The Vine - News Blog

Family Missions Day: Kids Against Hunger, Sunday, February 15

 
Our Family Missions Day benefiting the worldwide mission Kids Against Hunger is Sunday, February 15. All ages will be gathering together and working side-by-side as we prepare “meals in a bag” – assembly-line bags containing a variety of dry ingredients that are eventually mixed with boiling water to provide nutritious meals.
 

While many of the meals are shipped overseas, some groups in our own area are also recipients. This mission event is about providing finished bags to the Kids Against Hunger organization.
 
We will gather in the Family Life Center in three shifts starting at 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. There are still plenty of opportunities to pack meals during the latter two shifts.
 
Our goal is to pack 15,000 bags. Each meal costs 25 cents, and because of your generosity we have raised $2,000 towards the $3,750 we need for this project. Donations will be accepted in the bag packing area this Sunday. Thank you so much for helping us feed hungry people in all corners of the world. 
 
If you have any questions, please contact Donna Crawford. We look forward to all leaning into this project together as a church family on February 15!
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Church Family Missions Day: Kids Against Hunger, Sunday, February 15; Help Especially Requested for 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Shifts

 
Our next Family Missions Day will be held on Sunday morning February 15. All ages will be gathering together and working side-by-side as we prepare “meals in a bag” for the worldwide mission Kids Against Hunger. This missions service opportunity is for the entire church family at Arborlawn, so please consider joining in this fun and rewarding effort.
 

The three shifts on February 15 are 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., and the assembly lines will be in the Family Life Center. Thank you to the numerous volunteers who have signed up during the 9:45 a.m. shift. We encourage groups and individuals to answer Christ's call to serve in mission together during the 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. timeframes.
 
It’s important for us to know how much food to order, so please register in advance if you want to participate. Look for signup sheets at the Connection Center in the Lower Commons outside the Sanctuary between worship services. If you cannot signup at the Connection Center, please email Donna Crawford with your shift preference to get your name on the list; or let her know if you have any questions about this mission project.
 
The bags we will be packing contain a variety of dry ingredients that are eventually mixed with boiling water to provide a nutritious meal. While many of the meals are shipped overseas, some groups in our own area are also recipients. This mission event is about providing finished bags to the Kids Against Hunger organization.
 
As a part of this mission we are also raising money for Kids Against Hunger by collecting quarters in an effort called Change for Change. We're intentional about quarters - but all donations are welcome! - because each of these meals costs a total of only 25 cents! Our goal on February 15 is to pack 12,000 bags, so that comes to $3000 we are hoping to raise. To date we're at the $700 mark.
 
Thank you in advance for working together to feed the hungry!

Church Family Missions Day: Kids Against Hunger, Sunday, February 15; All Ages Welcome and Encouraged to Participate

 
Our next Family Missions Day will be held on Sunday morning February 15. All ages will be gathering together and working side-by-side as we prepare “meals in a bag” for the worldwide mission Kids Against Hunger. This missions service opportunity is for the entire church family at Arborlawn, so please consider joining in this fun and rewarding effort.
 

The three shifts on February 15 are 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., and the assembly lines will be in the Family Life Center. Some Sunday School classes have already signed up to participate, and we encourage other classes, small groups, and gatherings of friends to join us as we participate together as a congregation to answer Christ's call to serve in mission together.
 
It’s important for us to know how much food to order, so please register in advance if you want to participate. Look for signup sheets at the Connection Center in the Lower Commons outside the Sanctuary between worship services. If you cannot signup at the Connection Center, please email Donna Crawford with your shift preference to get your name on the list; or let her know if you have any questions about this mission project.
 
The bags we will be packing contain a variety of dry ingredients that are eventually mixed with boiling water to provide a nutritious meal. While many of the meals are shipped overseas, some groups in our own area are also recipients. This mission event is about providing finished bags to the Kids Against Hunger organization.
 
As a part of this mission we are also raising money for Kids Against Hunger by collecting quarters in an effort called Change for Change. We're intentional about quarters, because each of these meals costs a total of only 25 cents! Our goal on February 15 is to pack 12,000 bags, so that comes to $3000 we are hoping to raise.
 
Thank you in advance for working together to feed the hungry!

Family Missions Day: Kids Against Hunger, Sunday, February 15; All Ages Welcome and Encouraged to Participate

 
Our next Family Missions Day will be held on Sunday morning February 15. All ages will be gathering together and working side-by-side as we prepare “meals in a bag” for the mission Kids Against Hunger. (You might remember this was one of the missions projects we worked on as part of the CTC Annual Conference held here in June 2013.) We encourage all individuals, families, and Sunday School classes to participate as we come together as a congregation to answer Christ’s call and serve in mission together.
 

It is important that we know how many people will be working on this project so we know how much food to order for the assembly line process. Look for signup sheets at the Connection Center in the Lower Commons starting Sunday, January 25. There will be two shifts on the morning of February 15, and each will last about an hour. Your efforts in this Family Missions Day project will provide low-cost meals for thousands of people at a cost of about 25 cents per meal. Thank you in advance for working together to feed the hungry!
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day December 13: Snack Sack Packing for Children

 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas.
 

Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. And, if you have infants or preschool kids, they are welcome to stay after Breakfast With Santa in our nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
 
The Family Missions Day kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours!
 
REGISTRATION DETAILS: Please note registration is required for both the Kids’ Missions Event and the Nursery. Registration for both will close on Friday, December 12 at 12:00 p.m.
 
KIDS’ MISSIONS EVENT (Kindergarten through 5th Grade): Cost is $10 per child to cover lunch. Register here for Kids’ Missions Event.
 
NURSERY DURING MISSIONS EVENT (Infants through PreK): Cost is $30 for the first child and $10 for additional children with a maximum of $50 per family. Please pack a lunch for each child you bring to the nursery. Register here for Nursery.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day December 13: Snack Sack Packing for Children

 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas.
 

Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. And, if you have infants or preschool kids, they are welcome to stay after Breakfast With Santa in our nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
 
The Family Missions Day kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours!
 
REGISTRATION DETAILS: Please note registration is required for both the Kids’ Missions Event and the Nursery. Registration for both will close on Friday, December 12 at 12:00 p.m.
 
KIDS’ MISSIONS EVENT (Kindergarten through 5th Grade): Cost is $10 per child to cover lunch. Register here for Kids’ Missions Event.
 
NURSERY DURING MISSIONS EVENT (Infants through PreK): Cost is $30 for the first child and $10 for additional children with a maximum of $50 per family. Please pack a lunch for each child you bring to the nursery. Register here for Nursery.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Confirmation Class: Coats and Blankets Drive for World Relief Refugees

 
The Confirmation Class is on mission and is asking for your help. The class is collecting new or gently used coats, blankets, hats, and gloves. The donations will benefit World Relief for distribution to refugees in our community to help them during these cold months. Members of the Confirmation Class will be helping World Relief distribute these items on Saturday, December 6.
 

Your helping in gathering these items is critical. One of the main reasons World Relief had to rethink its plans for the November 15 event (see other story about that) is because many of the refugees don't have warm enough clothes to able to attend an outdoor event in the cold weather.
 
You can help by bringing warm clothing items and blankets to Room 230 (adjacent to the kitchen) to the boxes labeled for this World Relief coats and blankets drive on or before Sunday, November 30. We need all the donations by November 30 so World Relief can know if they need to purchase more items before the distribution on December 6.
 
Thank you for being a part of our Confirmands being the hands and feet of Jesus to the vulnerable in our community.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day Saturday, Dec. 13: Kids Packing Snack Sacks

 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas.
 

Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. And, if you have infants or preschool kids, they are welcome to stay after Breakfast With Santa in our nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
 
The Family Missions Day kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours!
 
REGISTRATION DETAILS: Please note registration is required for both the Kids’ Missions Event and the Nursery. Registration for both will close on Friday, December 12 at 12:00 p.m.
 
KIDS’ MISSIONS EVENT (Kindergarten through 5th Grade): Cost is $10 per child to cover lunch. Register here for Kids’ Missions Event.
 
NURSERY DURING MISSIONS EVENT (Infants through PreK): Cost is $30 for the first child and $10 for additional children with a maximum of $50 per family. Please pack a lunch for each child you bring to the nursery. Register here for Nursery.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day November 15: Thanksgiving Food Basket Delivery (Change from Previous Plan Due to Weather); December 13 Snack Sack Packing for Children

 
Because of the cold snap we’ve been experiencing, the World Relief organization has changed the plans for this coming Saturday, November 15, and will not be holding its outdoor festival as previously scheduled. But the mission goes on in a slightly different but nonetheless powerful way! Read below and contact Donna Crawford if you have any questions. Read more about World Relief here.
 

A special note about lunch plans for this event. We've already turned in a list of names to World Relief so they could plan for the lunch. But if you aren't on that list, please do not let this deter you from participating on Saturday in this great mission. Eat lunch before you show up, and still help us reach out to the refugees.
 
Here's the new plans from Carrie Ballein of World Relief:
 
Due to the weather, we have decided to cancel all outdoor activities this Saturday, November 15. Instead, we will be passing out the donated food bags to our refugee families. We know this will be a huge blessing for them and a great opportunity to show them love! Please be praying for the families that we will be visiting on Saturday and that the Lord will move through our group as we serve them in this way.
 
New Plan: Meet at the World Relief office at 11:30 a.m. The address is 4059 Bryan Avenue, Fort Worth, 76110. We will be providing lunch for all of the volunteers, then a brief volunteer orientation, and then break up into groups of 4 or 5 to drive to the apartment complexes to distribute food bags. Parking: If we run out of parking spots next to our office, plenty of parking spots are available across the street at the La Gran Plaza shopping center.
  
Saturday December 13: Kids’ Missions Event
 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas. (Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. And, if you have infants through preschool kids, they are welcome to stay after Breakfast With Santa in our nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) The Family Missions Day kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours!
 
REGISTRATION DETAILS: Please note registration is required for both the Kids’ Missions Event and the Nursery. Registration for both will close on Wednesday, December 10 at 5:00 p.m.
 
KIDS’ MISSIONS EVENT (Kindergarten through 5th Grade): Cost is $10 per child to cover lunch. Register here for Kids’ Missions Event.
 
NURSERY DURING MISSIONS EVENT (Infants through PreK): Cost is $30 for the first child and $10 for additional children with a maximum of $50 per family. Please pack a lunch for each child you bring to the nursery. Register here for Nursery.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

Confirmation Class: Coats and Blankets Drive for World Relief Refugees

 
The Confirmation Class is on mission and is asking for your help. The class is collecting new or gently used coats, blankets, hats, and gloves. The donations will benefit World Relief for distribution to refugees in our community to help them during these cold months. Members of the Confirmation Class will be helping World Relief distribute these items on Saturday, December 6.
 
Your helping in gathering these items is critical. One of the main reasons World Relief had to rethink its plans for the November 15 event (see other story about that) is because many of the refugees don't have warm enough clothes to able to attend an outdoor event in the cold weather.
 
You can help by bringing warm clothing items and blankets to Room 230 (adjacent to the kitchen) to the boxes labeled "World Relief Coats and Blankets" on or before Sunday, November 30. We need all the donations by November 30 so World Relief can know if they need to purchase more items before the distribution on December 6.
 
Thank you for being a part of our Confirmands being the hands and feet of Jesus to the vulnerable in our community.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day November 15: Thanksgiving Food Basket Delivery (Change from Previous Plan Due to Weather); December 13 Snack Sack Packing for Children

 
Because of the cold snap we’ve been experiencing, the World Relief organization has changed the plans for this coming Saturday, November 15, and will not be holding its outdoor festival as previously scheduled. But the mission goes on in a slightly different but nonetheless powerful way! Read below and contact Donna Crawford if you have any questions. Read more about World Relief here.
 

A special note about lunch plans for this event. We've already turned in a list of names to World Relief so they could plan for the lunch. But if you aren't on that list, please do not let this deter you from participating on Saturday in this great mission. Eat lunch before you show up, and still help us reach out to the refugees.
 
Here's the new plans from Carrie Ballein of World Relief:
 
Due to the weather, we have decided to cancel all outdoor activities this Saturday, November 15. Instead, we will be passing out the donated food bags to our refugee families. We know this will be a huge blessing for them and a great opportunity to show them love! Please be praying for the families that we will be visiting on Saturday and that the Lord will move through our group as we serve them in this way.
 
New Plan: Meet at the World Relief office at 11:30 a.m. The address is 4059 Bryan Avenue, Fort Worth, 76110. We will be providing lunch for all of the volunteers, then a brief volunteer orientation, and then break up into groups of 4 or 5 to drive to the apartment complexes to distribute food bags. Parking: If we run out of parking spots next to our office, plenty of parking spots are available across the street at the La Gran Plaza shopping center.
  
Saturday December 13: Kids’ Missions Event
 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas. (Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. And, if you have infants through preschool kids, they are welcome to stay after Breakfast With Santa in our nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) The Family Missions Day kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours!
 
REGISTRATION DETAILS: Please note registration is required for both the Kids’ Missions Event and the Nursery. Registration for both will close on Wednesday, December 10 at 5:00 p.m.
 
KIDS’ MISSIONS EVENT (Kindergarten through 5th Grade): Cost is $10 per child to cover lunch. Register here for Kids’ Missions Event.
 
NURSERY DURING MISSIONS EVENT (Infants through PreK): Cost is $30 for the first child and $10 for additional children with a maximum of $50 per family. Please pack a lunch for each child you bring to the nursery. Register here for Nursery.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day November 15: World Relief Thanksgiving Festival; December 13: Kids’ Missions Event

 
Everyone’s invited and encouraged to participate in Family Missions Day on Saturday, November 15. We will be helping with the World Relief Thanksgiving Festival at the World Relief Clubhouse at LaDera Palms Apartments (4500 Campus Drive, Fort Worth, 76119) from 11:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We will be helping with games, a bounce house, crafts, passing out food baskets, and sharing with them about our Thanksgiving traditions. They need help with their festival where they will serve about 200-300 refugees.
 

We need a lot of volunteers of all ages for this event. If you can engage with us in this mission, please bring $10 each to help World Relief offset the cost of the bounce houses. If you cannot participate directly with us that day, you can still provide the missional gesture of a monetary donation, and those are appreciated. Please make checks payable to Arborlawn with “Family Missions Day” in the memo line.
 
Please contact Donna Crawford if you want to help on November 15 so we can plan for a pizza lunch at 11:30 and to ensure we have enough volunteers. Parents bring your entire family and volunteer to work a game together or come with a group of friends. Plan to carpool because parking will be limited.
 
Here's the schedule for the day: 11:15-11:30 a.m., volunteers arrive to eat pizza; 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., volunteers set up their assigned station; 12:00 p.m., Festival Begins; 2:00 p.m., Thanksgiving skit; 2:15 p.m., Festival continues and parents can pick up food baskets from clubhouse; 3:00 p.m., Festival ends and volunteers help clean up.
 
The World Relief organization requests the following dress code for the event: Please dress modestly. No shorts, no tank tops, no low cut shirts, and pants must be down to at least your knee. Closed toe shoes are also preferable. Please help us respect the dress code of the organizers!
 
Look for a box outside the Family Life Center for where we are seeking donations of the following items: big bags of rice, bags of beans, cans of corn, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, salt and pepper. We will use these items to begin putting together Thanksgiving Food Baskets for this event. The refugees are from all over the world and are not familiar with our traditional Thanksgiving foods, so the World Relief organization puts together baskets of things with which the refugees are more familiar.
 
Saturday December 13: Kids’ Missions Event
 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas. (Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. And, if you have infants through preschool kids, they are welcome to stay after Breakfast With Santa in our nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) The Family Missions Day kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours!
 
REGISTRATION DETAILS: Please note registration is required for both the Kids’ Missions Event and the Nursery. Registration for both will close on Wednesday, December 10 at 5:00 p.m.
 
KIDS’ MISSIONS EVENT (Kindergarten through 5th Grade): Cost is $10 per child to cover lunch. Register here for Kids’ Missions Event.
 
NURSERY DURING MISSIONS EVENT (Infants through PreK): Cost is $30 per child. Please pack a lunch for each child you bring to the nursery. Register here for Nursery.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day: October Recap; November 15, December 13 Events

 
“It meant so much to all of them that our group spent time with them.”
 
Everyone’s invited and encouraged to participate in Family Missions Day on Saturday, November 15. Before we present the details on that, here’s a little background on the powerful missions outreach that happened on October 25.
 
We wanted everyone to know what a wonderful experience we had on Saturday, October 25 at the Families Together center for homeless single parents and their children and the LIFE center, a transition home for young men transitioning out of foster care into independent living. With both groups we provided dinner; but more importantly to them, we served them, ate with them, and stayed for several hours.
 

[Image above: Family Missions Day volunteers making mats for the homeless at our September event. Family Missions day is for all ages!]
 
Some of our youth played with the kids from the Families Together program, providing both a well deserved break for the parents and a wonderful experience for the kids. Some of our adults met with the young men in the LIFE center and provided a great mentoring experience and showed them that there are people who care about them and are there to help. This was the first group to serve at the LIFE center.
 
Members of The Journey class helped furnish and setup the center last year. The director pointed out that groups will drop off food, but they don’t come in and interact with the residents like we did. It meant so much to all of them that our group spent time with them. Many of our volunteers in both areas have created some bonds that are going to continue well into the future. It was a very special evening for everyone involved.
 
November 15: World Relief Thanksgiving Festival
 
Join us for the next event on Saturday, November 15. We will be helping with the World Relief Thanksgiving Festival at the World Relief Clubhouse at LaDera Palms Apartments (4500 Campus Drive, Fort Worth, 76119) from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They need help with their festival where they will serve about 200-300 refugees. We will be helping with games, a bounce house, crafts, passing out food baskets, and sharing with them about our Thanksgiving traditions. We need a lot of volunteers of all ages for this event. If anyone can help provide face painting or any other type of special talent for this event, or carnival-type games such as bean bag toss, football throw, etc., please contact Donna Crawford. Also, please email Donna if you plan to help that day so we can plan for a pizza lunch.
 
Look for a box outside the Family Life Center for where we are seeking donations of the following items: big bags of rice, bags of beans, cans of corn, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, salt and pepper. We will use these items to begin putting together Thanksgiving Food Baskets for this event. The refugees are from all over the world and are not familiar with our traditional Thanksgiving foods, so the World Relief organization puts together baskets of things with which the refugees are more familiar. More lists will follow in November for perishable items.
 
Saturday December 13: Children’s Missions Event
 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children aged 5 years through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas. (Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. And, if you have infants or preschool kids, they are welcome to stay after Breakfast With Santa in our nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) The Family Missions Day kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours! Watch for registration for all ages of kids next week.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day: October Recap; November 15, December 13 Events

 
“It meant so much to all of them that our group spent time with them.”
 
Everyone’s invited and encouraged to participate in Family Missions Day on Saturday, November 15. Before we present the details on that, here’s a little background on the powerful missions outreach that happened on October 25.
 
We wanted everyone to know what a wonderful experience we had on Saturday, October 25 at the Families Together center for homeless single parents and their children and the LIFE center, a transition home for young men transitioning out of foster care into independent living. With both groups we provided dinner; but more importantly to them, we served them, ate with them, and stayed for several hours.
 

[Image above: Family Missions Day volunteers making mats for the homeless at our September event. Family Missions day is for all ages!]
 
Some of our youth played with the kids from the Families Together program, providing both a well deserved break for the parents and a wonderful experience for the kids. Some of our adults met with the young men in the LIFE center and provided a great mentoring experience and showed them that there are people who care about them and are there to help. This was the first group to serve at the LIFE center.
 
Members of The Journey class helped furnish and setup the center last year. The director pointed out that groups will drop off food, but they don’t come in and interact with the residents like we did. It meant so much to all of them that our group spent time with them. Many of our volunteers in both areas have created some bonds that are going to continue well into the future. It was a very special evening for everyone involved.
 
November 15: World Relief Thanksgiving Festival
 
Join us for the next event on Saturday, November 15. We will be helping with the World Relief Thanksgiving Festival at the World Relief Clubhouse at LaDera Palms Apartments (4500 Campus Drive, Fort Worth, 76119) from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They need help with their festival where they will serve about 200-300 refugees. We will be helping with games, a bounce house, crafts, passing out food baskets, and sharing with them about our Thanksgiving traditions. We need a lot of volunteers of all ages for this event. If anyone can help provide face painting or any other type of special talent for this event, or carnival-type games such as bean bag toss, football throw, etc., please contact Donna Crawford.
 
Look for a box outside the Family Life Center for where we are seeking donations of the following items: big bags of rice, bags of beans, cans of corn, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, salt and pepper. We will use these items to begin putting together Thanksgiving Food Baskets for this event. The refugees are from all over the world and are not familiar with our traditional Thanksgiving foods, so the World Relief organization puts together baskets of things with which the refugees are more familiar. More lists will follow in November for perishable items.
 
Saturday December 13: Children’s Missions Event
 
On Saturday December 13 after Breakfast with Santa until 2:30 p.m. all children aged 5 years through 5th grade are invited to stay to help with packing Snack Sacks and providing a special treat for Christmas. Parents, hopefully this will give you a little free time during this busy month. The kids will pack Snacks Sacks, have lunch, play some games, and watch a movie. Youth, we need you to volunteer to help with this event and you will get service hours!
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day: October 25 and November 15 Projects

 
What is Family Missions Day? It’s a monthly mission event with different opportunities each month. Some events will target the kids or youth as the main participants, but many will be for the entire congregation to participate in as a group.
 
Our October event is Saturday, October 25; a project of providing meals for All Church Home. If you want to participate in that, please contact Donna Crawford. Read more below about the next project on November 15.
 

Some months we will stay at Arborlawn, such as our for our first event in September. At that event, we made more than 100 sack lunches for the Union Gospel Mission, made 72 Fall and Christmas crafts to be distributed to our homebound or sick church members, and started work on crocheting plastic grocery bags into sleeping mats for the homeless. We had a HUGE response for the plastic bag collection, which enabled a large group of people, from a 6-year-old to seniors, to work together assembling mats for the homeless.
 
Some of our events will involve our helping in the community, working with those who are in need of assistance. This will be a great way to open our eyes to all the needs in our own community and show that all of us, no matter our age or talents, can find a way to share God’s love through helping others. While that is extremely important, we will also get the opportunity to meet and work alongside members of Arborlawn we have never had the opportunity to meet. At our first meeting it was so much fun to see the younger kids working and visiting with the adults. As Ben said recently, we find that while we are helping others we are the ones who are blessed and changed.
 
We are hoping to raise enough money to fund each of these monthly events completely through donations. If you would like to make donations, please note that your donation is for Family Missions Day. At each monthly event we will ask for donations for those able to give, but please never feel if you can’t make the donation you can’t come; we always want you there.  
 
Here are the next two events on our calendar:
 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 -
WORLD RELIEF THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL
 
We will be helping with the World Relief Thanksgiving Festival at the World Relief Clubhouse at LaDera Palms Apartments (4500 Campus Drive, Fort Worth, 76119) from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They need help with their festival where they will serve about 200-300 refugees. This will be open to the entire congregation to provide help with games, a bounce house, crafts, passing out food baskets, and sharing with them about our Thanksgiving traditions.  
 
If any of you can help provide face painting or any other type of special talent for this event, please contact Donna Crawford. We will help set up and clean up afterwards. We need a lot of volunteers of all ages for this event.  
 
Look for a box outside the Family Life Center for where we are seeking donations of the following items: big bags of rice, bags of beans, cans of corn, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, salt and pepper. We will use these items to begin putting together Thanksgiving Food Baskets for this event. The refugees are from all over the world and are not familiar with our traditional Thanksgiving foods, so the World Relief organization puts together baskets of things with which the refugees are more familiar. More lists will follow in November for perishable items.
 
# # #
 
ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day: Saturday, October 25, Two Projects With All Church Home; Thanksgiving Project November 15

 
By Donna Crawford
 
What is Family Missions Day? It’s a monthly mission event with different opportunities each month. Some events will target the kids or youth as the main participants, but many will be for the entire congregation to participate in as a group.
 

Some months we will stay at Arborlawn, such as our for our first event in September. At that event, we made more than 100 sack lunches for the Union Gospel Mission, made 72 Fall and Christmas crafts to be distributed to our homebound or sick church members, and started work on crocheting plastic grocery bags into sleeping mats for the homeless. We had a HUGE response for the plastic bag collection, which enabled a large group of people, from a 6-year-old to seniors, to work together assembling mats for the homeless.
 
Some of our events will involve our helping in the community, working with those who are in need of assistance. This will be a great way to open our eyes to all the needs in our own community and show that all of us, no matter our age or talents, can find a way to share God’s love through helping others. While that is extremely important, we will also get the opportunity to meet and work alongside members of Arborlawn we have never had the opportunity to meet. At our first meeting it was so much fun to see the younger kids working and visiting with the adults. As Ben said recently, we find that while we are helping others we are the ones who are blessed and changed.
 
We are hoping to raise enough money to fund each of these monthly events completely through donations. If you would like to make donations, please note that your donation is for Family Missions Day. At each monthly event we will ask for donations for those able to give, but please never feel if you can’t make the donation you can’t come; we always want you there.  
 
Here are the next two events on our calendar:
 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25 - ALL CHURCH HOME
 
We will partner with All Church Home for two different types of programs. One is to provide a home cooked meal for a group of men aged 18-22 who are in a transition home from foster care to independent living. A few adults from our congregation will spend the evening with these men.
 
We are also going to provide a meal at the women and children’s shelter. This is a group of moms and their kids who were recently living on the streets. They have requested that we only bring 10 high school aged kids to eat with the residents, then play games with and entertain the kids. The first 10 high school kids that contact Donna Crawford will be able to go. We will be leaving the church around 5:00 p.m. and returning around 8:00 p.m.
 
While this event will not include everyone at the facility, your help in providing food is just as important to all these we will be serving. For the men’s center they stressed providing a home cooked meal would mean everything to them. If you prefer not to cook, we would love a donation to go towards the purchase of the food. The total number of servings needed is listed below, but you can sign up for whatever size serving you would like to provide; it doesn’t need to be the entire amount. Contact Donna Crawford if you want to help.  
 
Here’s what we need:
 
Meatloaf (for men’s shelter) – to feed 30
Chicken fingers (women/children’s center) – to feed 45
Homemade mashed potatoes – to feed 75
Gravy – to feed 75
Green Beans – to feed 75
Homemade desserts of your choice – to feed 75
Bread – to feed 75
 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 -
WORLD RELIEF THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL
 
We will be helping with the World Relief Thanksgiving Festival at the World Relief Clubhouse at LaDera Palms Apartments (4500 Campus Drive, Fort Worth, 76119) from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They need help with their festival where they will serve about 200-300 refugees. This will be open to the entire congregation to provide help with games, a bounce house, crafts, passing out food baskets, and sharing with them about our Thanksgiving traditions.  
 
If any of you can help provide face painting or any other type of special talent for this event, please contact Donna Crawford. We will help set up and clean up afterwards. We need a lot of volunteers of all ages for this event.  
 
Look for a box outside the Family Life Center for where we are seeking donations of the following items: big bags of rice, bags of beans, cans of corn, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, salt and pepper. We will use these items to begin putting together Thanksgiving Food Baskets for this event. The refugees are from all over the world and are not familiar with our traditional Thanksgiving foods, so the World Relief organization puts together baskets of things with which the refugees are more familiar. More lists will follow in November for perishable items.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Want to Help With the Upcoming Haiti Mission Trip? We Have Many Ways! [Please See Updated Needs Below]

 
As the Haiti team begins to make final preparations for the October trip, we want to thank the congregation for the outpouring of gifts that have supplied all of the buckets and filters for our Clean Water Project! Because of you, 100 families in the community of Mizak, Haiti will now have access to clean water. Your gift will literally change their lives. 
 
Because of your generosity, we have received plenty of school supplies for our VBS experience with the children of Mizak.
 

The remaining donations needed for the trip are brightly colored 100 percent cotton fabrics with designs in one-yard increments as well as used or new 34 waist or larger jeans to make aprons. (See apron example in the above photo.) The team will be in partnership with the HAPI Project, which is multifaceted and provides health clinic services for the community as well as economic development and job training for artists.
 
All of these items will bless, educate, and help to empower the people of Haiti.
 
Finally, your prayers are vitally important - for the team members and for the partnership that they build with the community of Mizak.
 
Please have your donations dropped off at the church office no later than Sunday, October 12. If you have questions, please contact DeAndrea Dare.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Want to Help With the Upcoming Haiti Mission Trip? We Have Many Ways!

 
As the Haiti team begins to make final preparations for the October trip, we want to thank the congregation for the outpouring of gifts that have supplied all of the buckets and filters for our Clean Water Project! Because of you, 100 families in the community of Mizak, Haiti will now have access to clean water. Your gift will literally change their lives. 
 
Many have asked of other ways to partner with the team. The group will lead a VBS experience for the children of the community. Donations of pencils, lined notebooks, drawing paper, and crayons would be appreciated.
 
The team will be in partnership with the HAPI Project, which is multifaceted and provides health clinic services for the community as well as economic development and job training for artists. The artists are in need of used or new size 34 waist or larger jeans to make aprons. (See example apron in the photo below.) 
 

They also need brightly colored 100 percent cotton fabric with designs. All of these items will bless, educate, and help to empower the people of Haiti.
  
Please have your donations dropped off at the church office no later than Sunday, October 12. If you have questions, please contact DeAndrea Dare.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Prayer Requested for Haiti Mission Trip: You Can Help With the Trip from Here in Fort Worth

 
Arborlawn has a group of missionaries going to Haiti in October. You’ve been hearing about this trip for months, and the time for the journey is almost here. The group will be participating in the ongoing Clean Water Project in the village of Mizak, Haiti. They will also be helping with a Vacation Bible School project and assisting the HAPI Project with supplies for making aprons for local villagers.
 
We are asking members of Arborlawn to pray diligently before, during, and after the Haiti Mission Trip; that God's will would unfold in a beautiful way for both the citizens of Haiti and for our missionaries who will be involved in Haitian lives for the days they are there. The importance of these prayers cannot be understated.
 

The scripture in James chapter 5 says “…the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” You don't have to be going on this trip to Haiti to make a big difference in a lot of lives. Pray faithfully for this effort from right here in Fort Worth, and God will hear your voice.
 
Arborlawn's Prayer Ministry will be sending out a daily prayer email each day that our missionaries are in Haiti in October. If you want to receive this email, please visit this link to find the sign up form. Please note you will need to register for this special list even if you receive our weekly Vine email; the daily prayer email will only be sent to those who opt-in. After you sign up, you will need to check your email to complete the registration process. If you would like for us to add you to the list, please send an email to DeAndrea Dare asking to be added to the Haiti Daily Email list.
 
May God richly bless our missionaries and those providing prayer support.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Family Missions Day Saturday, September 20; All Ages Invited

 
All ages are welcome to participate in Family Missions Day. The event is Saturday, September 20 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Meet in the Gathering Area outside the Family Life Center.
 

We will be learning about and making mats for the homeless, packing sack lunches for the Union Gospel Mission, and making crafts for the homebound visits.
 
Please bring $10 (if you are able) to cover the costs of the sack lunches and crafts.
 
We need ALL the plastic bags we can get to make the mats. Please bring some with you to the event. We look forward to seeing everyone!
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org