Many of us likely heard messages of Hope this past weekend as we observed the lighting of the first candle of Advent, the candle of Hope. What does your Hope look like, now that December 1st has arrived?
Many of us are likely beginning to worry if we will get everything done on our Christmas to-do lists. We're hoping to think of the perfect gifts and to get the shopping done, hoping to successfully track down packages delivered to the wrong address, hoping that the lights we've worked to hang don't have any bulbs go out. We are hoping to get travel preparations done or to get our homes prepared in time to receive guests. These could be some of the things that are using up our hope, and maybe we should take a minute to think about Hope differently.
This poem written by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer was shared with me a few months ago:
Hope has holes
in its pockets.
It leaves little crumb trails
so that we,
when anxious,
can follow it.
Hope's secret:
it doesn't know the destination-
it knows only
that all roads
begin with one
foot in front
of the other.
Can you imagine Hope as laying a trail for you, encouraging you to put one foot in front of the other? Can you imagine Hope leaking out of our pockets? If Hope does leak out of our pockets, then it isn't just our Hope, it's Hope shared with those around us. Can you imagine it - tangible, shareable Hope?
Does this Hope feel better than hoping we get all of the Christmas tasks done? Does this Hope feel more like our Hope in God, trusting that God's promise is greater than our uncertainties, our frustrations, our pain, our sorrow? Hope in God helps us to step forward and to look beyond ourselves. Hope in God frees us to do all the good that we can. Can we make time for this kind of Hope?
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Non Cash and Planned Giving Seminar Recording
Were you unable to attend the Non Cash and Planned Giving seminar a couple of weeks ago? This workshop presented by Manet Shettle with the United Methodist Foundation of Indiana contained valuable information on many ways to make gifts to churches, Metro Ministries and other organizations, beyond from our checkbooks.
I encourage you to watchthis recording to learn how assets such as annuities, IRAs, stocks, life insurance, real estate and personal property can be gifted to your church and other charitable organizations. The workshop also covers Required Minimum Distribution details (RMD), estate planning basics and how often estate plans should be reviewed..
If you have questions on any of the material covered, reach out to Tina McAninch at (317) 452-4786.
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Avoiding Email Phishing and Spoofing
The use of email is a primary means of communications, both for formal business correspondence and informal daily exchange amongst friends, family members and colleagues. Email scams using processes known as phishing (sender trying to get email recipients to divulge personal information) and spoofing (sender pretending to be a known email contact) continue to be issues, and the senders of such messages continue to improve their scamming skills.
In light of this and as solicited and unsolicited emails can increase during the holiday season, here are a few tips to avoid getting scammed.
Never provide personal confidential information or log in credentials in response to an unsolicited email or text, no matter who it is from.
Don’t trust the Display Name on an email – check the actual email address of the sender.
Question an email from a friend/family member/colleague if:
- The language doesn't align with what sender would normally use, "Many thank you's my good friend", "greetings and salutations", etc.
- Someone you don’t know well makes a brief and vague request such as “Hi, do you have a second?”, “Can you do me a favor?” or hints at a crisis “Hi, I’ve been really sick and need your help”
- Email relays urgent message that would make more sense via a phone call or text, "I'm really in a bad spot and need your help ASAP"
Question the source of an email from a business or institution if:
- Refers to service disruption for a service or product you either don’t have or no longer have
- Email says it is from an institution you trust but logo/style is poor quality or is inconsistent
- Email lacks signature details or how to contact the institution
If you question the source of an email but don’t want to ignore it, find a phone number from the business or institution's website. Do not call the contact number included in the questionable email.
Don’t click on links or attachments in a suspicious email. Always be cautious about clicking links. Hover your mouse pointer over the link to view the actual address. Make sure it makes sense as coming from the sender.
Note that many of these warnings also apply to texts from numbers you do not recognize.
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Potato Drop at Grace UMC
Over 20 tons of potatoes will be distributed in 10 pound bags to organizations, churches and individuals. Grace UMC in Franklin has been partnering with Society of St. Andrew for several years to provide this valuable food resource to the community!
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Society of St. Andrew is seeking congregations and individuals able to help them glean the Indy Winter Market on Saturdays, from now through March. This season, Indy Winter Market is located at the AMP, 1220 Waterway Blvd, Indianapolis, 46202.
Volunteers are needed each Saturday beginning at noon for just over an hour. This gleaning opportunity involves volunteers handing out bags to all of the Indy Winter Market vendors at 12:00 pm, then beginning at 12:30 collecting the bags filled with vendors' leftover products. Volunteers then deliver the filled bags to Wheeler Mission at 520 E. Market Street downtown.
This is a great opportunity for a church group or congregation to sign up for one or more Saturdays. Volunteers can sign up by creating a volunteer profile at: www.endhunger.org/indiana.
Once a profile is created, volunteers can sign up for one or more available shifts. Once signed up, volunteers receive an email from the program.
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Dec. 4: Mt. Comfort UMC Holiday Bazaar, 9am – 3pm
Dec. 4: Bartlett Chapel UMC Breakfast with Santa, 8am
Dec. 11: Greenwood UMC Christmas Organ Concert 4pm
Dec. 25: Christmas Dinner at Grace UMC
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Mark your calendars now for February 19, 2022!
Children Matter Most – All In! is an opportunity for all who care about children to come together to learn, be inspired, and go back to their community with action steps to help children thrive.
The INUMC Children Matter Most team has been focusing on nonviolence, food insecurity, and partnering with schools. You will learn more about each of these focus areas and many other ways you can nurture children in your context. Everyone is invited-those who work closely with children already and those who are seeking to learn how to make a positive difference in the lives of children.
This all-day event at Grace UMC in Franklin, IN will include worship, multiple breakout sessions and an opportunity to create action plans for how we will individually and collectively declare we are All In to put children first in 2022.
If you know of other resources we should share, please let us know by emailing Tina McAninch at metrodirector1923@gmail.com.
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FOOD RESOURCES
Community Compass
Community Compass is a tool created by Indy Hunger Network and has two key ways to connect individuals with food resources near them. The first is an app for smart phones that automatically provides food resources based on where the individual is. The second is the ability to text for food resources if an individual does not have a smart phone. Check out details of Community Compass. This very valuable tool now works in the donut counties as well as Marion County!
Listing of Central Indiana Food Pantries
We have updated the format of the food pantry list, making it easier to view when printed. You can download the updated listingHERE or from Metro's website's Resources Hub. Please let us know if you have food resources to add or update. We will make updates to this list on a quarterly basis.
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