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Thousands Of Shoes Show Darfur Support

MIDDLETOWN – Members of Middletown and Brook Hill UMCs joined area schools to collect shoes for the Shoes on the Mall display April 26 in downtown Washington, D.C. The shoe collection project showed support of families in Darfur, Sudan.

With the help of a few bulletin announcements and strategically placed collection bins, the group was able to deliver 1.000 pairs of shoes to a high school in Virginia, where they, along with 30,000 other shoes, were placed around the Capitol’s Reflecting Pool, reported Beth Reilly.

Those who passed by were reminded of the men, women and children who have died due to the crisis in Darfur, Reilly said.

Since 2003, up to 400,000 Darfurians have been killed by state-sponsored terrorism in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

After the display, Soles4Souls donated the shoes to people in need.

Church Shelter Welcomes Bicyclist

HEBBVILLE – Salem UMC was the site chosen by a cross country bicyclist to stop for the night April 30, and church members and community welcomed her to the Night of Peace Family Shelter.

Trish Karter, the 52-year-old CEO of 15-year-old Dancing Deer Baking Company, stopped at the shelter on a cycling tour from Atlanta to Boston, where her company is located. Her 15-day, 1,500 mile bicycle journey, from April 22 to May 6, was to raise awareness of family homelessness. Her company donates to scholarships for homeless mothers as a pathway to self-sufficiency.

She hosted a gingerbread house decorating party for families living in the shelter.

Night of Peace, Inc. is the only family shelter in a church in Baltimore County, where 70 percent of the more than 6,300 homeless people are women and children. It opened in 2005. Nationwide homelessness affects 600,000 families with 1.35 million children.

To learn more about the bike trip go to www.dancingdeer.com

Bishop Fisher Inspires COSROW Gathering

COLUMBIA – As a celebration of Women’s History Month, members of the Commission on the Status and Role of Women held a tea at the Conference Center April 18, with the theme “Phenomenal Woman.”

“We’re in the top three conferences with the number of clergywomen,” said Bishop John Schol. “I’m blessed where women have such a strong leadership role.”

The speaker, retired Bishop Violet Fisher, was herself recognized as a phenomenal woman, “a woman of wisdom and great, great hospitality,” Bishop Schol said.

Bishop Fisher shared stories of her growing up with daily prayers; preaching her first sermon at 15 and preaching as an evangelist; at age 29 going as a missionary on her own to Africa; then in her 50s adopting a baby who graduates from high school this year. “Don’t think because we get older, we have nothing to offer,” she said.

“We’re so caught up in our own lives – paying bills, going to church, etc. – we have no time to do what we ought to do,” she said. “To follow Jesus is a call to radical hospitality – to those outside our doors.”

Churches Provide Food and More

HAMPSTEAD – Wesley UMC is one of several churches providing free food, information and fellowship at a weekly Friday Faith Feast in the Hampstead-Manchester area. The feasts are held in the social hall at St. John’s UMC.

“There are many people living in this area that just need a friendly face,” said Cathy Mitzel, a member of Wesley UMC. “Or somewhere to go where they can meet other people and find out where to go for motivation.”

While at lunch, guests may pick up handouts on places to go for assistance with electric bills, medical help and other areas of relief. The committee also sends meals to various residents living in Hampstead, including those who have recently lost a family member, suffered an illness or are facing an especially hard time.

Other participating United Methodist churches are Greenmount, Shiloh, Mt. Zion and Grace.

Church Team Walks for MS

GLEN BURNIE - Members of Hall UMC
limber up as they prepared to join hundreds in the MS Walk 2009 in Columbia on April 18. Walking as part of a team, Angie’s Warriors, Pastor Pat Allen and 20 members of Hall completed the 3.2 mile walk, honoring congregation members and others afflicted with multiple sclerosis.