Bethesda United Methodist Church

Please see the email below from the director of the Lawrenceville Co-Op and thanks to everyone who has been bringing in canned goods and praying for our neighbors at the Co-Op:

Your prayers for the Co-Op have been heard. A few weeks ago we were dangerously low on food and funds. August was a record month for assistance given. BUT our God has provided for our needs and is continuing to do so! Please continue to pray for the Co-Op and its faithful volunteers who are devoted to the Lord Jesus. Thank you for your prayers for our clients.

Linda Freund

Director

Thanks,

Dawn

I would like to thank everyone who helped out in the canned food drive. We had almost 500 canned food items donated!!  Please read the email from the Co-Op below.

Thanks,

Dawn

The Co-Op desperately needs your help! Donations have been critically down over the summer and need has greatly increased. We are purchasing food from Co-Op funds. Today we gave out over $5,500 in assistance with utilities, emergency housing, and prescription medication. We gave out 4,900 cans of food in one day. We purchased over $1,000 of food. We will be out of funds for assistance within the next two weeks unless donations increase immediately – both food and money. We have not been without funds to help those who qualified for assistance in almost 8 years! We have not been out of food in 10 years! PLEASE HELP! If each person in our 25 supporting churches gave $1 per member per month and 1 can per person per week we would have enough! During the past two weeks I have had notices from two churches – one cutting support from $100 per month to $50. The other discontinued their $100 monthly donation completely.

Each day the stories from the clients are getting to be more difficult to hear and to bear. One long-time volunteer who had been out for 10 months caring for his wife returned last Friday. He had to leave at noon. He said he was overwhelmed with the need and with the severity of the cases.

A woman was diagnosed with breast cancer, her husband had attempted suicide the day before, she had no phone to contact the hospital, and the brakes were out on her car. A friend had brought her here. We helped with a utility bill, prayed for her, and she left here knowing that Jesus loves her and she was encouraged. Today a man with chronic myelogenous leukemia (49 years old) came in for food. He is the primary caregiver for his aunt who is 88 and disabled. He broke his toes this week and was walking with a cane. He is terminally ill. Our volunteer Barbara talked with him, prayed with him, and encouraged him in the Lord. He was so happy when he left – “it was such a lift to talk with someone – with God’s people” he said.

The Lawrenceville Co-Op is God’s ministry, and we are trusting Him to provide for our every need. Those of us on the front lines need the support of our churches, our community and individuals who share our passion – Jesus’ passion – for helping “the least of these” in our very midst. If you are one of these, I pray that the Lord will use you to spread the word of our need, and the response will be such that we will be overwhelmed with the generosity of God’s people.

This email is my prayer for help in Jesus’ name,

Linda Freund, Director Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc.

P.O. Box 1328, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Hours for deliveries: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 9 – 10:30; Monday 6-8p.m.; Wednesday & Friday 10 – 1; Saturday 10 – noon

176 Church Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

The next blood drive at Bethesda United Methodist Church is scheduled for August 29, 2010 from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall.  Everyone welcome!

The Lawrenceville Co-Op has been notified by the “Clothing Closet” that they are in need of children’s, preteen’s and teenage clothes. Please consider donating your slightly used clothes while you are “back to school shopping”. You may bring the clothing to the Fellowship Hall under the coat rack.

Thank You,

Dawn

The North Georgia Conference Disaster Response Committee has been coordinating and overseeing the rebuilding of homes damaged by the September 21 floods in Cobb and Douglas Counties since December.  Thirty-five rebuilding teams comprised of over 357 individuals from 9 states representing United Methodist Churches and 12 other churches/organizations have completed 25 houses allowing the homeowners to move back in their homes.  However, the need to help other families still displaced from their homes continues.  There are at least another 80-100 homes in Cobb and Douglas County and additional homes in DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties that need major repairs.

 There are currently rebuilding teams scheduled for most weeks in May and June and very few scheduled beyond that.  Three teams per week with up to 10 members for each team are needed each week at least through October.  In order for the remaining homes to get rebuilt and the homeowners moved back in, many more rebuilding teams are needed. 

 This is an appeal for Churches in the NG Conference to put together teams that can come and help for a week or part of a week to put people back in their homes.  Please call the Disaster Response office in Austell at 770-739-9537 if you can help.

Sybil Davidson

Office of Connectional Ministries

North Georgia Conference of the

United Methodist Church

678.533.1446

www.ngumc.org

Your blood donation is needed  at our next drive on Sunday, May 2, 2010  from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm in the fellowship hall.  Free gifts for all participants.

     Please read note below from director of Co-Op:

Exciting Opportunity Requiring Immediate Action!
 
Our local Curves collects food from their members and donates it to us each year. Yesterday, they told me about the Feinstein Foundation (see attached file) and their $1 Million Challenge which potentially matches $1 per can of food and dollar-for-dollar cash matching donations from now until the end of April!  Our local Lawrenceville Curves donated 505 items which would translate to $505. 
 
I just called the Feinstein Foundation to verify this information.  It’s true!   AND the money they give us may be used to help in any area of the ministry – utility bills, prescription medication, etc.!  All donations of food and money given to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc. between now and the end of April will be eligible for this match from the Feinstein Foundation in response to this email.   Please spread the word within your congregations and among your spheres of influence . . . and please donate money and/or food to us so we can collect this dollar-for-dollar matching money to help the needy in our community.  This could make a huge difference in our ministry!
 
Donations should be made payable to:  Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc.
                                                            P.O. Box 1328
                                                            Lawrenceville, GA  30046
                                   
                                                            Deliveries may be made to the Co-Op at 176 Church Street, Lawrenceville, GA  30046
                                                            Mon-Tues-Thurs 9:00 – 10:30
                                                            Monday 6-8 p.m.
                                                            Wednesday & Friday 10 – 2
                                                            Saturday 10 – 12
 
If you want to know more about Feinstein Foundation please go to www.FeinsteinFoundation.org 
 
God bless you!
 
Joyfully serving Him,
Linda Freund
Director
Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc.

If you are interested in volunteering this year, both the Lawrenceville Co-Op and the SaltLight Center are in need of volunteers.

The next volunteer orientation sessions for the Co-Op is March 15th and April 15th at 7 pm at the Co-Op.

The next volunteer training day for the Salt Light Center is March 13th from 12:30 – 2:30 pm. Meet at First UMC Lawrenceville.

The Salt Light Center is a new emergency shelter for women and children in Lawrenceville.  They are in need of twin size sheet sets (for cots) they will accept new or very slightly used, also children designs are welcome. They are also in need of towels, and wash clothes, new or very slightly used.  You can drop them off in the box in the Fellowship Hall (by the coat rack).

Thank you, and please keep this center in your prayers.

Dawn

Habitat For Humanity will be starting a new home from Feb 20 – May 15 2010.  If you are interested in volunteering you can go to their webpage:  Atlantaemorybuild.org.  You can  volunteer for a 1/2 day or for a full day.  You must go to the above webpage to register, all dates and shifts show up on the webpage. They will have shuttle buses pick you up at Harmony Grove UMC and take you to the site. Please make sure that each person registers so they can keep a count of volunteers.  Please let Athel know what date you have signed up for. Thank you

The next drive is scheduled  for Sunday,  February 21,  2010 in the fellowship hall from 8:00 am-1:00  pm.   To schedule a time you may e-mail me at felixmartin2000 {at} yahoo(.)com,  call 770-979-0767, see me on Sundays at church or at any Wed. night supper.

Our next Blood Drive will be on Sunday, February 21st from 8:00am to 1:00pm in the fellowship hall.

Peachtree Symphonic Winds presents

An Enchanted Musical Evening

Thursday, February 18, 2010, 7:30 PM

First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville, 395 W. Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA.

Reception to follow concert.

Door prize to one lucky audience member: $50 gift certificate from Doorway Gourmet

Appreciated admission: Canned goods plus $10 or more donation*

All canned goods and donations will support the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry–Our local food bank that feeds thousands of your neighbors desperately in need.

Click here for more details on the concert.