WEDNESDAY WORDS

FROM METRO MINISTRIES, INC.

May 18,  2022

Project Transformation Indiana Needs Your Help!

Project Transformation Indiana is gearing up for this year's summer programs! If you are not familiar with them, Project Transformation Indiana is a local ministry that provides affordable children’s camps with literacy, social-emotional and spiritual development. These programs are hosted by United Methodist churches and supported by churches all around the Central District. Young adults are hired to lead the camp so they gain hands-on experience, while living in Christian community and exploring their calling. North UMC and Cumberland UMC are host churches this year.

With all of the challenges of these last two years, young people need our help more than ever! PT Indiana is seeking reading volunteers who will support children in one-on-reading each morning (10 AM Monday - Thursday). No previous experience necessary for this opportunity to engage with a child. The young adult interns who lead the program have community dinners each week as part of their Christian community. You and your small group can come together to provide one of these meals and fellowship over the meal with these young leaders during their summer of service.

Please consider one of these ways to support children and young adults in Indianapolis this summer. Click HERE to sign up and learn more.

Did you know

- 1 in 5 youth report having had a mental health issue?

- By age 14, ½ of all youth report having had a mental health issue?

- By age 24, ¾ of all youth report having had a mental health issue?

- 1 in 5 youth report having been bullied at least once?

- 1 in 6 youth report having experienced cyberbullying?

I learned these statistics two weeks ago during a Youth Mental Health First Aid training. Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use issues. The course is intended for ordinary folks, not necessarily trained mental health professionals, who care about the overall well-being of their family members, friends and those they interact with every day. There are two versions of the training, one for helping adults and one for helping youth.

The Youth Mental Health First Aid training, a nationally recognized and evidence-based program, is designed to help parents, family members, pastors, youth leaders, teachers, school staff and other caring individuals identify signs of a mental health issue or crisis and equip them with better listening and supportive referral skills. 

The training I attended was hosted by Christian Theological Seminary's Faith and Action Project and was funded by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). This course included a two hour self-paced online module prior to the onsite training and then a six and half hour interactive in-class session. If your church might be interested in hosting a training in the future, let's talk! There are also individual training offerings published on Mental Health First Aid's website, www.mhfa.org. Note that MHFA is a national program, so listings outside Indiana are included.

In next week's newsletter, the last week of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'll share a tool for creating your own self-care plan, that was covered in this Mental Health First Aid training.

School Kits Collections at Metro!

Here is a great mission project idea for your congregation or church group, but time is running out!

At this year's Annual Conference Session, school kits are being collected and will be distributed afterwards by Midwest Mission Distribution Center.  Each kit should contain THESE ITEMS.

Metro Ministries is serving as a Collection Site for churches in the Central and North Central Districts.  We can also pick up from your location if you would prefer. Please contact us to schedule drop-off or pick-up, at metrodirector1923@gmail.com or 317-452-4786. We will collect School Kits through Sunday, June 5. Be sure to call ahead of time.

If you are planning to attend the Annual Conference, you can also deliver the kits to the LAITY BOOTH in The Chapel foyer on the Indiana Wesleyan University campus.

District Gathering

Tomorrow evening (Thursday, May 19) at 6:30 pm is the last Central District gathering session for updates on the General Conference postponement. Registration is not necessary. Here is the Zoom link and login information: Meeting ID: 860 5612 8741 Passcode: 129225.

Having attended all three of the in-person sessions myself, I anticipate this Zoom session will provide valuable information and clarity around what the General Conference postponement means for local churches in the Indiana Conference.

On Saturday, June 25, 2022, the Central District is hosting a District ON MISSION Work Day at Scott UMC. This work day is to assist one of the district's predominantly black United Methodist congregations to "spruce up the place".

There will be all types of jobs for the young, the young and heart, and everyone in between. Some jobs will require specific tools or supplies, such as hardware to repair kitchen drawers and a stripper and waxer for stripping and waxing the floors. If you have such supplies, YOU ARE NEEDED!

If you, your youth group or missions group would like to be a part of the day, please contact the Central District at central.district@inumc.org for more detailed information. 

The Work Day will be 10:00 am - 2:00 pm on June 25th, and the church is located at 2153 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202. Let us join in service to assist our brothers and sisters at Scott UMC!

Here are several upcoming events and activities throughout Central Indiana:

May 21: Race Into Summer at Old Bethel UMC

Join in a time of games, food and fun for the community!

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May 22: East 10th Children & Youth Center Walking for Dreams 2022

Create or join a walking team for East 10th Children & Youth Center or make a donation HERE. Funds raised help parents subsidize their payments. Registration at Crown Hill Cemetery begins at 1pm, and walk begins at 2pm.

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June 5: Night of 1,000 Comics at Epworth UMC

25% of all funds will go to Society of St. Andrew!

Purchase tickets HERE.

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June 6 at 7:00 pm: Worship Concert at Franklin Grace UMC

Grace UMC is hosting the Youth Choir and Ringers from Church of the Savior UMC in Cincinnati, OH. This is the nineteenth summer tour for the singers and ringers Alive worship concert.  This is a free event open to the community.

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June 10: Greenfield Strawberry Festival Hosted by Bradley UMC

The 38th Annual Strawberry Festival will be Friday, June 10, open 11 am - 7 pm. Pre-sale tickets are $6.00, $7.00 at the door. Tickets are available at Bradley UMC and several Greenfield businesses. Proceeds will go to support many Hancock County organizations.

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June 11: Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Community Baby Shower for Dads-To-Be

Volunteer at Fletcher Place Community Center's Garden Project

Fletcher Place Community Center's Garden Project is in full swing, especially after the sunshine and rain we have had these past several days. Every Saturday morning, weather permitting, volunteers gather between 9am and noon at 1637 Prospect Street on the southeast side of Indianapolis, to help with weeding and planting, and in a few weeks, harvesting and distributing early crops, such as broccoli and cabbage, from the bodega to folks in the neighborhood.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Beth Opell at beth.opell@gmail.com. Volunteers are welcome any Saturday and can stay as long or as little as able. Volunteers should plan to take water, sunscreen, hats, etc. In case of cancellation due to rain, Beth notifies volunteers via email on Friday evenings.

Contact Beth to be added to the weekly email notifications! Note that getting on the email list does not commit you to volunteering every week, it just keeps you in the communication loop. Won't you consider helping out one or more Saturdays during this garden season?

Did you miss the latest newsletter from Metro Ministries? Is there a specific article you are looking for? You can access past issues at www.indymetroumc.org/communications!