From the Home Front: "Hope for Healing"

Dearest Kumi Team members -

It has been wonderful to see your daily updates. It almost feels like we are there with you. It sounds like you've had the wonderful opportunity to see more than just the orphange and VBS.

Our new pastor Emily took ill last week and was not able to join us on Sunday. Instead we had Rev. Dr. Sharon Thornton from the Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts as our guest speaker. She was quite surprised and impressed when we broadcasted the phone call during worship service to all of you! Her message was entitled Hope for Healing, and she shared about the need that all of us have for healing and the healing that God offers to each one of us. As I read about your visits to the prison, the refugee camp, and the children, I was reminded how much we all need God. I was particularly moved by the altar calls and those to whom you are ministering who responded to the call. What a joy it must have been to encourage and be a part of this special moment when a person lets God into her/his life.

We look forward to hearing many more of your stories and pray for your safe return.

God Bless,
Derek

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From the Home Front: View from the EMC Chair

The following is a post from the EMC Chair at CCUMC.

"He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, 'Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right.' But it's not just Abraham; it's also us!" [The Message, Romans 4:20-24]

Rudy ended this week’s Bible Study on Romans 4 with the thought that although God did many miraculous things through Abraham, the real exciting part is that the opportunity is also offered to us. Us? What do you mean “us”? Worship, teaching Sunday School, leading Bible Study, community service, missions trips. Aren’t those things done by those other people in the pews? Not me?!

We are blessed to receive regular updates from our Kumi Missions team in Uganda on a near daily basis (at least when the power is on over there). We have been reading some wonderful stories, and I am sure being over there in person is even more amazing. Sometimes it is easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that this is their project and it has nothing to do with us. But one difference about this project was that we intentionally created a Home Team, led by Jane, Hoang-Anh, Peggy, and others. It has been important that the project be a church project and not a project just for the eight who are on the other side of the world. Indeed, the church as a whole through its operating budget helped financially; many people were involved in making crafts, scrapbooks, and journals that the team brought with them; some attended the diversity and planning workshops; and many have been praying for the team. As Jeff reminded us last week, “CCUMC is a small church that is doing big things.”

The Uganda mission project is a neat one because it culminates in one event, and we can claim success after it is done. However, there are many other ministries and functions that are done by our folks here at home. I am thankful for Irene’s leadership in handling the Nursery School deactivation; I am thankful to Matthew for helping with the request for our new associate pastor; I am thankful for Hoang-Anh, Jessica, Rudy, Tuan-Anh, and Joanna for helping out with worship while our Worship Team is away. And it is not that they are just “filling in;” rather they are answering a call and doing a great job! It is exciting to see them in action, and I hope it is inpiring us all to recognize that ministry is not someone else’s job - it is something that all of us can do. Just like with Abraham, we see some pretty miraculous things happen when we let God work in us. Praise the Lord!

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Home Team, Unite... and Eat!

To celebrate and pray for the Kumi mission team's "mid point" in their mission, members of the Kumi Home Team at CCUMC will be organizing a "home team dinner" this coming week, perhaps Wednesday night or Thursday night, probably on the East Contra Costa side. There's the possibility of setting up shop in a little local restaurant to chat and share any news, questions, concerns, etc. If folks are interested, give us a shout in the Shoutbox or send us a Komment and we'll be in touch w/ you...

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Home Team Member: JaneY

"It takes very little to make me happy. I enjoy reading, gardening, taking walks with my life partner and best friend and playing with our delightful grandchildren who always manage to make me laugh. Once in a while, the crafty bug bites and I create greeting cards, a quilt or knit and crochet. My children think there's a funny bone lurking within. But then, they love me no matter what. Stephen Ministry is one of my passions and am joyful to be serving the Lord in this unique ministry. Almost every day, I spend one-half hour in holy reading for faith development."

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Introducing Home Team Member: Hoang-AnhT

Hoang-Anh is a member of CCUMC and loves poetry, music, and chocolate (especially dark chocolate with raspberries and nuts). She holds a BA and MFA in poetry, used to teach Creative Writing, loves origami, and enjoys watching the Food Network Challenge. Hoang-Anh joins the Uganda Home Team as a contributor to Kumi Konnect, and lives and works in Berkeley, CA. (She wishes this was her real picture.)

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Introducing Home Team Member: JennyW

Jenny is a sophomore at Skyline High School, and is a long-time member of the Chinese Community United Methodist Church in Oakland, CA. Jenny likes to play tennis, listen to music, read, and use the computer on her spare time. Fun Fact: she can never travel anywhere overnight if she doesn't have her stuffed animal, Curious George, with her. She joins the Home Team as the Kumi Konnect Coordinator.

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