February Missions - UMCOR

                               United Methodist Committee on Relief 
        
In 1940, during the early months of World War II, an appeal was made at the General Conference meeting in Atlantic City to launch an agency that would be "a voice of conscience among the people called "Methodists.  From that appeal, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) became an agency to minister to refugees, to people caught in disaster and to the hungry.  In the first two years of its existence, half a million dollars was channeled for assistance among the 36 to 40 million refugees in China.  UMCOR has now expanded its ministry to more than 80 countries around the world.

From the beginning, UMCOR's ministry has been routed in diakonia,  a ministry of healing and sharing resources in a hurting world.  UMCOR has not constructed buildings of its own but has sought to work within the existing community.

UMCOR has several areas of emphasis.  The major focus of the ministry of UMCOR is the alleviation of hunger and poverty.  UMCOR also assists people in dealing with the unexpected through disaster relief and refugee assistance.  A final goal of UMCOR is being accomplished by rehabilitation programs such as leadership training, family planning, food production, development of local crafts and industries, and in improvement of housing.  UMCOR attempts to deal with hunger, human rights and the world peace in practical ways.

The UMCOR responds to a disaster somewhere in the world, either nationally or internationally, approximately every four days.  After relief efforts have been completed, the next logical step is rehabilitation.  Restoring and in many cases improving the living conditions of people in developing parts of the world requires long term commitment.  Rehabilitation usually means housing projects, creation and maintenance of community health programs, creation of sanitary systems and the establishment of clean and reliable water sources.

Worldwide, 18 million people have become refugees.  Some have been uprooted by war and political unrest, by flood or famine or by oppression.  They are found on every continent.  UMCOR Advance projects provide food and training in health and survival skills for refugees who cannot return home.

UMCOR continues to respond to the hurricanes along the Gulf Coast as well as to the recent floods in the Midwest.  You may give to the February Mission Offering by placing your gift in your Sunday School Class offering OR by marking "Mission" on your regular giving envelope OR by taking an envelope from the back of the pew and marking it "Missions or UMCOR."    

Thank you for helping to "Share the Light of Christ" both locally and around the world.