I, David Peck, chair the Governance Committee for one of HPCUMC’s long-standing mission endeavors: Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN). IHN’s mission is “to provide homeless families with emergency shelter and hospitality through interfaith congregations.” Twenty-eight congregations (Temples, Mosques, Christian and Unitarian) in Greater Cincinnati provide temporary shelter and meals at night during the week. Transportation to and from schools and congregations is provided by IHN. Average temporary housing time at IHN for families is about twenty-seven days. Over 90% do not return to temporary shelters. Finding temporary placement for “families,” including pets, is scarce in our city. There is power in family, as the saying goes, and during the day IHN provides professional case management, addressing securing documents such as social security cards, birth certificates, drivers licenses, monitoring healthcare of all family members, providing self-improvement classes, and other supportive services that allow families to obtain housing and self-sufficiency. The IHN facility at 990 Nassau St. provides laundry, play areas, computers, lockers, showers, pet housing, and classrooms. With overwhelming support through the day facility and much love from congregations, we can help make an unhappy time better!

As many of you know, HPCUMC hosts families for four weeks a year, with our first host week of 2015 wrapping up just a few weeks ago. Sunday night is always the first night of the host week, and the guests usually arrive with some understandable apprehensions: what will this place and people be like; will they be nice; where will we sleep; will I like the food, etc. We try the best we can to make them feel welcome, safe and loved. Here is an excerpt from a letter one of the guests left with me:

“To everyone, volunteers, ministers. Thanks for being there for my family, for feeding us and letting us be able to rest in a warm, safe, clean place. I’m writing cause there are three things I asked your volunteers Mr. Steve, and Mrs. Tracey, for God to help me to stop smoking, a car to be able to transport my kids to school, doctor’s appts and etc. and a nice safe clean home for my kids……Thanks to IHN that blessed us. With our love, Anonymous.” The references to “Mr. Steve” and “Mrs. Tracey” are to Steve and Tracy Payling who graciously served that night with their daughter and several other families from our Childrens’ Ministry.

Kind words of comfort and prayer from total strangers made a difference in this woman’s life; it didn’t cost anything except love and time. We have three more weeks of hosting IHN this year – May 10, August 2, and September 6. We would encourage everyone who has a passion for supporting people in their transition back to permanent housing to join us by donating their time during the week to provide food, spend time with the families in the evenings, serving as the overnight host, etc. If you have interest, contact Sarah Putman at sputman@hpcumc.org or 871-1345.

David Peck and Laura Warren

IS GOD CALLING HPCUMC TO SERVE IN A NEW WAY?

Each year for the past nineteen years, the West Ohio Conference has sent six medical mission teams to Nuevo Progresso, Mexico to provide medical treatment to the people living in the community. A full team consists of about 5 MDs/NPs, 5 RNs, a pharmacist, 5 Spanish translators, 2 kitchen coordinators, a spiritual director, a coordinator, and laity to help with registering the patients, interacting with the families/children, praying with families, and “runners” for whatever might be needed. The trip is five days long. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are spent caring for the community, while Wednesday and Sunday are used as travel days. The team stays at First UMC in Mercedes, Texas and crosses the border each day in vans to the clinic at El Buen Pastor Methodist Church and to rural areas outside of Nuevo Progresso.

This July, Pastor Dave and Diane Weaver, who have gone before, will be going as spiritual director and nurse, respectively. There is also an exciting opportunity for 3-5 MD, NP, pharmacists, and/or Spanish translators from HPCUMC to join an experienced team of 20-25 people. By 2017, most of this team will be retiring after 10-15 years of serving. Hyde Park Community UMC has been asked by the conference Volunteers In Mission (VIM) Coordinator to consider coordinating the annual mission trip in the future, which would include coordinating an entire team of people – both those with medical training and those without. One goal of the July 2015 trip will be to discern the appropriate response to the VIM invitation.

We are asking everyone to keep this mission trip in prayer. If you are an MD, NP, pharmacist, or Spanish translator, please ask God for guidance as to your participation this coming July. If you have a heart for missions and/or for Mexico, please ask God for guidance as to your participation in possible future trips. Regardless of your personal call to the mission field, please pray for our church discernment if this is something we would do on an annual basis. If you have any questions, need more detailed information, or are interested in the July 2015 trip or one in the future, please contact Rev. Dave Weaver at dweaver@hpcumc.org or Diane Weaver at dianeweaver@cinci.rr.com. We can both be reached at 871-3041. We will also have a table with brochures and costs in the Welcome Center March 22 and 29.

Dave and Diane Weaver

Wesley Education Center for Children and Families (WEC), located in Avondale, is one of the ministry partners of Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church. In addition to receiving financial donations from the church, it has been supported in multiple ways by the Ruth UMW circle for many years.
Established in 1920, it is the oldest childcare facility of its kind in Cincinnati responding to the needs of poor, young working mothers living in the downtown area of Cincinnati. From its inception, quality early childhood education, optimal opportunities for growth and nutrition, and family support services were important at the center. Today, over forty infants and pre-kindergarten children are served at the center.

Through the years, Wesley has survived three moves, two major construction projects, four name changes, and constant state licensing and payment changes. The driving force behind its financial longevity has been the continued support of the United Methodist Women worldwide, and especially those who live in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Today, 98% of Wesley’s services are delivered to African American families who fall below the poverty guidelines. Because only 83% of Wesley’s operational budget is covered by client fees, government vouchers and subsidies, and the support of the national UMW, the remaining 17% of the budget must be raised by donations and through an annual fundraiser.

Wesley Education Center for Children and Families will hold its 11th annual “Circle of Care” dinner and silent auction on Thursday, April 23, 2015, at Twin Towers Senior Living Community (5343 Hamilton Avenue) in College Hill. Doors open at 6 pm. Dinner, prepared and donated by Outback Steakhouse, will be served at 7 pm, followed by silent bidding on auction items and a short program. All proceeds go toward Wesley’s operational budget.

How can you help?
1. Attend the dinner and auction! Contact Ann Flanagan (871-9536 or flan55@juno.com) or Peggy McDaniel (oldeagleeye@hotmail.com or 236-9362) for tickets, seating arrangements, cash donations, or more information on donating a silent auction item.
2. Participate in the AmazonSmile, Kroger Community Rewards, or Labels for Education programs.
3. Donate items such as diapers, wipes, and clean clothing into the plastic bin labeled “Wesley Education Center” in the closet opposite our church office.
4. In honor of Wesley’s 95th year, donations of $95 (or more) are being solicited to help Wesley continue to provide quality early childhood education. You may send a check to Wesley Education Center for Children and Families, 525 Hale Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229.

Peggy McDaniel

For the past four years, at least forty dedicated HPC mentors have been matched with Rothenberg’s current 4th and 5th grade students. Some of us started working with our students as 2nd graders. The concept is simple—meet with your designated student weekly, on a set day & time (around lunchtime) for 45 minutes in the media center. Each student has a folder with structured reading & math activities.

What actually happens at the table varies from week to week. Sometimes Bill & I have a focused, energetic learner. Some days an angry, apathetic child greets us. Some days not much reading or math is accomplished. The greatest gift we bring to the table as mentors is less about academic results, and more about patience (sometimes lots), compassion and love. Sometimes just showing up, week after week, is the small victory that helps cement a relationship which offers a bond of hope and confidence.

Bill has been coaching basketball for the past five years. Initially the 7th & 8th grades were housed at Rothenberg and boys and girls participated in a CPS league. After the 7th & 8th grade were restructured into the high schools, the focus turned to basketball for the 6th grade boys & girls. The time spent on the court is not about X’s & O’s or wins and losses. It is about the love and honesty you can see and feel in each of these athletes. Goal setting is our top priority (being a team, caring for each other & being a good student-athlete). Every day I coach I am reminded how blessed I am to be a part of their lives. I have been able to follow some of our athletes into high school.

In addition to our weekly partnership with Rothenberg, our partnership includes providing them with Thanksgiving Baskets, Christmas presents for every child in the grades that we mentor in, and giving goodie bags to each student each day as they take their official tests in May. If you are interested in being involved with Rothenberg but unable to commit weekly time to mentoring one on one, consider writing one (or several) personal notes of encouragement that we can include with these testing goodie bags in May – we end up needing about 500 notes in total.

If you have a small amount of time to give, and a heart that can give and receive love from these children of God, then there is room at the table for you. For more information or to volunteer contact Sarah Putman, sputman@hpcumc.org. Notes can be dropped off to the office until the end of April.

Bill and Karen Bruner