Mission Team 2010 Annual Report

The Mission Team was actively involved in projects all year. Members included Duncan Birdsell, Caryl Guffey, Lee Kraut, Cliff Lang, Cliff Luke, Rev. Kathie Luke, Bev Shouer, LeeAnn Weber, and Sally Urban. Last year's coordinator, Sharon Lang, was always on hand to help out.

We found ourselves to be quite flexible, planning projects in advance, but often involved in supporting unexpected projects, such as the disaster in Haiti and the Freeport flood.

Loose Change offerings included Brenda Harcourt's work in Kenya (Jan./Feb.), Chicago Homeless Sandwich Run (Mar./Apr.), Flip-flops for Freedom (May/June), Backpacks for Education (July/Aug. 1), FACC flood relief (Aug. 8/Sept./Oct.), and Prayer Shawl Mission (Nov./Dec.).

We had Minutes for Mission almost every Sunday, with team members as well as others giving the presentations. Additionally, we usually had more than one mission-related article in every newsletter.

Projects by the month

January Haiti Hygiene Kits – overwhelming response from the congregation

February Souper Bowl of Caring – That Sunday, with the help of our darling "cheerleaders," we collected $81.34 and 61 cans of food. (All money and food went to FACC.)

March One Great Hour of Sharing Stronghold Work Day

April Began the Flip-flops for Freedom (for our troops) campaign – continued working on this through July – collected over 2400 pairs of flip-flops Hosted a potluck following speaker Alice Christenberry from Kemmerer Village

April - October Gazebo sitting at Freeport Rehab (several loyal volunteers!)

June Summer Food Drive for FACC

July Kemmerer Village Work Trip

August Backpacks for Education – collected $525 and an abundance of school supplies Looked into several suggestions for working with youth and/or schools, including attending AOK (All Our Kids meetings) – still studying options Collected for Freeport flood relief (FACC) through October

September Hosted a potluck following speaker Judy Vojta on Palestine – invited 1st Methodist

October Crop Walk – Shirley Ludwig coordinated – $12,000 (don't know our portion) – provided water bottles to walkers Peacemaking Offering – over $426 collected (we keep 25% for peacemaking projects)

November Hat & Mitten Tree (Thanks again to Shirley Ludwig for coordinating) FACC Christmas gifts FACC Food Baskets – collected $205 for hams & 250 cans of tuna

December Barrel for coats Christmas Joy Offering - $870 collected

Over the course of the year, we discussed "Risk-taking Mission and Service" from the book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. We have tried to challenge ourselves to think and act outside our comfort zones and will continue to do so.

We will welcome any of you who would enjoy being on our team – it's fun! – or would be willing to work on specific projects.

Sally Urban

What the Mission Team Does

Sally Urban gave this Minute for Mission on January 23, 2011.

Everyone on the Mission Team is actively involved in Mission projects. Our members this year are Duncan Birdsell, Carol Guffey, Lee Kraut, Cliff Luke, Bev Shouer, LeeAnn Weber, and I – and Rev. Kathie plays a significant role, also. Cliff Lang continues to be our FACC connection. Additionally, several of you in the congregation volunteer for Mission projects, gazebo sitting, workdays, and the like.

Our annual planned projects include such events as the Souper Bowl of Caring, which is coming up two Sundays from today and will involve several of our youth; Backpacks for Education; workdays and work trips to Stronghold and Kemmerer Village; the summer food drive for FACC; gifts, food baskets, and the mitten tree at Christmas; and special offerings, such as One Great Hour of Sharing; the Peacemaking Offering; the Christmas Joy Offering; and, of course, our Loose Change Offerings, for which the team chooses the recipients.

We set up the Minutes for Mission schedule and arrange for the presenters.

We're often involved in supporting unexpected projects, such as the disaster in Haiti and the Freeport flood.

We've enjoyed spreading our wings and trying new endeavors, such as the successful Flip-flops for our troops; and we continue to explore challenging ways in which we can reach out to others. Currently, we're looking into ways of helping local youth – possibly "adopting" a school.

I think our team members truly enjoy what they are doing, but most of them are involved in more than one team and are certainly spread thin. We'd love to see more of you on the team. We meet the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in Holy Grounds. If you'd like to join us and need a ride, I'd be happy to pick you up. Or if you'd just like to volunteer for an event or project and didn't sign up on the last survey, please let one of our team know.

Come and help us celebrate and share God's awesome love by taking Mission to exciting, new places.