Special Update from the Mission Committee

Thank you for being faithful in your giving to the Faith Promise program which helps fund the mission work from Tucker First. Because of the pandemic, many of our "regular" mission activities have been cancelled this year. A quick list of cancelled mission work include: the youth mission trip (July) and the adult mission trip to Honduras (November); the ASP mission trip (September) and the Great Day of Service (September). The mission committee has been meeting and is looking at reallocating some of the funds meant for the cancelled activities to other mission needs in our community and beyond. We want to be good stewards of our money, but also responsive to the immediate needs in our community. As you read this email, look for the red words, " Pandemic Update ." This will give you an idea of where monies are being reallocated to help our community.

What is "Do Something September?"

The annual "Great Day of Service" has been cancelled for 2020. This event, normally in September, gathered many people together to do multiple mission projects in a single day. Many of the mission partners that we have had in the past for Great Day of Service, are not accepting in-person help at this time. Instead of Great Day of Service, the mission committee is working on a program called, "Do Something September." This program highlights activities and mission projects that you can do on your own schedule throughout the month of September. There is neither a sign up nor a t-shirt. You will pick a mission project that interests you and volunteer. As with Great Day of Service, this is a church-wide effort and there will be suggestions for all types of people (shelter in place, donate items, serve in person, etc.). You can do as much or as little as you like to your level of comfort. As you read this email, watch for the "Do Something" September areas in red. More information about "Do Something" September will be in future emails. .

Tucker First UMC in Missions July 15, 2020

Red Cross Names Tucker First A Winner in Pump It Up Challenge! 234 Pints!

Tucker First UMC has been named a winner in the American Red Cross Pump It Up Challenge, which recognizes high-achieving blood drive sponsors that have grown the number of blood donations collected in their community to help hospital patients in need. Tucker First was already a premiere partner with the Red Cross and answered the call to host additional drives to help make up for some of the many cancelled drives due to the pandemic. At our most recent drive on July 12, we helped the Red Cross collect 34 pints. So far in 2020, Tucker First has helped the Red Cross collect 234 pints (seven blood drives) and we are not done yet! Additional drives are scheduled for Sunday, September 6 and Sunday, November 22. Look for sign up information closer to these dates. Thank you to our donors and volunteers!

"Do Something" September - The next Red Cross Blood Drive will be a part of Tucker First's "Do Something September." Please consider volunteering or being a blood donor.

Thank You Lunch Buddy Volunteers

Stella and Nora Garrett add milk and cereal containers to fresh lunches for Tucker Mobile Homes kids last week.

Pairs of volunteers are feeding eighty children each week day at Tucker Mobile Homes through July. Pre-bagged fresh lunches with milk are delivered by Connected Communities to the office porch of Tucker Mobile Homes for volunteers to hand out. Thanks to the army of volunteers for your service this summer, on behalf of the very grateful and adorable children we are helping in our community.

Tucker First Supports 13 Foster Children

In support of Wellroot Family Services Summer “Read and Feed” for foster families, a week’s supply of lunch items and over 100 books were dropped off to Alyson Ackerman, Community Cultivator at Wellroot last week. The lunch items, funded by your generous donations to Faith Promise for missions, and books will go to thirteen foster children in six families. Thanks to our congregation for faithfully supporting these projects serving children in our community.

Wellroot Welcomes New CEO - Allison Ashe

From the Wellroot Family Services Press Release Wellroot Family Services names Allison Ashe as their new CEO. As a proven nonprofit leader, communicator, and fundraising professional, Allison is uniquely positioned to maximize Wellroot's impact on the families and children we serve throughout Georgia. Ashe will be leading Wellroot at an exciting time in the field of child welfare. There is growing national support for enhancing the ability of children to remain with families of origin and avoiding placement in the foster care system altogether. With a reputation as a leader in Georgia’s child welfare system and strong relationships within the state government, Wellroot is uniquely positioned to address the network gaps and family navigational needs in Georgia by adopting an evidence-based continuum of care model. Ashe’s leadership will be instrumental in implementing this new vision. Read more about Allison Ashe by clicking on the logo.

Volunteers and Supplies Needed at NETWorks

NETWorks continues their all outdoor distribution with pre-packed bags of grocery items. Hours remain Wednesday/Friday/Saturday from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Many of their regular volunteers are self -isolating and volunteers from low risk groups are needed to help pack and distribute bags of groceries. No experience necessary; training will be provided.  To Pack Bags of Groceries (indoors) (T/W/T/F):  https://signup.com/go/qrFucSp To Help Distribute Bagged Groceries (outdoors) (W/F/Sat):  https://signup.com/go/XyHGTN

NETWorks Pandemic Update - in July, the missions committee voted to allocate an additional $1,000 to NETWorks to help them with their mission during the pandemic.

"Do Something" September - Volunteering at NETWorks or donating to NETWorks will be a part of Tucker First's, "Do Something September."

More Than a Mask

Buy a mask. Empower women. Protect our community. One of our mission partners, Corners Outreach. is selling masks made by the women in their organization. Your mask purchase supports metro Atlanta mothers in caring for their families. The organization is passionate about providing jobs for women in the community so they can continue to stay home with their children while bringing in a living wage. Often individuals working in essential jobs make insufficient income. These workers earn more than minimum wage and those wages are determined by local living costs. This mask will protect the most vulnerable from risk in our community. Corners Outreach creates an equitable and thriving community by establishing jobs for workers, celebrating the assets of diverse families, and making life better through education. To purchase a mask, go to https://tinyurl.com/cornersmasks. For more information, please contact Robin Pounds at robinpounds631@gmail.com .

"More Than a Mask" Pandemic Update - in July, the missions committee voted to allocate $1,000 to Corners Outreach's, "More Than a Mask Program." Each mask is $10 and the program is making masks for children heading back to school. The money will purchase 100 masks and will help the metro Atlanta mothers in caring for their families.

Help Your Community and Get Your Lawn Looking Beautiful

Throughout the year, our Children First mission program, provides homework help volunteers to Corners Outreach. We would like to highlight another part of the Corners program – Corners Industries Lawn Services. The company employs the parents of students and allows them to be paid better wages and work less hours so they can take a bigger role in their children's lives. If you are interested in having your yard cut or have landscaping needs, request an online quote by going to https://cornersoutreach.org/corners-industries-home-page .

Introducing Just Bakery

Welcome Just Bakery as a Jerusalem mission group for Tucker First! They work out of the kitchen of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, 5140 Memorial Drive Clarkston, GA. This information is from their home page: Just Bakery is a non-profit that partners with our neighbors who were resettled as refugees on paid job training, professional certification, and a living wage. We bake with local and sustainable ingredients whenever possible and work to build a more diverse, compassionate, and connected community for all. Just Bakery was founded to be a creative and viable option for next steps in the long-term resettlement process by providing opportunities for our partners to build economic security as they recreate home in the Atlanta area . Drivers Needed Just Bakery are in need of drivers to pickup and deliver products to their customers. For the deliveries, you would meet at the kitchen at 4:15 pm and deliveries are from 5-7 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.Please note: people considered in the "at risk" category in regard to COVID-19 should not be a driver at this time (but you can still purchase items and have them delivered). If you are interested in being a driver, go to https://tinyurl.com/justbakerydrivers If you would like to know more about the organization and possibly order some items (hint - here are the prices), you can go to the website by clicking on the logo. "Do Something" September - Considering being a delivery driver or purchasing from this bakery in September as part of "Do Something" September.

Appalachia Service Project Mission Trip Cancelled

Due to the pandemic, the organization, Appalachia Service Project (ASP) has cancelled the scheduled Tucker First mission trip in September. Questions? Contact Kay Entrekin at kayjohne@gmail.com.

ASP Pandemic Update - the missions committee is considering moving money that was allocated for the ASP mission trip to a local mission program that needs immediate help.

Trinity Ministries Grateful for Tucker First's Faithfulness and Support

In June, through Faith Promise, your Tucker First Mission Committee was able to allocate $500 to support Trinity Ministries and their needs for a new HVAC unit. The online fundraiser met the goal for the new HVAC!

Honduras Mission Trips Cancelled

Due to the pandemic, both the Honduras youth summer mission trip and the adult mission trip in November have been cancelled. Honduras Pandemic Update - although the trips are cancelled, the need in Honduras is still great. The mission committee is looking into ways to help the people in Honduras during this crisis.

Please Be In Prayer for Our Missionaries

Tyler and Shalynn Crawford   After many years as missionaries with Globalscope, Tyler and Shalynn Crawford are retiring as full-time missionaries. Their ministries touched many lives and we wish them well as they begin a new page in their lives..

Welcome Kathryn Wurst

Welcome Kathryn Wurst as a Tucker First missionary! Kathryn serves with the Globalscope campus ministry team Unterwegs in Tübingen, Germany. This is the same location and organization that Tyler and Shaynn Crawford have been serving for many years. Tucker First Connection - Kathryn is the granddaughter of Tucker First members, Jim and Gail Cook! The information below is from Kathryn's bio web page. You can also click on her photo for more information about her ministry. Kathryn grew up in a Christian home in the Atlanta area and was a part of the Christian Campus Fellowship (CCF) while a student at Georgia Tech, where she caught a glimpse of how God can use campus ministry to bring people of different backgrounds together to explore faith in a loving community. As a senior, she visited the Globalscope team in Germany and fell in love with Tübingen and the students who are searching for meaning and belonging in a place with few resources for exploring faith. Kathryn enjoys connecting with the students, modeling what it looks like to love Jesus, and helping the community that has been changing students’ lives for the last ten years continue to grow.

Kabila Mukuni Claude A Mujil Tucker First is supporting a seminary student in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who is attending Katanga Methodist University. His name is Kabilia Mukuini Clalude A Mujil and he is 29 years old and has a wife and two children. The University is also one of many schools supported by the General Board of Global Ministries.You can find out more about the university by clicking on the photo. Florence Kaying Florence is a Global Ministries missionary in Mozambique working with women and children. Tucker First, through the UMC General Board of Global Missions, has established a covenant relationship with her. Additionally, our United Methodist Women also support Florence Kaying. Find out more about Florence and her family by clicking on the photo.

Sunday School Class Equips Graduating Class

Our Tucker First Christian Friendship Sunday School class has donated $1,000 to Katanga Methodist University to supply the University with "graduation garments." Each graduate and their spouse will each receive a suit and/or dress as they are sent forth the spread God's love in their country. What has your Sunday School class done for missions? Let us know at info@tfumc.org .

Tucker First UMC 5095 LaVista Road, Tucker, GA 30084 770-938-3030 www.tuckerfirst.org  Tucker First News is a publication of the Tucker First Missions Committee.