INM Update and New Resource!

This article was originally posted on RMCUMC.org on October 30, 2015.

At the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference in 2014, we announced that gifts, pledges, and church goals to date had exceeded our conference goal of raising $1.2 million to end preventable deaths from malaria in Africa. I am delighted to share with you that our totals continue to rise.

We have now received commitments of more than $1.5 million from individuals and churches, and nearly 56 percent of that ($848,229, to be precise) was in-hand as of July 31, 2015. One way of understanding that number is that we have already saved more lives in Africa than there are United Methodists in the Rocky Mountain Conference!

We are part of a global coalition that is making a dramatic difference in communities across sub-Saharan Africa. But the need continues. If your church set a God-sized goal to raise funds that you have not yet met, please email Kristi Kinnison at the Rocky Mountain United Methodist Foundation to let her know how you are doing with that goal and whether your efforts are ongoing.

A new resource is available for churches seeking to engage young people in learning about and discussing the issues that Imagine No Malaria seeks to address. Local author (and youth director at Arvada UMC), Marcia Canter, has written and published a novel for older elementary and middle school-aged readers called Mosquito Madness, which tells the story of Becca Williams, a bored fifth-grader who receives a mysterious postcard from her aunt in Africa, requesting nets. Soon Becca learns about malaria’s deadly impact, and becomes determined to help her aunt fight it.

Mosquito Madness is the story of a community coming together to help their neighbors, at home and across the ocean. The lessons of The Good Samaritan and The Golden Rule come into fresh light as the Sunday school class examine the church’s role in their lives and the world. Readers young and old can learn about the Methodist denomination’s efforts to make the world a better place.

Ten percent of the book’s profits go to support Imagine No Malaria and other organizations dedicated to ending childhood diseases in Africa, and Canter is available to speak to youth groups about her book. The book is available at Tattered Cover and through Lulu Publishing. Learn more by going to this link: www.booklanthropy.com/mosquito-madness.html.

Thank you, and keep up the good work!

September 8, 2014

When you first heard we were trying to raise $1.2 million in the Rocky Mountain Conference to help end deaths from malaria in Africa, did you think we would make it?

At Annual Conference in June, the Steering Committee reported that not only did we achieve our goal, we surpassed it, with gifts and pledges totaling $1,414,000! And since then, we have received another $75,000 in goals and contributions, bringing our total commitments to $1.489 million as of July 31!

If that's not exciting enough, here are some more details on the work that has made this possible:

Members from 203 different churches made a contribution. Eight more have set goals, but haven't yet sent in their funds. That means 81% of Rocky Mountain Conference churches participated in this extraordinary effort!

Specifically:

• Wyoming churches collectively raised $26.30 raised per member
• Newcastle First (Wyoming)  raised $4,985 - that's $22 per member
• Grace (Cheyenne) raised $3,833 - that's $26 per member
• Yuma (CO) set a goal for $100 and raised $998
• Steamboat Springs exceeded their $8,000 goal and raised $13,967 - that's $34 per member!
• Ogden Community raised $5,724 - that's $24 per member!
• Montrose First (CO) is still working toward their $20,000 goal, but they have raised $31 per member - so far.
• Limon (CO) raised $78 per member by raising $20,046.
• Rush (CO)  did not set a goal, but raised $88 per member
• Last Chance (CO) raised $24 per member
• Hope (Greenwood Village) raised $15,375, or $23 per member
• Heritage (Littleton) raised $8,236, or $28 per member
• Colorado Springs First raised $50,700
• Trinity Denver has raised $110,330 - so far - they are still working toward their goal of $123 per member!
• St. Andrew's (Highlands Ranch) has raised $20,964 and are still working to achieve their $24 per member goal.
• St. Luke's (Highlands Ranch) raised $26,099!
• Arvada is 20% of the way to reaching their $33 per member goal
• Good Shepherd (Thornton) raised $25 per member
• Glenwood Springs raised $22 per member
• Mountain View and St. Paul's (both in Boulder) raised $8,615 and $3,618 respectively - even though they were dealing with flood waters and a community in crisis. Perhaps they know a thing or two about mosquitoes!

Communication Changes

In the interest of saving administrative expenses for the campaign, the Steering Committee has decided to discontinue our email newsletter account. Updates will still be sent out periodically through the Rocky Mountain Conference weekly e-newsletter; you can sign up for that list here. If you do nothing, you will not receive any further communications from us, except for updates on your individual giving from the Rocky Mountain United Methodist Foundation, which continues to manage the donation tracking.

A Few Reminders

If your church has collected funds that you haven't sent in yet, please send those in on a monthly basis - the easiest way is to include donations with your monthly remittances to the Conference office, designated for Imagine No Malaria.

If your church set a goal that you haven't achieved yet, please continue working towards your goal! If you need to adjust your goal, contact Kristi Kinnison, kristi@rmumf.org. 

If you have questions or updates, see whom to contact going forward.

Please continue to pray for Imagine No Malaria, for all who suffer and all who are helping to end unnecessary suffering.

Finally, thank you to all of you who have taken part in any role as part of the network of advocates, ambassadors, fundraisers, educators, donors, and healers in this extraordinary effort to end deaths from malaria in Africa. You may have seen this article from United Methodist Communications:

Efforts to fight Malaria are also good for the communications and medical infrastructure to fight Ebola. According to the article, "Your gifts to Imagine No Malaria are also helping in the fight against Ebola because together, we’ve improved access to health care. A strong health infrastructure, consisting of trained health care workers and well-equipped facilities, is better able to handle other health threats as well." We know that although the article didn't mention this, the publicity, education and communication networks that have been developed about Malaria are the same networks being used to educate people about Ebola.

Together, we are saving and transforming lives!

Leadership Transition: Campaign contacts going forward

Rev. Kerry Greenhill,
Field Coordinator

As we previously announced, Rev. Kerry Greenhill will complete her term as Field Coordinator on February 25. Should you have questions, need materials, or want to request a volunteer Ambassador to give a presentation after that time, please contact one of the following people:

If you...

• Need handouts or other materials: Please check the Resources page on this blog, or at ImagineNoMalaria.org, first; if you can't find what you need, contact Rev. Youngsook Kang's office, dmmassistant@rmcumc.com or 303-389-9466
• Want to request a speaker: Robin Ball, Steering Committee Co-Chair, nanas91@yahoo.com
• Need financial information (about your own giving or your church): Kristi Kinnison, Director@rm-umf.org
• Have questions about Imagine No Malaria in general: Rev. Youngsook Kang's office (she may refer you to a District Organizer), dmmassistant@rmcumc.com or 303-389-9466
• Want to share your church's story or photos from an event: Rev. Youngsook Kang's office, dmmassistant@rmcumc.com or 303-389-9466
• Are a pastor seeking tips on raising funds within your congregation: Rev. Mike Dent, Steering Committee Co-Chair, mdent@trinityumc.org or 303-839-1493
• Have questions about the science of malaria, its prevention or treatment: Becky Buxton, rebecca.buxton@path.utah.edu or 801-581-4880
• Would like to volunteer as a District Organizer (supporting churches behind the scenes), or help with social media (Facebook and Twitter): Rev. Youngsook Kang's office, dmmassistant@rmcumc.com or 303-389-9466
• Would like to volunteer as an Ambassador (giving presentations): Robin Ball, nanas91@yahoo.com

Several members of the RMC-INM Steering Committee
took part in the net distribution mission trip to
Angola in October 2012, including Rev. Mike Dent,
Bishop Elaine Stanovsky, Kunle Taiwo, and Robin Ball

Thank you to all who have taken part as leaders, volunteers, donors, cheerleaders, fundraisers, inviters, organizers, ambassadors, servants, teachers, exhorters, inspirers, or other kinds of ministers in this extraordinary effort to end deaths from malaria in Africa! Together, we are saving and transforming lives!

Steamboat Springs surpasses their goal by 50%!

We know that Imagine No Malaria is just one of many important causes that churches are asked to support, and that each congregation faces unique circumstances and challenges that affect their ability to raise the suggested $20 per member toward our Rocky Mountain Conference goal of $1.2 million. And so we are grateful when a church takes on that baseline goal with commitment and conviction, and thrilled when they surpass it by more than 50%!

Here's how Steamboat Springs UMC did it, submitted by member Dorothy Lindahl:

Just wanted to let you know what the Steamboat Springs UMC has been doing to support the Imagine No Malaria Campaign.  Our mission team set a goal of raising $8000 (approximately $20 per member as was suggested). 

On July 4th we set up a booth which included a bednet on the lawn of the church following the parade to let others know about the project.  We had a donation jar and literature and mosquitoes.  Next we advertised and showed the "Killer in the Dark" movie at the town library, with the children selling mosquitoes they had made in Sunday School.  At the UMW Fall Fare we offered a few items left from an Estate Sale. 

We have been taking coins in buckets on the third Sundays of the month called "Change for Change." We have a portable basketball hoop which is moved place to place in the church with a bucket for coins. A challenge was made to parents and kids to make a donation for every score made as they played sports. (Nets for Nets). At Christmas we offered cards for honor donations.

I don't have the exact figure we have collected but know it is more that $13,000. United Methodist Women gave $500 raised for mission work to the fund. This has been a joint project of the Mission Team and United Methodist Women. 

Congratulations and thanks to all who took part in these efforts, and praise God for an abundant return on your faithful work!

What has your church done so far to support the cause? What exciting plans do you have for the next several months? Please send stories and photos to kerry@rmcumc.com! 

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!

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

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!

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!