Social Ministry News for June 2010

by Karen McNitt

Happy Summer!

Even though school isn’t even closed at the start of this month, we are collecting school supplies for our local elementary schools starting this month. Most of the schools are asking for more basic supplies now to make organization easier—plain colored folders and spiral notebooks so they can use blue for one subject and red for another, etc. So save your money and donate the basics instead of the cute Hello Kitty or Jonas Brothers supplies and help stuff our collection boxes with pencils, crayons (small packs of 8 or 16), erasers, glue sticks, 3-ring binders, composition books as well as backpacks and lunch boxes. Look for the collection boxes in the Trunk Hall and the narthex on the Frederick campus and a special collection weekend in Urbana later in the summer.

Our Social Ministry offering this month goes to Mission of Mercy. Mission of Mercy is a non-profit organization that seeks to "restore dignity" to all people by being an instrument of "healing through Love," and by the reciprocal sharing of God's mercy with those they serve. Since August 1994, they have freely served over 66,800 patients in nearly 244,500 patient visits in our medical and dental clinics in the 3 states they serve (Maryland/Pennsylvania, Texas and Arizona). In our area, clinics are held in their mobile van in 5 locations in Maryland and 2 in southern Pennsylvania, including Frederick, Brunswick, Taneytown and Westminster. All services – medical and dental – are offered free and supported through volunteer medical professionals and monetary donations from the public. No government support is accepted, so they do not require clients to prove their need, but serve all the uninsured, underinsured and working poor who cannot afford medical care or prescription drugs through other means. Please consider giving generously to support this program and visit www.amissionofmercy.org to find out more about their work.

Now for this month snippets:

• CareNet Pregnancy Center in Frederick is looking for volunteers for their board of directors and RN/ sonographers for their medical and support services. If you’re interested in finding out more about their work, check out www.carenetfrederick.org or call them at 301-662-5300.
• The Oaks Indian Mission, by God's grace, partnering with Christian communities and tribal nations, prepares Native children to lead and serve. In 1902, Oaks Indian Mission became a Lutheran Ministry. A residential home for Native American children opened its doors in 1926. This long legacy of quality education and spiritual formation is at the heart of what still makes Oaks Indian Mission a special place for children and a place to shape their future. If you wish to learn more about this group, you can contact them at Oaks Indian Mission, P.O. Box 130, 155 N Military Rd, Oaks, OK 74359-0130, Phone: 918-868-2196, Fax: 918-868- 3804, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
• Are you or your family members looking for new opportunities—maybe summer volunteer opportunities now that school is over? Check out Volunteer Frederick for ideas. Some ideas from their most recent news are short-term projects, but some are for longer term volunteers, such as: raising a puppy for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a non-profit guide dog school; Frederick Memorial Healthcare System needs committed volunteers to fill a variety of services; Frederick County Department of Aging Meals on Wheels (www.frederickcountymd.gov/doa) needs volunteers to pick-up and deliver pre-packaged meals to homebound clients on a predetermined route at mid-day; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Frederick County (www.bbbsfrederick.org) is in need of volunteer mentors to make a difference in the lives of children; and the American Red Cross Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Services Region (www.redcrossblood.org/gcp) needs volunteers to greet donors and serve refreshments at their local blood drives and donor centers in the Frederick area. Check out www.volunteerfrederick.org or call them at 301-663-5214, x6#.
• In addition to the projects listed each month, the Social Ministry team is involved in distributing the interest from the Gubatz endowment fund each month. In these trying times, requests for support of members of our church and our community for these funds have increased. We also continue to support the local food bank with a monthly donation to them and any undistributed funds at the end of the month go to the Religious Coalition so that they can continue providing their needed services. If you wish to be involved in these activities, consider joining us at our next meeting on June 22 at 6:15 p.m., in the Rupp House. We’d be happy to have you join the team.

Remember that our book sale is coming again this fall, so as you finish up your reading this summer keep your books for us!