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NOVEMBER 2007
19 November
2007
Conference celebrates going from strength
to strength in Africa
The Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF)
is holding its first conference for African partner organisations from 22-26
November 2007. The conference, entitled Strength to Strength, will be
held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Representatives from 29 local partner
organisations based in 11 African countries will be taking part.
There will be a packed schedule of
workshops on issues such as HIV/AIDS, advocacy, sustainable agriculture and
financial planning, but most importantly there will also be opportunities for
delegates to share their own stories, advice and experiences with one another.
Those closer to home can find out the latest news from the Strength
to Strength daily blog, available at
www.mrdf.org.uk <http://www.mrdf.org.uk>.
Francis Njuakom is travelling from Cameroon to
attend the conference. He is the director of an MRDF partner organisation that
runs social and income-generating clubs for poor and isolated elderly people. He
says: “It will be such a lovely and enriching experience to have MRDF's most
trusted partners across Africa to come together and share the magic of
differences that we are all using in our various organisations to transform
lives and communities.”
Margaret Nakato is the co-ordinator of a
women’s development project in rural Uganda. She explains why she feels that
this conference is so important: “I believe when there is face to face
interaction, people relax and get to know each other better. In the process they
share a lot of information about themselves and the work they are doing. Some of
this will be unique and provide new insights. I am looking forward to hearing
those stories that are difficult or are not normally put in writing.”
MRDF Director Kirsty Smith, says: “At MRDF, we
are very excited about this opportunity for our partners to get together and
share their knowledge and experience. Good financial management or strategic
planning may not sound very glamorous, compared to buying goats or sinking
wells, but only well run, financially sound organisations can improve the lives
of poor communities in the long term. Training events, like this
conference, help ensure that money from our supporters is well managed and that
programmes are delivered by well equipped and trained staff. By sharing
skills and resources, we can all become stronger.”
16 November,
2007
Churches
call for Pakistani Government to lift state of emergency
The
Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church,
the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and the United Reformed Church made
the following statement today in relation to the constitutional crisis in
Pakistan :-
‘While
we welcome the announcement by President Pervez Musharraf to hold a general
election in January we call on the Government of Pakistan for an immediate
lifting of the current state of emergency.
‘Over
the past year a range of groups and faith-based partners in Pakistan have shared
with us their increasing anxiety over damage to democratic process and the
independence of the judiciary. We support the call of many
for the restoration of democratic process in Pakistan; for the reinstatement of
the Supreme Court judges; for General Musharraf to step down as the chief of the
Army staff; for impartial oversight of elections; for the release of political
prisoners and for an end to harassment of journalists.
‘Security
can only be achieved in an environment in which people are able to exercise
their democratic rights and we call on the UK Government and international
community to urge the Government of Pakistan to take all measures necessary to
enable free and fair elections. We continue to hold the situation in our prayers
and listen carefully to many in Pakistan who earnestly desire peace, security
and stability.’
15 November 2007
New service makes online giving easy
and secure
The Methodist Church has made giving to its funds
easier than ever by setting up an Internet facility for donations and
fundraising. The website is reliable, secure and easy to use, and by using
GiftAid, UK taxpayers can increase the value of their donation by 28% at no
extra cost to them.
Supporters are able to
donate to four of the Methodist Church’s funds using this method; JMA, the
Methodist Church Fund, the Methodist Church Fund for World Mission and the
Methodist Church Fund for Home Mission.
John Nutt, Mission
Education Co-ordinator, says; “Giving to Methodist Church funds has never been
so easy. Not many people carry a chequebook around with them these days and
people are increasingly choosing to shop and donate to their favourite causes
online. We are truly grateful for every donation we receive, however it
is given, no matter how big or small. And, of course, we still very much welcome
donations by traditional methods.”
As well as being convenient for individual
supporters, the facility is also ideal for churches and groups organising
fundraising activities - they can simply create their own JustGiving webpage
with a link to the fund they want to raise money for. More information on how to
do this is available on the website or from Mission Education. The new system
has already been used in the Church’s emergency appeal following severe
flooding in South Mexico.
It is also possible to use the secure giving
system to make regular donations to the funds or to offer a gift in memory of
someone who has passed away. The more technical-minded can even download
‘widgets’ from JustGiving to place a donation link on their own website or
network page.
9 November 2007
Methodist Church launches
Mexico flood appeal
- Donations can be made by post or
online
The Methodist Church has launched an emergency
appeal for funds following the devastating floods that have swept through South
Mexico in the wake of the heaviest rains to hit the country for 40 years.
The Church’s Fund for World
Mission has already pledged a solidarity grant of £7,500 towards the appeal and
charity Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) has offered £5,000 to
assist relief work.
The extent of the flooding is
massive with the states of Tabasco and Veracruz particularly affected. At least
500,000 people have been made homeless and are facing the destruction of their
crops and outbreaks of disease.
Revd Thomas Quenet,
World Church Officer for Americas and the Caribbean, says; ‘The
full extent of this tragedy is yet to be seen, but we do know that thousands of
people will be faced with rebuilding their lives from scratch. We are
encouraging people to offer whatever support they can, not only with their
pockets, but also with their prayers.”
Those wishing to support
the appeal can send cheques, made payable to
The Methodist Church Fund to World
Mission, to Mexico Flood Appeal, World Church Relationships Office, Methodist
Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR.
People can also give
securely online at www.justgiving.com/mexicoflood.
This is part of the Church’s new easy-to-use online giving facility through www.justgiving.com.
UK tax payers can even GiftAid their donations, offering the appeal an extra 28%
of their donation at no extra cost to them.
The Methodist Church Fund for
World Mission exists to support the work of the British Methodist Church and its
partner churches overseas, through the sharing of both resources and personnel.
For more information, visit http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentoworld.content&cmid=1492.
MRDF is the British Methodist
Church’s agency for international development and works in partnership with
local organisations in some of the world’s poorest countries. For more
information, visit www.mrdf.org.uk.
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BOLTON
AND ROCHDALE METHODIST
DISTRICT