News Articles  /  News Article Details

March Communion Offering

Each month during our Communion services we dedicate a special offering to a specific group or activity.

In February, we were blessed with a very generous offering of $12,200 which was earmarked for Haiti Disaster relief. The money we received is being distributed through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). We’ve asked that UMCOR use this money specifically to help rebuild churches in Haiti.

Rev. Marilyn Zemba, Pastor for Missions and Outreach at White’s Chapel, said “the concept of giving personal time in Christian service is a wonderful avenue for reaching out to others and helping us grow in our faith through these selfless acts. We find God in amazing ways in the places we go, the people we serve and in the services we perform. We meet others who may seem different than us, but come to the realization we are all the same as children of God.”

The March Communion offering will be used to support a wide range of WC Mission activities that are planned. Currently planned activities include:

• A Family Mission Trip to Lake Charles, Louisiana where we will be working with the Southwest Louisiana Disaster Response Station. During this trip, which is planned for March 13-20, White’s Chapel families will be working on a variety of construction projects for the area’s low-income housing needs. The Lake Charles area is still struggling to recover from the heavy destruction from Hurricane Ike, which hit the Gulf Coast in September of 2008. Ike was one of the costliest hurricanes to ever make landfall in the United States. Rev. Zemba says “mission trips like these are very special and inspirational. This is a chance for families to minister to other families through their work and their presence.” If you and your family are interested in being a part of projects like this, please contact Karen Smith
• A South America Mission Trip is planned for April 10-18 to Montevideo, Uruguay. Dr. John McKellar will lead this mission group, which will be doing repairs and remodeling work at The Friendship House in Montevideo. The Friendship House provides a day care center for working mothers, a youth center, a home and training center for special-needs children and a place to stay for visiting workers. Dr. McKellar says “The Friendship House is structurally sound, but shows a lot of neglect from an era during which the church in Uruguay was oppressed. We plan to patch, paint and clean and thus help brighten the facility and the outlook of the people who depend on this great resource.” Please contact Kristen Blaylock at kblalock@whiteschapelumc.com for information.
• A High School Summer Mission Trip is planned for July 25-30 to New Mexico. For information about this trip please contact Kristen Blalock.
• A Women’s Mission Trip to Costa Rica is planned for July, 2010. Rev. Jo V. Ponder will lead this special trip which is focused on providing love and clothing for the children of Costa Rica. The group will visit and worship at a Christian Rehab Center, and provide items of cleanliness and clothing for both the women residents and their children. The ladies will also visit at least two local churches which provide feeding programs for needy groups, participate in providing school uniforms for immigrant children, and distribute toys gathered by the Chapel Hill Preschool at White’s Chapel. For more information, contact Rev. Ponder.