Haiti appeal passes £400,000 mark

Street in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Donations to both MRDF and the Methodist Church’s World Mission Fund are supporting the emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation work being carried out by the Methodist Church in Haiti. MRDF is also channelling funds to Action by Churches Together. As well as funding food, blankets, tents and latrines, donations to MRDF have helped to provide a water purification system in the Belair neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince. This is providing 10,000 homeless Haitians with the first clean drinking water they have had since the earthquake struck.

Expressing his gratitude for the initial grant, the Revd Gesner Paul District President of the Methodist Church in Haiti said, “We thank you for standing near us at this time of severe difficulty and continue to count on your support by any means as we try to recover from this very traumatic disaster.”

In his Sunday sermon the Revd George Mulrain, president of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas, said, “Our contribution to Haiti does not wait until a disaster strikes. It is ongoing. Various agencies and organisations are contributing to relief in Haiti, which is commendable. But soon the dust will settle and the media folk will turn to another ‘breaking news story’ as the saga of Haiti recedes into the background. Not so with us as Methodists. We are there to stay, because our motive is not to make the news headlines. The love of Christ constrains us and we stay.”

Examination at Methodist Children's Hospital, Port-au-Prince The Revd Tom Quenet, Methodist partnership coordinator for the Americas and the Caribbean, is planning to visit Haiti later this month. “The figures that the Methodist Church in Haiti have sent us represent a massive loss of the Church’s infrastructure to serve the men, women and children of Haiti,” he said. “The destruction of schools means that the effects of the earthquake will be felt by many generations into the future, the loss of clinics means that lives will be shortened for lack of health care, the destruction of child care facilities will mean that children and young people will become vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. The overwhelmingly generous response of the Methodist people means that not only are people receiving water, food and shelter in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, but also the Haitian Church will be best ready to respond in alleviating the long term consequences.”

People can donate via the Methodist Church by clicking here, or sending a cheque payable to the World Mission Fund to Dave Bennett, Fundraising Coordinator, Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR. Postal donations should be labelled ‘Haiti Appeal’.

To donate via MRDF, visit their website or call 020 7224 4814 to give by debit or credit card, or send a cheque made payable 'MRDF (Haiti emergency)' and to MRDF, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR.

For further information visit the Methodist Church website or contact the Revd Tom Quenet.

(photos by Mike DuBose, News Service of the United Methodist Church. To see more click here.)

Methodist Church establishes independent education commission

girl learning to read The Methodist Church is establishing an independent education commission, responsible for reviewing Methodism’s approach to education in Britain. It will report to the Methodist Conference in 2012.

The commission will be responsible for identifying a set of principles and a theological rationale, which underpins Methodism’s engagement with education. It will cover all forms of formal education, including the Church’s responsibility for 64 state-maintained Methodist day schools and 14 independent schools across England and Wales, as well as its involvement in further education and higher education. It will also consider the Methodist approach to, and involvement with, informal education, including links to the Church's work with children and youth, and all forms of chaplaincy in education.

The chair of the commission, the Revd Dr John Barrett, would be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to be considered for membership of the commission or who feels they have a contribution to make to its work. You can to register your interest by email.

Christian magazine, Magnet, reaches out to a broader Church

Magnet magazine, which until recently has been published by the Methodist Church, is now published by its own independent charity, Magnet Resources, with the aim of reaching a wider ecumenical audience.

Magnet is known for colourful and thoughtful meditation pages, its seasonal worship resources, insightful and stimulating features, Bible study and prayer focus. It is of value both to individuals in their personal spiritual journeys and to leaders of worship, Bible study and house groups.

The Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, general secretary of the Methodist Church, said, "This is an exciting time for Magnet, and a fantastic opportunity to bring their high-quality material to an even broader audience. We wish them well and look forward to enjoying the magazine as it grows and develops."

You can phone 0844 736 2524 or email Felicity for a free copy or subscribe online.

National BBC radio appeal will benefit countryside people

On 7 March BBC Radio 4 will broadcast an appeal to help the Arthur Rank Centre (ARC), a Christian countryside charity and resource unit supported by national Churches (including the Methodist Church), the Royal Agricultural Society of England and the Rank Foundation.

For all its beauty, life in the countryside can be tough. Over 900,000 rural households live in poverty, and problems such as depression, stress, relationship difficulties, health, finance and business difficulties can go undiagnosed and unheard.

The Revd Gordon Gatward, director of the ARC, said, “The ARC was chosen for an appeal because we have been supporting rural communities and their churches for over 38 years. Initiatives that have come out of the ARC have given thousands of people hope over the years: Rural Stress Helpline, agricultural chaplains and rural officers, Arthur Rank Training and community development projects like Hidden Britain, Care Farming, Farm Crisis Network and the ARC-Addington Fund.”

You can discover more about its activities at its website.

You can hear the BBC Radio 4 Appeal on Sunday 7 March at 7.55am or 9.26pm, or on Thursday 11 March at 3.27pm. It is also online all that week.