Photos of the VIM team from Boston Avenue UMC, Tulsa, Oklahoma, providing new landscaping in front of Project Cariño and the McCracken Gymnasium in 2022. |
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Booking a VIM Team for 2023
Please consider booking a Volunteer in Mission (VIM) Team in 2023. Teams are invited to serve McCurdy Ministries from mid-February until mid-November.
Overview of Mission Work
Volunteers are asked to complete a skills survey along with their mission application paperwork. McCurdy staff will review each volunteer's skills set and assign each volunteer to tasks that are within their capabilities, basically matching you to the tasks that works best for you.
Examples of some of the lighter tasks include general cleaning, data entry, and office work. Volunteers with construction skills may be asked to assist with major renovation and rehabilitation projects in existing campus buildings. Volunteers with a "green thumb" or who love to work outdoors may be assigned to help with weed-eating and mowing the grounds of the 29-acre campus or refreshing the flower beds. The bottom line is that whatever your ability, there’s a job for YOU!
(Note: At this time, VIM volunteers are not allowed to work with the children at our Pre-K or at the McCurdy Charter School campus because of the current COVID-19 protocols. Volunteer help is appreciated with our After School Program children and our Camp Stars Summer Camp Program.)
If you are considering scheduling a team in 2023, please contact our Volunteer Registrar Eufemia Romero by phone at 505-753-7221, ext. 210 or by email at eromero@mccurdy.org to schedule a week of mission.
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How to Recruit and Keep the Best Volunteers
By Josh Reich on Jan 26, 2022
JoshuaReich.org
The idea of recruiting volunteers is overwhelming and difficult at times. There never seems to be enough people, and the ones who are serving are often tired and feel like they are the only ones serving.
“If you get a group of pastors or church leaders together and ask them about their biggest challenges, ‘volunteers’ and ‘leaders’ will come up. The idea of recruiting volunteers is overwhelming and difficult at times. There never seems to be enough people, and the ones who are serving are often tired and feel like they are the only ones serving.
In light of that, there are some crucial things to keep in mind as you invite people to use their gifts and talents at your church and keep them engaged in those roles. Note, the words you use are incredibly important.
1. Know who you are and what you need around you.
…When you are inviting people to use their gifts, you need to know if they fit who you are, the team you have in place and the role you are inviting them into. This means as a leader you need to know your personality, strengths and weaknesses so you can effectively build around you. You need to know the makeup of people already on your team, what kind of personalities they have and what is missing. You also need to know what kind of people you need on your team.
2. Don’t say ‘no’ for anyone.
This is easier to do than you would think. We have a need or opening, and we have in mind the perfect person. But they are busy, so we don’t ask. Yes they are busy, but that doesn’t matter. Don’t say no for anyone. Let them say no. Remember, if you don’t ask you rob them of an opportunity. Who knows, they might say yes.
3. The most high capacity and talented people are busy.
…The most talented and high capacity people in your church are probably busy, but that’s because they are high capacity and talented people. Notice, I didn’t say they were doing too much, I just said they were busy. They do a lot because they are talented and have a higher capacity than other people. Just like #2, these are the people you want but won’t say anything to. Don’t. Ask them.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask.
...Remember: People don’t sign up to volunteer because of a big announcement; they say yes because someone asked them.
We have this idea in churches that if we show enough videos, make enough pleas from the stage, guilt and shame, then maybe people will sign up. But you don’t want those people. They won’t stay, and then you’ll have people on your team that don’t fit and don’t want to be there because they signed up because they felt bad.
Now I’m not saying you don’t use announcements, but they aren’t as affective to building your team as you often think they are. They help make a need get on someone’s radar.
But the people you want are the people you need to ask…
5. Why you do something is more important than what you do.
This is how you get people on your team and keep people on your team.
When most team leaders invite someone to join their team, they talk about what they’ll do, how they’ll do it, expectations, etc. Those are all well and good.
But people only serve and stay because of why you do something.
In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons volunteers burnout and quit; they don’t remember why they are doing something.
…When was the last time you did something nice for your team? When was the last time you said thanks to them?
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VIM Team Planning Assistance
Be sure to check out the new “McCurdy VIM Team Leader Tip Sheet” that has been created to provide Team Leaders with some helpful ideas about planning a mission to McCurdy Ministries. It will be loaded to the website soon and can be found by opening the Volunteer tab. We want to help make your experience leading a VIM Team as easy as possible.
However, if you have any questions about how to recruit, fund, and organize a VIM team, feel free to contact Linda Polson, a member of the McCurdy Board. Email Linda at lpolson1966@gmail.com or call/text her at 918-855-8783. Linda will be happy to assist you as she has been leading VIM teams to McCurdy since 2015.
VIM Team Information
For more information about volunteering at McCurdy, go to our website at www.mccurdy.org and click on the Volunteer tab to locate the VIM Team Leader Handbook, VIM Team Member Handbook, the Long-Term Individual Volunteer, or the Local Volunteer Handbook.
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COVID-19 Protocols Continue
McCurdy Ministries Community Center is a place of safety for our students and their families. Every day our staff comes to work they focus on the well-being of children and youth in our care. We work to ensure that sense of safety so that our students—many of whom come from homes dealing with poverty, abuse, divorce, and despair—have a reassuring space to learn and grow.
Because of the ongoing concerns for our children and staff during this pandemic, we are continuing to follow our strict COVID-19 policies. The reasons include:
- Our Pre-K children are housed in the same building that houses our volunteer teams.
- Almost a third of our Pre-K children are being raised by grandparents. COVID-19 can be more devasting to young children as well as older adults.
- We have had team members and other volunteers who have become sick with COVID-19 while traveling to and from their time of volunteering at McCurdy. Because of the protocols in place, they did not spread their illness to anyone on campus and recovered quickly.
Please join us as we strive to uphold the Methodist standard: “The first General Rule as United Methodists is to ‘do no harm’.”
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Journey versus Trip
“A mission journey as opposed to a mission trip,
involves dialog, respect, and relationship building.
Journeys are best planned by reflecting on past experiences,
the lessons learned from those experience,
and the team leader resources that are available.
Most of all, mission journeys require an invitation, flexibility,
willingness to listen to your hosts, and to follow their lead and direction,
and an understanding that this is God’s mission and not your own.”
A Mission Journey: A Handbook for Volunteers
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2023 SCJ Mission Academy
At the end of February, Pastor Sarah Allen, McCurdy Ministries, Director of Development, along with her husband, Terry, and Linda Polson, McCurdy Board Member, attended this year’s South Central Jurisdiction Mission Academy. The Academy was held in the beautiful Laurel Heights UMC in San Antonio, Texas.
Highlights of the conference included plenary sessions provided by Bishop Robert Schnase, Rio Texas Conference. Bishop Schnase provided readings of true stories about the difficulties he has encountered serving in ministry to immigrants trying to enter the United States along the Mexican border. In addition, a panel of six local agency leaders shared their insights on how the number of migrants continues to grow and the enormous difficulties they face on a daily basis. Workshops throughout the day on Monday and Tuesday included a wide variety of mission and disaster preparedness topics.
Monday night, Sarah, Terry, and Linda were joined by Rev. Dana Parker, Disaster Response Coordinator for the Oklahoma Conference, and Pastor Tim McHugh, Associate Pastor of Claremore FUMC, for dinner and a boat ride on San Antonio’s famous River Walk.
The photo above shows Pastor Sarah Allen, McCurdy Director of Development, manning the McCurdy Ministries booth at SCJ Mission Academy. The photo below shows the panel of agency leaders sharing insights on the difficulties facing the immigrants trying to enter the United States from the Mexican border.
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"Monumental" Help for Camp Stars!
Please consider lending a hand to help with the “Monumental” VBS materials for Camp Stars. Camp Stars is a six-week (35 hours per week) summer educational enrichment camp for K-6 students that includes STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning as well as faith sharing through VBS fun and service. This vital program was created to help combat the summer slump and will be using the VBS curriculum, Monumental.
If you want to help, please check out the special edition newsletter that was sent out earlier with details on how your church group can support Camp Stars by preparing make-and-take crafts, donating relevant children’s books, designing bulletin board materials, etc. Gather a few friends, especially those who can’t travel to McCurdy in person, and help this vital summer program!
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Amazon Wish List
We hope you will consider helping help McCurdy Ministries by simply selecting an item or two to purchase from our Amazon Wish List. It operates like a wedding registry site. Simply view the list online and select an item from basic supplies.
Currently, items needed include Play-Doh, markers, watercolors, construction paper, batteries, face masks, disinfecting wipes, snacks, etc. Your purchase will help McCurdy serve the children and families in the Española Valley.
Just remember to select McCurdy Ministries Community Center on the address list at checkout so your items will ship directly to Española.
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Check out this month’s recipe for Navajo Taco (Indian Fry Bread), a staple to go with many southwest dishes. This recipe is another one from McCurdy’s very own collection, Recipes of a Century Past, published in 2012 to celebrate the ministry’s 100th anniversary. The recipe was shared by Pam Anderson, Class of 1953. Enjoy!
Navajo Taco
(Indian Fry Bread)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup warm water
- Corn oil to fry in
In a large bowl, stir flour, dry milk, baking powder, and salt. With fingers, work in shortening until no longer visible, add water and mix well. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and springy. Let rest, uncovered, 45-60 minutes. Pull off dough the size of golf ball and roll as thin as piecrust. Fry in hot corn oil. They should puff up.
Paper towel dry any excess grease off and flatten so you can add the following: Chili with beans, hamburger, sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, avocado, and olives. Fry bread also may be eaten as a dessert with honey, ice cream or topping, usually eaten hot.
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A Simple Story of a Birdcage
Author Unknown
There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old birdcage, and set it by the pulpit.
Pastor's Story of the Birdcage
Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak: "I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this birdcage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.
I stopped the lad and asked, 'What you got there son?'"
"Just some old birds." came the reply.
"What are you gonna do with them?" I asked.
"'Take 'em home and have fun with 'em." he answered.
"I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make ‘em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."
"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?"
"Oh, I got some cats." said the little boy.
"'They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."
The pastor was silent for a moment.
"How much do you want for those birds, son?"
"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They’re just plain old field birds. They don't sing-they ain't even pretty!"
"How much?" the pastor asked again.
The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten-dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.
The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty birdcage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell an ancient story:
From Birdcage Story to God's Story
The Pastor's story started with: "One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting."
“Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"
"'What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked.
"'Oh, I'll kill 'em." Satan glared proudly.
"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.
“Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"
"How much?" He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, '"I'll take your blood, tears and your life."
Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.
Story copied from A Time to Laugh website: LINK
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Hymn: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
by: By Kristen Iaffaldano
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Thro' death into life everlasting,
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion--
For more than conqu’rors we are!
His Word shall not fail you--He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
“Born in England, Helen Lemmel moved to the United States when she was young and over time became a well-known vocalist, giving concerts around the midwest in the early 1900s, teaching voice at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and eventually moving to Seattle where she served for some time as a music critic for a local newspaper...
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...She was inspired to write Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus in 1918 after reading a missionary tract from Lilias Trotter that included these words:
Where do they swing back when the pressure is off during the day? Dare to have it out with God, and ask Him to show you whether or not all is focused on Christ and His Glory. Turn your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him.
Later, Helen recalled the moment,
Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody. The verses were written the same week, after the usual manner of composition, but none the less dictated by the Holy Spirit...
To read the entire article, go to: LINK
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Quotable Quotes
When a father leads his four-year-old son down a crowded street,
he takes him by the hand and says, ‘Hold on to me.’
He doesn’t say, ‘Memorize the map’ or
‘Take your chances dodging the traffic’ or
‘Let’s see if you can find your way home.’
The good father gives the child one responsibility:
‘Hold on to my hand.’ God does the same with us.
– Max Lucado
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McCurdy Ministries Community Center creates hope and empowers the lives of children, youth, adults and families through education, life skills, and faith-based programs in Española, New Mexico.
On behalf of the McCurdy Ministries Community Center Board and staff as well as the children, youth, adults, and families MMCC serves in the Española Valley, we thank you for your support of our vital ministries! May we continue to work together to reflect God’s unconditional love to one another every day!
McCurdy Board and Staff
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Through our Volunteer Newsletter, we are providing the latest information about volunteer opportunities at McCurdy Ministries Community Center and sharing helpful tips about planning a mission trip to Española. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions about articles or resources. Send your suggestions or questions to Linda Polson at lpolson1966@gmail.com. Linda is an MMCC Board Member and experienced VIM Team Leader.
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McCurdy Ministries Community Center creates hope and empowers the lives of children, youth, adults and families through education, life skills and faith-based programs
in Española, NM.
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