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!

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!

Would you walk 100 miles to save lives?

Rev. Will Morris, pastor at Burns Memorial UMC in Aurora, Colorado, has challenged his congregation to a unique undertaking: walk, run, bike, or swim 100 miles to raise money for Imagine No Malaria. He just completed his own challenge, by walking 100 miles in less than a week! Here's his story, in his own words:

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Several years ago, after a sermon and subsequent Bible Study discussion on caring for our physical bodies, I started the Kingdom Walkers. This is a small group of people who meet most Sundays after church (in good weather) to walk and share fellowship -- 30-90 minutes depending upon the interest and fitness of the walkers. We handed out pedometers and had various recognition pins for walking milestones. Recently interest has waned, so Imagine No Malaria seemed like an ideal reason to rejuvenate this group and take on an important ministry at the same time.

The 100 Miles Toward No Malaria Challenge was born. Here's how I presented it to our church:

"I challenge members of our congregation to walk, run, or bicycle 100 miles in support of our efforts to raise money for Imagine No Malaria. Alone or in pairs or in a group, take on the challenge of walking, running, or bicycling 100 miles (any combination of movement). Take the time you need to make this happen: one week, several weeks, one month – our goal is to celebrate your accomplishments and our donations on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2013. If you want to take longer to do the 100 Mile Challenge, that’s OK, too. Get a pedometer and challenge yourself. Record your mileage on paper and bring it to church. If you don’t want to walk, please consider sponsoring someone who can walk –  1¢ per mile, 10¢ per mile, $1 per mile, you name the amount. Here’s my goal: I plan to do 100 miles in one week. Jane (my wife) and I pledge $1 for each mile of that 100.  

– Pastor Will Morris"

So, after showing several short segments of the Imagine No Malaria DVD, we started off on the 100 Mile Challenge. Several people have accepted the challenge with walking; one older gentleman is using his regular swims as his approach. Two people sponsored my personal challenge.

I have always enjoyed walking and running as a time of prayer and thought, so this was a good opportunity for me. I have never done 100 miles in one week, so this was a stretch. As it turned out it took me 5 days to reach 100 miles. Lots of hours on the road, but it meant I could pray for those who have died from, and who live in the fear of malaria; and for those who are educating people and helping to prevent this disease. God has blessed me with a healthy body and I am grateful to be able to do something to help others.

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John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed that caring for people's bodies is as important as caring for their souls. What a wonderful way to demonstrate God's care for ALL bodies, by encouraging healthful behavior in our own community and giving of our resources for those who suffer from a preventable and treatable disease in other parts of the world! Blessings to all the Kingdom Walkers at Burns Memorial UMC!

What gift can you bring?

Ministry isn't just what a pastor does on Sundays, or even what pastors - or missionaries, or chaplains - do all week. The word ministry has Latin roots, and its origins meant service. In the context of the Protestant church, ministry might be defined as "the service to others that followers of Jesus perform in the name and Spirit of Christ."

Imagine No Malaria is one of the ways that The United Methodist Church seeks to serve others, offering them abundant life in Jesus' name. The community health workers, doctors and nurses, administrators of in-country health boards, communication professionals and many others who are on the ground to provide services in Africa are all engaged in ministry, whether they think about it that way or not. All of them are part of an effort to allow many more people to live life to the fullest, as God desires.

But they're not the only ones doing ministry through Imagine No Malaria. As we work to raise awareness and educate people here in the U.S. about malaria, its devastating effects on individuals and communities in Africa, and the opportunity we have to end preventable deaths and suffering from malaria in this generation, we need people to get involved who have a variety of backgrounds and a wide range of gifts. Whether you are a teacher, a custodian, an architect, an administrative assistant, a software engineer, or a scientist, you have something to offer.

Mosquitoes look scarier under
a microscope

We recently heard from Dr. Cynthia Paquette, an Entomologist who is working on malaria-transmitting mosquito research at Colorado State University.  Cynthia is also a Certified Candidate for Ministry (Elder's Orders).  She reached out to offer her gifts to be part of the campaign, and also expressed her conviction of the importance of this work:

Bishop Stanovsky,

I am very excited and glad that the United Methodist Church is taking a big leap to help people afflicted with malaria.

Malaria, as you probably already know, is a very difficult disease to control and the plasmodium parasite is a very fastidious one due to its different forms in its life cycle.  A lot of research is ongoing but people are dying daily because a cure has not been found and the mosquito vectors are becoming resistant to the available chemical insecticides.

Meanwhile, it is harder and harder to conduct research because federal grant money is drying up due to the decline in our economy.  Therefore, I think it is important for the people of God to step up to the plate to help other people of God who are suffering.  

I think an integrated approach that the Imagine No Malaria campaign is taking is an important one due to the prolific nature of this parasite and its mosquito vector.  I think it is very important that the church be exposed to the ongoing problem of malaria and be given the opportunity to respond financially (and other ways – prayer, resources, physical help etc.) because this is a disease that has plagued the third world countries where financial resources are very low.

I believe we, the church, can make a difference!

Blessings,
Cynthia

Cynthia (Khoo) Paquette, Ph.D.
Infectious Disease Annex
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology
Colorado State University

What gifts can you bring? Can you make phone calls or send emails? Give a presentation? Can you work behind the scenes to plan a community engagement event with your church? Whatever your area of training or expertise, if you have a passion for this ministry, I am confident we can find a way to use your gifts to help save lives in Jesus' name. Comment below if you want to learn more or be trained as a volunteer!

We need YOU!

So you've heard about Imagine No Malaria, maybe you've made a personal donation, and you're wondering what else you're supposed to do about it.

Or perhaps you were really involved with Nothing But Nets, and you're eager to understand how Imagine No Malaria builds on that effort, and increases the impact.

Or maybe you've traveled to Africa on a mission trip and have seen firsthand the poverty that is both a cause and an effect of diseases like malaria, and the needless suffering of entire families and communities.

If you're ready to learn more and find out how to get involved, now is the time to sign up!

In the coming weeks, information about Imagine No Malaria will be presented at each District and Sub-district Conference, and trainings will be scheduled for those who are ready to commit time and energy to either of the following roles:

1. Local Church Leader: Working with the pastor(s) and lay leadership, you are the point person for guiding and encouraging your congregation through a 5-step plan for participation in the campaign.

2. District Organizer: Reaching out to local congregations in your area, you share the 5-step plan, offer resources to guide activity development, and support the churches in organizing and completing their work.

3. District Ambassador: Responding to requests for presentations, you share your passion for this transformational ministry with congregations in your area and invite others to join Imagine No Malaria.

Ready to begin? Call 303-733-3736 x152 or email kerry [at] rmcumc [dot] com to learn more or sign up today! Still thinking about it? Visit http://www.imaginenomalaria.org/go-do/ to find out some other options for getting involved.

Either way, please hold our campaign in prayer as the Rocky Mountain Conference seeks to raise $1.2 million toward saving lives and preventing death and suffering from malaria.

Introducing our new Field Coordinator

Hi! My name is Kerry Greenhill, and I'm the new Field Coordinator for Imagine No Malaria in the Rocky Mountain Conference. I look forward to sharing updates on our campaign, ideas for how to get your church and community involved, resources and inspiration throughout the coming year. If you have questions or want to learn more, please contact me at kerry [at] rmcumc [dot] com, or call 303-733-3736 x152.

Myranda Hoffman, RMC Communications Specialist, wrote this article about me in December:

Welcome Kerry Greenhill! 

New Field Coordinator, Imagine No Malaria Campaign 

by Myranda Hoffman

The Rocky Mountain Conference of The United Methodist Church is pleased to announce Rev. Kerry Greenhill has been selected for the position of Field Coordinator for the Imagine No Malaria campaign. She will be working with Conference leaders, including the Steering Committee of the Imagine No Malaria Campaign of the Rocky Mountain Conference, Bishop Elaine J.W. Stanovsky and Rev. Youngsook C. Kang, Conference Staff Administrator, to get the word out to churches across Utah, Wyoming and Colorado about the goals and impact of Imagine No Malaria. Oh behalf of the Steering Committee, Kerry will also be asking for individual and congregational involvement through education, fundraising and advocacy. 

The Rocky Mountain Conference adopted the Imagine No Malaria campaign as a major area of focus. Our goal as a Conference is to raise $1.2 million from both large and small donors. The goal is to have met this amount by World Malaria Day in April 2014. This campaign provides so much more than simply treated mosquito nets.  It will complement the success of the Nothing but Nets campaign by adding holistic prevention efforts, providing treatment through existing United Methodist facilities, educating community health works, and providing communication to raise public awareness of bed net usage and when to seek treatment.

When asked what drew her to the Imagine No Malaria campaign, Kerry responded, “I have always believed that one of the gifts of The United Methodist Church is its willingness to put faith into action in bold ways, making a concrete difference in the lives of people around the world. I see Imagine No Malaria as a true healing ministry, saving lives and offering a more abundant life to millions of people in Jesus’ name. No strings attached, just living out God’s love in tangible ways.” She hopes that every church in our Conference “will commit to a plan of education, generosity and advocacy that involves all their members and also reaches out to the wider community.”

Rev. Greenhill has been serving as Associate Pastor at Highlands United Methodist Church in Denver, CO since 2008. This is a one-year part-time position from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. Kerry is looking forward to working with local churches, districts and the Conference during that time.