Summer of Service: 2016 Intern Rives Worsham

In 2012, UMVIM, SEJ rolled out an internship program for college students who display strong leadership skills and value the importance of mission work. We believe that empowering the next generation of the UMC is one of the best ways to keep our mission going strong for years to come. We were so fortunate to welcome Rives Worsham as our intern for 2016. Continue reading below to learn the valuable roles Rives played across the UMC connection, and how this experience has helped shape him as a leader.

UMVIM, SEJ HQ in Birmingham, Alabama
All of our interns kick off their summer at our office in Birmingham. They get to know our staff, our structure, and our mission, while also going through UMVIM team leader training and ERT Disaster Response training.

"It was interesting to learn about the structure of the entire United Methodist Church. I knew very little about the structure of the church when I got there, but by the time I left, I felt capable of having legitimate conversations about it. I also loved receiving all of the UMVIM and ERT training. It made me feel like I would be able to help others whenever and wherever I am needed."

Domestic Placement: Obion County, Tennessee
Our interns spend the next couple weeks of their summer in their domestic placements, usually within the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Rives served alongside ReelFoot Rural Ministries in Obion, Tennessee.

"I was really surprised by how much I fell in love with the small community. One of the biggest things I learned there was that there is plenty of work to be done here at home, you don’t have to travel abroad to find people in need. Obion County seemed to be overlooked and forgotten by the rest of the county, but they were such a welcoming community and they just needed a little help. RRM was awesome because they are involved in so much. I was able to work with elderly citizens, do construction in the community, supply food to those in need, pick up furniture for the thrift shop, do manual labor around the property, and work some with youth groups who volunteered there. I saw God in the staff who worked constantly to help those who seemed to have been forgotten by everyone else, and I hope that I can work with them again in the future."

International Placement: San Isidro, Costa Rica
Rives' final stop saw his return to Costa Rica to work again with Costa Rica Mission Projects. Rives traveled there in 2013 with his youth group, and enjoyed getting his hands dirty once again!

"This was an amazing experience for me. A big thing I took away from this part of the internship is that the body of Christ doesn’t just live in America. We have brothers and sisters in Christ taking communion with us and worshiping with us all over the world. Short-term mission teams are meant to connect us with our Christian family, they aren’t just about the work. It is important for Christians to send out mission teams not just to do labor but to live out what it means to be part of an international body of Christ. I really enjoyed the work I did there, from making sidewalks to building bathrooms, but what I enjoyed the most was the lasting friendships I made with the people down there."


Looking Ahead
Rives just began his sophomore year at Virginia Military Institute, and continues to play soccer for them. He has already been able to take his experiences from the summer and have meaningful conversations with people back home, and has plans to be an UMVIM team leader in the future, and possibly even more.

"My new knowledge about the church also opens up a variety of paths from long term missionary to pastor. I feel like a lot of doors were opened for me and I look forward to exploring a lot of different paths over the next few years. It was definitely a life changing experience."

Please join our staff as we continue to pray for Rives, that the Lord will continue to make his path straight and clear. We know this young man has an incredibly bright future serving Christ and the world around him.

Invest in Mission Opportunities

"How can I help?"  It's a question that, as Christians, we ask quite often. At UMVIM, SEJ, the answer comes in the form of Mission Opportunities. Your help can be in the form of time, money, learning, and prayers.  Hopefully, the answers below will answer your questions about UMVIM Mission opportunities:

Q: How do I find out about mission projects? A: UMVIM, SEJ maintains the International Mission Opportunity List for the United Methodist Church. Take a look at this list, and you will quickly see how UMVIM teams can answer needs all over the world. When you donate funds, you are helping UMVIM create and provide training resources so that mission teams can work effectively and safely.

Q: What are medical missions? A: Medical-based mission trips - which make up a large percentage of the UMVIM effort - deliver the expertise of doctors, nurses, dentists, and others from the medical field to underserved areas across the globe. If you are a healthcare provider, we encourage you to volunteer your time. Or, if you are not a medical professional, but are concerned about the health of others, please donate.

Q: What about disaster response?  A: Flooding, earthquakes, drought, fires, hurricanes. There will, unfortunately, always be a next disaster. UMVIM, SEJ works with the United Methodist Committee on Relief and Annual Conferences to send volunteer teams to disaster-affected areas. We now have a Disaster Response Liaison on our staff to help communicate the need for volunteers and to connect them to the appropriate response. Contact our Disaster Response Liaison, Gray Miller, to discuss how to best use your resources in disaster response.

Q: What's available for youth and young adults?  A: We have opportunities just for you! Those on our Young People Mission Opportunity List have expertise and experience in providing age-appropriate mission opportunities. UMVIM, SEJ also offers a Summer Internship Programfor a college-aged student. They serve in both domestic and international placements in hopes of discerning a call to mission or ministry. Consider giving to the Internship Program.

Please give generously to Advance #901875 at www.umcmission.org/give, or mail a check to: UMVIM, SEJ, 100 Centerview Drive, Suite 210, Birmingham, AL 35216 We hope that you are moved to give this summer.  Thank you for your continued prayers and generosity! Grace and peace, Paulette S. West Executive Director

UMVIM, SEJ Welcomes Rives Worsham as 2016 Summer Intern

Executive Director Paulette West and 2016 Intern Rives Worsham

The staff and board of UMVIM, SEJ are excited to announce Rives Worsham as the 2016 summer intern. Rives comes to us from the Virginia Conference, where he has been a lifelong member Trinity UMC in Richmond, and is currently attending the Virginia Military Institute.

During his time in Trinity’s youth ministry, he grew in his love of God and missions under the influence of his youth pastor Forrest White, who also serves as the Virginia UMVIM Coordinator. Rives was able to learn about the value and importance of short-term missions, and had the opportunity to serve in Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Memphis, Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, as well as his local community in Richmond.

When asked him why he felt called to apply for our internship, Rives answered, “I am passionate about serving others and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. I am most excited just about the job variety that comes with this position. I don't think there are many jobs that have you doing so many different things, from working in rural communities in Tennessee to the tropics in Costa Rica.”

Rives is studying Economics and Business at Virginia Military Institute, where he also plays Division I soccer. His ability to work within in a team setting has been sharpened at VMI, both on and off the field, a quality that is essential to engaging in effective mission service. He is also a natural born leader, and we know he will only continue to learn more about what it means to serve God and others through missions.

“One of the things that I love about mission work is that I always learn from the people who I am serving, about God, and about life,” said Rives. “It is something that I have always been passionate about. I am looking forward to the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others while they undoubtedly make a difference in mine.”

Rives will begin his summer in the UMVIM, SEJ office in Birmingham, Alabama. His domestic placement will be with the Reelfoot Rural Ministries, and his international placement will have him traveling to San Isidro, Costa Rica to serve with Costa Rica Mission Projects. Each year, our interns also work with our Design Team at Young People in Mission, UMVIM’s hallmark event that is held at Lake Junaluska.

The UMVIM, SEJ Summer Internship Program was established in 2013 as way to further equip a member of the Next Generation of the UMC to grow in their missional capabilities. Our former interns have gone on to serve as UMC clergy and other roles within the denomination. To learn more about this program, please visit our website.

Register Today for Young People in Mission!

YOUNG PEOPLE IN MISSION A HANDS-ON CAMP EXPERIENCE FOR YOUTH &  YOUNG ADULTS

Young People in Mission, a camp experience with hands-on mission opportunities for youth and young adults, will be held June 26-30, 2016 at beautiful Lake Junaluska. Our hope is that this event serves as a launch to empower young people to serve with new eyes and a heart for Christ. Participants serve with local mission projects, worship together, fellowship and grow with family groups, dive into Bible studies, and learn from featured speakers and the City of Opportunity.

2016's theme of The Living Word: Living the Word is based on 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and daily studies and workshops will focus on being grounded in Scripture as we embark on both mission service, as well as our daily lives. Acclaimed United Methodist pastor Rev. Telley Lynette Gadson will be leading our daily Bible studies. Other speakers include Miss Georgie Wood, who served with Africa University at just 15 years of age, author Rev. Eddie Spencer, and Rev. Lorenza Andrade-Smith, who spent a 3 year appointment living among the homeless across the United States.

Rev. Telley Lynette Gadson, Georgie Wood, Rev. Eddie Spencer, Rev. Lorenza Andrade-Smith

YPIM is an incredibly connectional event; our workshops and the City of Opportunity bring together representatives from UMC General Boards and Agencies, as well as leaders from a variety of mission projects, and allows participants to connect with the numerous ways they can engage in missions.

This of course wouldn't be a mission event if participants were not given the chance to engage in a service opportunity. A full day is set aside in our schedulefor groups to serve with projects in the area, with the option of a second day.

Peer-to-peer fellowship, mentoring, and encouragment is a big part of YPIM. Our Design Team, made up 6 students from across the Jurisdiction, have been meeting and working together since last summer to ensure that this event is as amazing as ever. Registration is now open on the UMVIM, SEJ website! All costs except transportation are covered in the $326 registration fee (if registered by May 15, with 3 persons to a room; other pricing packages are available). Please contact UMVIM, SEJ or visit the YPIM page on our website for more information. Hope to see you there!

We are excited to announced that details and registration for Young People in Mission 2016 is LIVE! Click HERE to visit our website for all the info!

"Verano de Servicio" - Our 2015 Intern Reflects on Her Summer of Service

In 2013, UMVIM, SEJ implemented an internship program to develop the leadership skills of a young person within the United Methodist Church. We were so pleased to welcome Lindsey Brown of the Memphis Conference as our 2015 Summer Intern. Lindsey is a nursing major at Union University, and despite her young age, has already traveled to Nicaragua 8 separate times on short-term trips. Read on to learn more about her summer as the UMVIM, SEJ Intern!

Domestic Placement

Lindsey began her summer at Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), a project on the UMVIM Mission Opportunity List that works to end substandard housing and empower the young children in and around Tuskegee, Alabama. A quick look through Lindsey’s photo albums will show you how much she loves ministering to kids, and this really shined during her time at ARM. 

She reminisced about a young boy she met during ARM’s Sonshine Day Camp, who spent the first week of camp being polite, obedient, and helpful to the teachers, but behaved exactly the opposite the following week. As it turned out, this little boy’s parents were separated, and he had spent the first week with one parent and the second week with the other, which dramatically influenced his behavior. “This really got to me,” she said. “It made me realize the magnitude of how these kids’ home environment play into their behavior. However, we were able to look in his eyes and tell him that we love him, the Lord loves him, and that we both forgive him. Despite negative influences at home, through Sonshine Day Camp he was influenced by people who love him, and was exposed to God’s Word as well! I am thankful for my time here and the relationships that formed.”

International Placement

Lindsey’s international placement had her visiting Costa Rica for the first time, though she is no stranger to Central America. “I was extremely surprised by the differences between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, which I naively assumed would be more similar than they are. This realization is yet another reason I am so thankful for this internship.”

UMVIM, SEJ Executive Director Paulette West connected Lindsey with Rice and Beans, a ministry that engages in evangelism, feeding programs, and construction efforts. She spent much of her time leading Bible Schools, where once again, God was able to use Lindsey and her gift of connecting with children. She even had the opportunity to translate in a community where there are many Nicaraguan refugees. “It is so cool to see the Lord use my past experiences and passions in these moments,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey also recalls the rich spiritual and cultural experience she had during her first week. “There were people from Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the United States all in one place with the same mission to serve the people of Costa Rica in the Lord’s name. Hearing over a hundred of us sing out to the Lord in two different languages simultaneously was a beautiful thing. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds! I have so many brothers and sisters all over the world, and have made amazing connections for future mission opportunities!”

Young People in Mission

Our summer interns are an integral part of our annual Young People in Mission event. Lindsey helped us behind the scenes in so many ways, from engaging with the speakers and workshop leaders, to assisting the Design Team in executing their vision. Lindsey also led a family group comprised of high school graduates who were preparing to enter college, and we invited her to lead a workshop based on her experiences at Alabama Rural Ministry. “It was humbling to trust in the Lord to give me guidance during that time, as public speaking is not something I typically enjoy!” 

We are so very grateful to Lindsey and the passion she brought to our team this summer. We wish her the best as she finishes school, and our prayers follow her as the Lord guides her on her career path. If you or someone you know might be interested in the UMVIM, SEJ Summer Internship Program, click here to learn more about our previous interns, or contact Paulette West at paulette_west@umvim.org for more information.

Large Group Prepares for United Methodist Young Adult Mission Service

By Elliott Wright

Thirty-seven young adults are [spent] most of August preparing in Zimbabwe for mission service around the world through The United Methodist Church.

They are from 16 countries and represent the 2015 class of international Global Mission Fellows, who spend two years in ministries focused on justice and community development. In July, 15 new Global Mission Fellows were commissioned for service in the United States. Global Mission Fellows is a program of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries and part of its Generation Transformation emphasis on young adults in mission.

The group undergoing orientation in Harare, Zimbabwe, will be commissioned on August 30 at the Revelation United Methodist Church there. Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, leader of the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area will preside. To be “commissioned” is to be designated by the church for a special purpose. Bishop John K. Yambasu of Sierra Leone, vice president of Global Ministries, will preach at the service.

Also...commissioned [was] Innocent Phrytoil Afful, a global missionary from Ghana, who is coordinator for orphans and vulnerable children for the Churches of Christ in the Congo, an ecumenical ministry based in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Of the 37 young adults, the majority is from Africa and many will be placed in other parts of the vast continent, none in their home countries. Missionaries are by definition “sent” by God and the church to cross borders and boundaries in taking the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ to all places.

Some of the new Global Mission Fellows will also work in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Europe. A dozen are graduates of Africa University, a pan-African institution related to the United Methodist Church in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Alumni of the university among the new Global Mission Fellows are from across Africa. Four of the international fellows are from the United States.

Work sites are truly international. Relinjoy Pabrua, who is from Manila in the Philippines, will be working with a community development project in Grenada in the West Indies; Wakili Albert Abbo from Jalingo, Nigeria with a new congregation in Dublin, Ireland; Evans Ndadzungira from Chimanimani, Zimbabwe with an environmental protection project in the Philippines; Kelsey Gatza from Chicago, Illinois, USA with a community-based ministry in Johannesburg, South Africa; Dorcas Samantha Ewoodzie from Accra, Ghana in an ecological program in Kenya; and Edwin Castillo from the Dominican Republic as a communicator in a medical service in Nicaragua. (Click here for a full list of the fellows, including where they are from and will work.)

 “This is an exciting new venture in mission,” said the Rev. Dr. Judy Chung, Global Ministries’ associate general secretary for missionary services. “Global Mission Fellows is one expression of our Generation Transformation focus on young adults in mission. The young people leave their home environment, identify with a new community, and not only provide real assistance to their projects but also better equip themselves for leadership roles in church and society in the complex world in which we live.”

The United Methodist Church has organic units (regional “annual” conferences) in the United States, Eurasia, large parts of Africa, and the Philippines. It has mission partnership across Asia and Latin America/Caribbean, with personnel, projects, and partners in more than 125 countries. It has missionaries in 60 countries. U.S. immigration policy does not grant entrance visas to international short-term young adult missionaries.

The service of commissioning on August 30...was developed with the assistance of the Rev. Dr. Beauty R. Maenzanise, dean of the faculty of theology at Africa University.

UMVIM, SEJ is excited to congratulate the following Fellows commissioned from the Southeastern Jurisdiction:

Hilary Glover 

Mississippi Annual Conference 

Placement: Grenada

Barbara Rogers 

North Carolina Annual Conference 

Placement: Russia

Mission Volunteer Opportunities

If you are being called to serve in mission service beyond a week or ten days, the Mission Volunteer Program sponsored by Global Ministries provides opportunities for individuals and couples to serve from two months to two years in a variety of ministries around the world. Here are some examples:

In Honduras there are ministries that need volunteers to serve as youth leaders, to coordinate team projects, and to minister to children with disabilities.

In Africa, a volunteer is needed at the Malawi United Methodist Church Conference Offices. The position is for an international financial management consultant. This is a partnership with the Church of the Resurrection. The main responsibility is to develop and implement a financial accounting management system.

Our missionary in Chile is seeking a volunteer to serve as a gardener and groundskeeper.

The McCurdey School in Espanola, New Mexico has ongoing needs for directors.

In Haiti there is a need for a couple to serve as volunteers-in-mission team coordinators.

To respond to these volunteer requests and others, become a Mission Volunteer. Apply now at www.missionvolunteers.org in time for our October 21-24 training event. For more information, please contact Malcolm Frazier at mfrazier@umcmission.org or call 212 870-3659.

Introducing our 2015 Intern!

Meet Lindsey Brown!

Lindsey is our 2015 Summer Intern, and we are so excited to have this young woman on our team for the next couple of months. There will be no coffee-making or errand-running here...being an UMVIM intern means that she will spend her summer entrenched in what it means to inspire change in the world, to inform, connect and equip volunteers, and to interact as servants of Christ in order to transform the world through Christian love in action.

A native of Jackson, Tennessee, Lindsey is a Nursing student at Union University and will graduate next Spring. After completing school, she plans to spend a couple years practicing here in the States to prepare her for a career in the international medical mission field.

Lindsey is the perfect fit to serve as the UMVIM, SEJ intern not only for her aspirations, but also for the short-term mission experience she already has under her belt. In 2009, she went to Nicaragua and has since been back 5 more times! On her last visit, she lived there for 3 months and served as an intern at El Ayudante. She has also been to East Africa twice, working in both Kenya and Tanzania. While in Tanzania, she lived for a month with Eric and Elizabeth Soard. (Stay tuned for an upcoming Mission Highlight on the Soards!)

We have a full summer planned for Lindsey. She spent the first part of the week in Birmingham for North Alabama's Annual Conference and in Jackson for Mississippi's Annual Conference. On Sunday she’s heading to Tuskegee to serve with Alabama Rural Ministry for her domestic placement. At the end of month, she’ll join the rest of our staff and the Design Team at Lake Junaluska for Young People in Mission and be part of making that event as strong as ever. (It’s not too late to sign up for that by the way!) In July she’ll travel to Costa Rica for her international placement and work with Rice & Beans Ministries.

Please join us in praying for Lindsey, that God will use her in a mighty way and this will be a summer of education, discernment, and fruitful ministry. Stay tuned to this blog and across our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for field reports from Lindsey as she serves in her domestic and international placements. (You can also follow her on Instagram @lindseybrown33!)

5 Reasons to Sign Up for Young People in Mission

Young People in Mission June 28-July 2, 2015 Lake Junaluska, North Carolina Registration Open Until Mid-June! Young People in Mission is a camp experience held  at beautiful Lake Junaluska that provides hands-on mission opportunities for youth and young adults. Our hope is that this event serves as a launch to empower them to serve with new eyes and a heart for Christ. Each year, young people serve with local mission projects, worship together, fellowship and grow with family groups, dive into Bible studies, and learn from featured speakers and the City of Opportunity. Here are 5 reasons to sign up your youth or young adult ministry TODAY!

1. YPIM is produced every year not by us here at UMVIM, but by 7 students from around the Jurisdiction. These students are YPIM veterans; they understand the way this event has impacted their lives in tremendous ways and work together all year to bring the same experience to your students. What better way for the participants to be ministered to than by their own peers? Click here to learn more about these dynamic young leaders!

2. This event is geared towards the Next Generation of the United Methodist Church. We utilize the connectional nature of our denomination and connect your students to leaders, projects, and Boards and Agencies within the UMC. We offer dozens of workshops for your students to choose from, and the City of Opportunity allows participants to connect further with the intention of engaging them in projects and initiatives that are of interest to them. It is also a fun time of fellowship, featuring as many sno-cones and rounds of dodgeball you could want! Click here to learn more about these connectional opportunities!

3. UMVIM emphasizes the importance of connecting with sustainable mission projects, and continuing a holistic relationship with them that is giving of energy, resources, prayer, and people. And this wouldn't be a mission camp if we didn't let everyone get their hands dirty, after all. There will be two days where participants can plug into local service projects and show Christian Love in Action! Click here to see some of the ways previous campers have served the local community!

4. This event gives participants the opportunity to worship and learn as a group in morning and evening sessions, as well as connect with each other on a closer level in Family Groups. Each student will be assigned to a Family Group with others their own age and gender that will be led by an adult participant, allowing a safe place to share whatever is on their hearts. Click here for more information on the amazing speakers we have lined up for this year!

5. If any of your students feel led to work with YPIM on a deeper level, we hope that they will apply for a position on the 2016 Design Team. It's an incredible way for them to develop their leadership skills and connect with peers from all over the Southeast. More information about the selection process will be available at the event. Click here to learn more about what a great opportunity this is for your students!

So are you ready to sign up?! We hope so, because we'd love to see you and your entire student ministry at Lake J this summer.  Signing up couldn't be easier. Just click here to go to our Cost and Registration page and you'll see everything you need to know.  If you have questions about any part of YPIM or how to register, all you have to do is call or email us.  PS: Like everyone else, we appreciate a good t-shirt. Every participant will get this YPIM tee so that we can continue to share that we are all UNIQUE...yet UNITED!  Photos courtesy of Jack Hinnen, Allen B., and Olivia S.