Do you know what % of your donations to a charitable organization go to the people you want to help?  Charity Watch can help.  Read this blog post by John Bertsche about Charity Watch.

Whether by tractor or by truck, MCC’s partners have delivered emergency food to 2,189 rural families affected by the earthquake in Nepal. In addition,789 of those families received tarps, cooking utensils and blankets. To learn the latest about MCC’s response since the second major earthquake, check out this story online. Donations for Nepal are welcome!

Resources to help prepare for Congregational Meeting on May 17. Resolutions to come to Mennonite Church USA in Kansas City June 30-July 5 Churchwide Statement on Sexual Abuse Forbearance Resolution Resolution on Status of Membership Faithful Witness Amid Endless War Israel Palestine Resolution Additional Documents MCN Organizational Chart MCN Model of Pastoral Relationships Leadership Selection Process Campus Plan    

Midweek 05132015

Midweek Connection May 6, 2015

At the MCC Great Lakes gathering on Saturday, May 2, we heard a report on the work of SWAP (Sharing With Appalachian People).   A short film emphasized that while outside volunteers coming to KT give much in terms of physical labor and monetary donations, the people there have much to teach the volunteers. This quote, attributed to Phillip Yancey’s The Jesus I Never Knew seems to underscore that point. The poor, the hungry, the mourners, and the oppressed truly are blessed. Not because of their miserable states, of course – Jesus spent much of his life trying to remedy […]

One of Mennonite Central Committee’s  partners in Nepal is a Christian organization, Rescue Network Nepal.  The primary purpose of Rescue Network Nepal (RNN) is to train local villagers in remote areas of the country to give emergency aid in case of home, farm and traffic accidents. No one knew that this newly built network would be mobilized, and that every person they trained last year is desperately needed in the current disaster response.  Read more about Rescue Nepal’s almost immediate post-earthquake response and MCC’s involvement by clicking here.

12 Mennonite Church of Normal Volunteers traveled to Jamestown, Colorado March 8-15, 2015 to help with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) work rebuilding homes in Jamestown, Colorado, 12 miles northwest of Boulder. Those helpers (and their Colorado nicknames) were Leo and Bess Desch (The Queen of Shoes), Wayne and Lois Hochstetler (Mud Slinger), Steve (Plays in the Toilet) and Deb Stenger (Doesn’t Do Caulk), Gerry Schrock (Feeds Us Like A Mother Hen), Sue Schrag (Queen of Clean), David Voegtlin (Cuts Four Times and It’s Still Too Short), Lotus Hershberger (Mr. Eats Too Much Sugar), Julio Ceasar and Giodarno Conte (The Property […]

The 2015 Relief Sale was a huge success.  It was held on March 20-21, 2015 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington.  Most (80%) proceeds from the Sale go to Mennonite Central Committee for service and mission work around the world.  Twenty percent goes to local missions and service.  Many, many hours of sewing, cooking, preparing and serving were donated by the Mennonite Church of Normal participants.  Here are some pictures from the 2015 Sale:  

Join us for the 2015 Celebrate MCC Great Lakes Annual Gathering on Saturday, May 2 at Mennonite Church of Normal (805 S. Cottage Ave). Worship and fellowship with other MCC supporters, and hear updates on MCC’s work both locally and around the world. Special guest speakers Deb & Jim Fine, recently returned MCC service workers in Iraq, will share stories from their experiences. The event begins at 3 p.m. with presentations, followed by the program at 4 p.m. Please RSVP to Krista Dutt at KristaDutt@mcc.org or 312-623-4227. More information at mcc.org/celebrate-mcc-gl