Missions Opportunity

UMCOR at New England Conference
For those that may not know UMCOR stands for United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Two years ago Peoples played a major role in Maine in serving as a collection location for all kinds of relief needs during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. These items were picked up and distributed in the Gulf Coast states through UMCOR. Last year Peoples collected school supplies that were collected at the New England Methodist Conference and delivered to the Nicaraguan Covenant van at Conference. In 2007 Peoples Discipleship and Mission efforts between now and the New England Conference will again be soliciting the congregations’ support in collecting items for distribution through UMCOR to locations wherever there is a need. While there are many kits that can be put together we would like to concentrate on the following four areas. Will you help us in gathering items that are listed in the following kits? Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

Health Kit: 1 hand towel (15" x 25" up to 17" x 27", No kitchen towels), 1 washcloth, 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized) , 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers), 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up), 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes), 1 large tube of toothpaste (expiration date must be 12 months or longer in advance of the date of shipment to UMCOR Sager Brown), 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages

Layette Kit: 6 Cloth diapers; 2 shirts or 2 one-piece body suits; 2 baby washcloths; 2 gowns or sleepers; 2 diaper pins; one sweater open in the front; 2 receiving blankets. Value: $35 per kit. All of the inclusions should be bundled inside one of the receiving blankets and secure with the diaper pins.

School Kit: 1 pair blunt scissors rounded tip); 2 pads (or loose leaf) of 8 ½ x 11" ruled paper; 1 30-centimeter ruler; 1 hand-held pencil sharpener; 6 unsharpened pencils with erasers; 1 eraser,2 ½ "; 12 sheets of construction paper (varied colors); 1 box of 24 crayons (24 only). Value: $18 per kit. Prepare a 12" x 14" (finished size)) cloth bag with handles and a closure (Velcro, snap, or button) and place items in the bag.

Sewing Kit: 3 yards of cotton or cotton blend, solid color or print fabric ( must be three yards of uncut fabric); 1 pair of sewing scissors; 1 package of needles; 1 spool of thread; 5-8 matching buttons. Value: $18 per kit. Wrap sewing notions in the fabric and place in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

Important Kit Assembly Information
All items included in kits must be NEW items.
All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more.
Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

You may wish to put a kit together yourself or supply portions of any of the kits. If you are a member of a church group you may wish to put several kits together. They may be brought to church and left in the collection box at the back of the sanctuary through Sunday, June 3.
Talk to and enlist your friends and families in this worthy cause.
-Mission and Discipleship Team