, for the doctors, nurses, and community health workers who bring healing and hope, for those who are working in communication and advocacy, for improvements to infrastructure and social systems that will make health care more accessible for more people, and that Imagine No Malaria can be a powerful witness to God's desire for abundant life for all people as we help end deaths from malaria in Africa in our lifetime.

Thank you for whatever step you can take to help make abundant life more possible for our sisters and brothers in Africa. Together, we are bringing hope and healing to millions of people: a great testimony to the Good News of God's love made known in Jesus Christ!

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.

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!

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!

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
Required: iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet 

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/810667062

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!

Abundant life, abundant generosity

Fantastic pre-conference volunteers

This is "Annual Conference Recovery Week" for several staff and other conference leaders, so we'll get back into the swing of things next week, but I did want to highlight a few of the wonderful developments last weekend. To sum up, God is good - all the time!

First of all, I could not have finished preparing all of our packets of materials in time if it weren't for the help of four fantastic volunteers on Tuesday before conference. Thanks to Hamu, Darcy,  Michael, and LeAnn for your great - and fast - work!

Becky Buxton, our scientific
expert on malaria

Dozens of people stopped by the Imagine No Malaria resource table in the display area to ask questions, collect materials, and sign up to volunteer or get more information. My thanks go out to our Steering Committee members, especially Robin Ball and Becky Buxton, who helped staff the table so I could eat and take a break occasionally!

CCYM selling cute & colorful mosquitoes (the fashion
accessory of the year, according to Bishop Elaine)

The Conference Council on Youth Ministries made pipe cleaner mosquitoes that they then sold for $5 each, raising $638 for Imagine No Malaria! Also, the Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry invited participants to vote for their favorite campus ministry by making donations, and they raised another $175.18 for our work in malaria prevention, treatment, education, and communication! (The Wesley Foundation at UW in Laramie won, in case you were wondering!)

Robin Ball, Steering Committee
Co-Chair, with the banquet centerpieces

About 65 people volunteered as Table Captains (or Co-Captains) for the all-conference Missions Banquet on Friday night, making it possible to set up centerpieces, programs, "prayer nets" and bookmarks, handouts, and pledge forms in a very short time period, also making sure that anyone who entered the room could see where there was still room at a table. Thank you for helping us practice gracious hospitality and keep things running smoothly and on schedule!

Rev. Gary Henderson, Executive Director
of the UMC's Global Health Initiative

 Rev. Gary Henderson gave a powerful and inspiring keynote presentation about the success of Imagine No Malaria so far, both on the ground in Africa, and among United Methodist churches in the United States. We hope to have video of that presentation available in a couple weeks - stay tuned!

The all-conference Mission Banquet on Friday night

Somewhere around 700 attendees at the banquet engaged in conversation about how to carry the energy and passion for Imagine No Malaria back to their churches and communities, and made pledges of prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. It'll take some time for us (Kerry and the Steering Committee) to follow up with everyone, but we are thrilled by the support and commitment of the lay and clergy members of the Rocky Mountain Conference.

That support and commitment was made concrete in the abundance of gifts and pledges collected in the banquet, which totaled $40,188.61! In addition, Imagine No Malaria will receive half of the Bridge of Love offering from Saturday morning, which means that our total raised for Imagine No Malaria during annual conference is nearly $50,000, or 5,000 lives saved in just three days!

Rev. Kerry Greenhill
(Field Coordinator)
with a human-size mosquito!

I am so thankful and awed by the movement of the Spirit during our time together, and by the This is not just second-mile giving, but third- or fourth-mile giving for many who already give tremendous amounts of time and energy to the work of the kin'dom of God through the church.
outpouring of generosity from conference participants. Clergy and lay members to annual conference are asked to give to several offerings from Thursday to Sunday, usually from their own wallets and checkbooks (unless a church has been organized enough to plan ahead and send funds with their delegates).

I believe that this work, to prevent unnecessary deaths and suffering from malaria, particularly among children and pregnant women, is truly what God desires from the Body of Christ. All who have received the gift of abundant life have an opportunity to receive blessing in the act of offering a blessing to others through their generosity. Thank you to all who recognized this opportunity and are joining in this extraordinary effort with the people called United Methodist around the world!

Do Something to Keep Children Alive!

Annual Conference begins Thursday - are you ready?

This week the Rocky  Mountain Annual Conference will include a brief presentation Thursday afternoon to introduce the Steering Committee for Imagine No Malaria, and on Friday evening we'll enjoy a Missions Banquet with updates from Rev. Gary Henderson, Executive Director of the Global Health Initiative, on the overall scope of this ministry at the global level. If you're at annual conference, you won't want to miss this powerful presentation!

In preparation for our festivities, here's an inspiring message from one of our Steering Committee members. Kunle Taiwo is Co-Lay Leader of the Rocky Mountain Conference. He shares his personal experiences with malaria growing up in Nigeria, and why it's important to take action now to save lives from this preventable and treatable disease:


Kunle emphasizes our faith calling to take action, from a perspective of justice:

"The mortality rate due to malaria is very atrocious in Africa. If we've eradicated that in the western world, particularly in the United States, I think it's incumbent upon us as Christians to pursue this in the best way we can, to at least make sure that these little kids would live."

and

"Having grown up in a place where there is resources... where you know that children can live and be fruitful, and enough is not being done to bring that to life, is something that is a challenge for all of us, and should motivate us to do something to keep children alive."

Children born in the U.S. no longer have to worry that a mosquito bite could turn out to be fatal, but globally, that's not true. A child dies from malaria every 60 seconds, and in Africa, one in five children will not live to see their fifth birthday because of this preventable, treatable, and beatable disease. But we can change that, through a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, treatment, education, and communication. As Kunle says, 

"We have the capability to do this; we have the will to do this; we ought to do it."

If you want to be part of the movement to save lives and end deaths from malaria in Africa, please consider making a donation through the Rocky Mountain Conference or at ImagineNoMalaria.org (make sure to check the box at the bottom for your United Methodist affiliation so your church/district/conference gets credit!), or contact Field Coordinator Rev. Kerry Greenhill, 303-733-3736 x152 or kerry (at) rmcumc.com to find out how you can get involved.

And Are We Yet Alive?

Image from United Methodist Memes
(https://www.facebook.com/UnitedMethodistMemes)

It's Annual Conference season in The United Methodist Church. The Rocky Mountain Annual Conference begins next Thursday, June 13, and finishes around midday on Sunday, June 16.

For those less familiar with the peculiarities of our denomination's practices, an annual conference is just what it sounds like*: an event for the United Methodist clergy from a particular region and an (approximately) equal number of lay (non-clergy) delegates from United Methodist congregations, who gather once a year to tell the story of what we've been up to in the past year, to vote on matters of teaching and practice, to honor those in transition from one stage of ministry or life to another (commissioning, ordination, retirement, death), to learn, to sing, to eat, and - at our best - to remember who and Whose we are, and why we are part of a connectional church system, so that we can do more together than we could on our own.

One of the traditions in many regions is to open annual conference with a hymn by Charles Wesley, brother of John and co-founder of the Methodist movement. "And Are We Yet Alive" was written more than 250 years ago, at a time when Methodism was a flourishing movement for renewal and reform within the Church of England. In an era when child mortality may have been as high as 40% and average life expectancy only around 40 years, the opening lyrics must have been especially poignant:

And are we yet alive,
and see each other's face?

Glory and thanks to Jesus give
for his almighty grace.

(You can read the full lyrics here.) A lot has changed since 1749, including many of the technologies we use for annual conference (it'll be #RMAC13 if you're on Twitter!) And today, of course, we expect most of the people we saw a year ago to still be alive, even if circumstances have changed and they are not at annual conference itself. But these words remind me that life is still fragile and fleeting, and in many parts of the world, health and longevity cannot be taken for granted.  

What troubles have we seen,
what mighty conflicts past,
fightings without, and fears within,
since we assembled last!   

A child dies of malaria every 60 seconds. Some 650,000 people die each year from this preventable, treatable, and beatable disease. As we gather at the Denver Marriott Tech Center next week, we'll be holding in prayer the families and communities across Africa and around the world where malaria - along with tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases of poverty - add extra meaning to this hymn.

If you'll be at annual conference, stop by the Imagine No Malaria display table to say hello, pick up some materials and a fly-swatter, and share your story. And don't miss Friday evening's Mission Banquet, with Rev. Gary Henderson, Executive Director of the UMC Global Health Initiative, as keynote speaker!

And if you won't be at annual conference but want to help out, please contact me ASAP at kerry (at) rmcumc.com as there are still some great volunteer opportunities available, both at our Denver tech center office and around the region.

Yet out of all the Lord
hath brought us by his love;
and still he doth his help afford,
and hides our life above. 

The worship committee has planned a little different opening for the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference this year, but these words will still be brought to mind as we sing "We've Come This Far By Faith," about God's faithfulness through all the challenges life brings, and our continued forward momentum toward God's purposes - the same themes as Charles Wesley's hymn, just based in a different cultural tradition.

We’ve come this far by faith,
leaning on the Lord;
Trusting in the holy word,
God’s never failed us yet.
Oh -- can’t turn around,
We’ve come this far by faith.

We are United Methodists. We are known worldwide for living out the teachings of Jesus through ministries with the poor and others on the margins, for our theology of grace and salvation for all, and for our work for a better world, the kin'dom of a loving God made real here on earth. And so I invite you to join our movement to prevent suffering and death from malaria; to prevent, diagnose, and treat malaria; to educate, communicate, and advocate until no parent has to worry that their child will die from a mosquito bite.



*Of course, because we like things complicated, "annual conference" can also refer to any geographic region of the denomination that is overseen by a single bishop and meets at such a yearly gathering (the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference consists of Colorado, Utah, and a little over half of Wyoming). And we might sometimes talk about "the conference" as all the churches or all the individual members of that region. But in May and June, we're mostly describing the meetings themselves.