Feed Hungry Neighbors in North Carolina

Worship Jesus by feeding your hungry neighbor with Society of St. Andrew. You, your family, or church, with members aged 3 to 93, can get involved with a great hands-on ministry opportunity accomplished in a field in NC. The Society of St. Andrew can make this mission a reality and help feed our neighbors who are the most vulnerable. Please contact Society of St. Andrew at: sosanc@endhunger.org or call (866) 453-2662. See: Endhunger . Please give to NC Advance, (#S-00081) and see the Rainbow Covenant for more information: Humanitarian Relief/Medical .

Simple Action to Prevent Malaria

Nothing But Nets

Malaria kills. Every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria, more than a million children a year. Yet, we can act to change this nightmare. For only $10, you can engage in one of the most effective preventive measures for malaria, you can purchase a mosquito net. Nothing But Nets is our UM outreach effort to change this reality. Donations can be made by placing a gift in local church offering plates and noting on the check: Nothing But Nets – Advance #982015. 100% of your donation will go toward this gift of nets. Donations can be made on-line and more information is available, including downloadable resources at: Nothing But Nets

Outreach Meeting - 3/16/07

Upcoming Projects

Habitat for Humanity – Will be joining with other churches in doing a Habitat Practice. We have set a goal of contributing $2,000 towards this project. Will be announcing and asking for donations on April 1. Next meeting is 4/26/07. Derek Brown has agreed to be Coordinator for RUMC.

Bread for the World – Rev. Sara Phillips and Kathy Murray attended BFW meeting on 3/13/07. A benefactor has offered to provide the financial commitment to make Reconciliation a Covenant Church. This would involve conducting a periodic “Offering of Letter” to Congress on issues of hunger. This year’s project involves the renewal of the Farm Bill.

United National Association Conference – April 14. Reconciliation will have a display table. Volunteers to be at the table would be helpful.

Crop Walk is coming up on 4/1/07 – Walkers and sponsors of walkers are needed.

IHN Hosting – 4/15/07 – Marianne Daye is trying to arrange a small cook-out, if we can think of a public park or some place like that.

Advent Contemplative Prayer Group

Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas. Take a break from the holiday rush, clear out obstacles to experiencing Christ's light in our heart, and refocus our spiritual vision for the coming year. Will use meditation, spiritual reading, personal sharing and practicing the "prayer of the heart". Contact Kathy 688-3079, ext. 262 - daytime 419-7059 - home

This group will meet on Tuesdays, November 28, December 5, 12 and 19. All are welcome.

Important Presentation Thursday, 10/26/06

Talking to Terrorists
How the Church Makes Peace in a Violent World

A presentation by David W Porter, Duke Divinity School
As Director of the Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland, David has been in dialogue with both Irish Republican and British Loyalist paramilitary groups for over two decades. He is currently a Visiting Practitioner Fellow as the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26th
7:30 pm to 9 pm
BLACKNALL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1902 Perry Street Durham, NC 27705
Contact: Kate Goodall (919) 660-3578 or reconciliation@div.duke.edu

Important Voting Information

The schedule for the Board of Elections is printed below. This Friday is the last day to register. Also, there will be a period of pre-election day "no excuse" voting. See http://www.durhamcountync.gov/departments/elec/2006_Election/2006_One_Stop_No_Exc.html

Absentee Ballots available for Election
Monday, 09/18/06
NCGS 163-227.3(a)

Registration books close for Election
Friday, 10/13/06 by 5:00PM
NCGS 163-82.6 (c 1,2 & 3)

One Stop voting begins at BOE
Thursday, 10/19/06 at 9AM

Absentee Applications by mail must be received at BOE
Tuesday, 10/31/06 by 5:00PM

One Stop voting ends
Saturday, 11/04/06 at 1:00PM

Absentee ballots must be received at BOE
Monday, 11/06/06 by 5:00PM

Date of Election
Tuesday, 11/07/06 6:30 AM until 7:30PM

Durham CAN Delegates Assembly - Oct 22, 2006

Durham Congregations, Associations and Neighborhoods (CAN)

Over 250 leaders that represent 24 different organizations have pledged to attend the Durham CAN Delegates Assembly. The Assembly is the public space where the organizations implement their public business. The Assembly will take place on October 22, at 4:00 PM at Judea Reform Congregation http://www.judeareform.org/

Can has been active in working toward living wage, insuring the uninsured, working to improve housing in Durham and a variety of other projects. Visit their website at http://durhamcan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=41

This assembly will be a good chance to get acquainted with this grassroots political activism organization and get involved in issues you are about.

Take Action to Stop Torture - Call Senators Today

Ariel Dorfman is the Walter Hines Page Research Professor of Literature and Professor of Latin American Studies at Duke University. He has written an editorial in the Washington Post on torture, which struck me very deeply. In it he says that torture not only contaminates the victim, the perpetrator and any intelligence that might be gathered, but it also contaminates anyone who stands by and lets it happen. To see it, go to the following link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/09/25/BL2006092500493.html

I know that tomorrow I am calling my Senators and asking them to vote against any legislation that compromises our adherence to the Geneva Conventions and letting them know that I believe that torture is a moral issue, contrary to the true values of our country and our religion. Also, most experts agree that it doesn't work - other methods of interrogation are more effective. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Amnesty International is having a campaign aimed at influencing the current discussion in the Senate seeking a "compromise" on allowing torture to occur in our detention facilities. You can find more information on their website - http://www.amnestyusa.org/index2.html

See Pastor Kevin's blog http://christianconversations.blogspot.com/ for a more in-depth analysis of this subject and, if you feel led to, call your Senators.

Report on Outreach Meeting – 9/17/06

Discussed joining Bread for the World as a covenant church and having a membership drive. Novelty idea would be baking loaves of bread as an incentive for individual memberships. We will have a letter-writing campaign in the Spring. Could possibly join up with Immaculate Conception on this. Sarah Phillips will discuss this idea with Kevin.

IHN
Discussed IHN fundraiser on November 11 – dinner and silent auction. Reconciliation will be putting together a basket with an athletic theme. Next IHN hosting is November 12. Volunteers are needed for food, transportation and overnight.

The Montegnards have some family members joining them who will need some services. Kent Gill expressed an interest in connecting with them.

Discussed having another movie and discussion group in conjunction with other churches with the theme of poverty. Melissa Rasberry is investigating obtaining a copy of the Morgan Spurlock episode on 30 days, in which he lives on a minimum wage job for 30 days. She will also facilitate a discussion after the showing.

Hispanic Outreach
Discussed having Latino dance class before the RUMC picnic date. Sarah will explore this idea further and her garage may be a potential site.