The Bloomfield United Methodist Church is collecting a special lenten offering for The Heifer project. We will be purchasing animals for families so they can be more self-supportive. The family is given a pregnant female of larger animals such as goats, cows, or water buffalo and then the family gives the first female offspring to a neighbor to begin their herd. You may donate what animal you wish your money to purchase.
A new caring ministry is being started. The Caring Creations Ministry is seeking volunteers to help crochet/knit prayer shawls and lap blankets to be given to church members and friends as a source of comfort and support during times of bereavement, loss, stress, or illness. Infant sweaters will be crocheted/knitted and plastic mats crocheted from plastic bags. These items will be distributed through United Methodist Committee on Relief with the assistance of church member Linda Rowe. Hats, mittens, and sweaters will also be created to give to local school children or the Women’s Crisis Center in Ottumwa.
A time of prayer and fellowship to make these items will be held at the church on the last Tuesday mornings (9:30 – 11:00) and last Tuesday evenings (7:00 – 8:30) of each month. Donations of yarn and plastic sacks are requested. Please feel free to join us to be involved in this caring and creative ministry.
For more information contact Penny Warren at 664-3705.
From Jan. 29,2011-Feb. 12, 2011 I went on a UMVIM trip to St. Kitts. It is one of the islands in the Caribbean. Yes, an island mission is quite different from Africa. The team of 14 went there mostly for painting in some churches and a manse (parsonage). Along with the painting we did a few small repairs and also did VBS for the kids, a sewing group and a Bible Study group.
After the 2008 flooding in Iowa, Gayle Walton, Debbie Swaim, and Dianne Park spent 3 days in Cedar Rapids working through the Iowa United Methodist Conference. They were matched with a family that had been unable to enter their home for over 30 days since the flood, due to a collapsed basement wall. The foundation had been stabilized the three women worked with volunteers from other churches to remove the contents of the house, also known as “mucking out”.
In July 2007 Julie Griffin , Debbie Swaim, and Dianne Park traveled to Greensberg, KS for a week of mission work. They cooked meals for residents and workers doing clean up after a tornado in May destroyed 90% of the town. Working with other volunteers coordinated by the Kansas United Methodist Conference, they helped prepare and serve 300 to 600 meals a day from a trailer with no running water and electricity provided by gas powered generators.