The District Bulletin Board News

District Volunteers In mission to Hurricane Victims

The Cornerstone District has purchased a 5'x10' enclosed trailer to be used for local work ministry, mission trips and disaster relief efforts. We are hoping to have the trailer fully stocked with a wide variety of tools as soon as possible. The trailer will be available to all district churches on a first come basis for local work projects, for youth and other mission trips and for disaster relief and recovery teams from our district. We are hoping to grow the work ministry being done as a district. Work ministry generally means helping those in need with basic home repairs.

One work ministry vision is to have each church put together a team of people (teams could be one to fifty people) willing to help as needed. They would take care of simple individual projects identified by their own church. When a large project comes up, churches could notify the district office that they are looking for assistance from other teams. The work ministry trailer would be available for any projects as needed.

Each church in the district is encouraged to send a donation to the district office to help pay for and stock our district work ministry trailer. Checks should be made out to Cornerstone District and designated for "the work ministry trailer".

This is a wonderful opportunity for us to reach out to our neighbors, in His name and as a community of faith.

Please contact DS Larry Baird or Mary Bradley at the District Office or Charlie Hodges at 664-5803.

Donations needed for Tools in the Work Ministry Trailer
From the District Mission Team
Dear Cornerstone District churches,

Please celebrate with us as the Cornerstone District Work Team Ministry and Disaster Response Trailer has been paid in full. Thank you to the churches and everyone who made this possible. The trailer has already made two trips to Mississippi and Texas with hurricane response teams from the Cornerstone District and is scheduled to return with a team to Biloxi, Mississippi in late February. District Work Team members have been working locally on several wheelchair ramps, the home of a single mother in South Dayton, a trailer water system in Busti, plumbing for an elderly woman in Jamestown and projects at the Steamburg UMC. Please contact Charlie Hodges at Christ First UMC to see how your church or individuals can become involved with local projects and/or disaster response or to request assistance for a person or family who needs help with basic home repairs or maintenance. (716-664-5803). Typical criteria: use the words "poor" or "struggling". The trailer is available to any Cornerstone Church to use for mission and outreach efforts. At this time we are looking for financial support to stock the trailer with tools. If your church or individuals would like to "sponsor" a tool or tools for the trailer, please send a check in any amount to the Cornerstone District Office, 15 Morris Lane, Jamestown, NY. 14701. Be sure to designate it for "trailer tools" and indicate if you would like it used for any specific tools as listed below. Please do not purchase any tools. Please contact Charlie Hodges with any questions.

Hammers $50; hand saws $30; wrecking bars $20; 6 ft. crow bar $30; 4 ft level $20; 2 ft level $10; block level $10; axe $25; wedges $20; jiffy bars $20; trowels $25; nail aprons $20; work lights $40; extension cords $50; carpenter's square $10; speed square $5; tape measure(s) $25; chalk line $10; wood chisel set $25; pipe wrenches $50; round shovels $30; flat shovels $30; garden rakes $25;leaf rakes $25; post hole digger $50; screwdriver set $25; saw horses $50; drywall tools $50; safety glasses $25; gloves $25; rope $25; roof jacks $50; sledge hammer $25; water cooler $25; gas cans $25; come along $50; flash lights $25; hose $25; Circular saw $100; Reciprocating saw $100; Work Tables $100; Chop saw $250; Mechanic tool set $200; Wheelbarrows $100; Generator $750; Step ladder(s) $100; Hard hats $100; Foldable ladder $250; Cordless drill driver(s) $100; Hammer Drill $100; Air compressor $300; Nail guns $100; pressure washer $250

D.A.S.H. Ministies - (Divorce And Separation Healing)

We are now into our fourth year of this ministry and we continue to serve the people as the Lord has willed for us. We primarily use the DivorceCare material; we feel it has been the most effective as well as being Biblically based. Because many of our participants have made the group, family, we do use other material for variety, such as Chip Ingram, Joyce Myers, Dobson etc. This past year we have offered to our participants, who are further along in their healing, the series “Keys to Loving Relationships” by Gary Smalley.

We have had the opportunity to witness to approximately 90 people in the outlying areas of Chautauqua County and PA that have come to our healing ministry throughout these past four years. Currently we have around 40 active members. Many have come to know the Lord personally for the first time or have renewed a relationship with him and found church families. Amen!!

It is the goal of the D.A.S.H. ministries to help those hurting to heal and become "single" in a way that would be pleasing to our Lord and Savior. By this we mean: unique, separate, and whole individuals in a balanced way both physically and emotionally. We receive many blessings each week by seeing the progress and hearing the personal testimonies of each one.

Recently D.A.S.H. ministries was represented at an annual singles conference held at the Letourneau Christian Conference Center in Canandaigua Lake, N.Y. with approximately 200 in attendance. We were asked to present two informational workshops to those attending. The first would be explaining how to lead and maintain a successful outreach ministry for singles. The second one would be helping those to heal through negative emotions such as anger, loneliness, fear, worry, bitterness. We give God all the glory for the way he was able to use us to minister to those in need at that conference. We have been invited to do more workshops again next year and were also asked by the Conference Director to lead in woman's seminars that they will be having later this year.

We would like to broaden our horizons by letting more and more people know about this ministry. One way of doing this is by speaking at the individual churches, district events or whatever that would bring awareness of this ministry. I think it is safe to say that almost everyone knows someone who is going through this trauma. The best thing you can do for them as their friend, family member, neighbor or church family is to tell them about this group. If you would like to have us speak at your church or at some event please contact us.

We would like to thank each one of you for your prayers and those that have provided financial donations that make this ministry possible. Without your encouraging words and support in these ways we would not be able to do what we do. Thank you for allowing the Lord to work through you to bless those in need. We find our strength from the Lord as we continue moving onward and upward toward the mark that he has for us. May this be an encouragement to you to serve him in your own unique way and just see what he can do!!

Bemus Point UMC sponsors one of only 3 certified RFKC in NY State. The other two are in Houghton and Brooklyn. Royal Family Kids' Camp offers a carefree week of residential summer camp for abused and neglected children between the ages of 7-11. These are children who are in contact with the Department of Social Services and, in most cases, are in foster care. Royal Family Camp may often be the first time they have a happy and secure experience. Royal Family Camp can be a life-changing encounter for these children. The children are allowed to come back every year until they are 11. This summer, August 2005, will be our 8th year. We take 40 campers each year. The children are all from Chautauqua County.

HOPE isn't something these children have much of. They have been abused. They have been neglected. They have been told and shown they aren't worth much. After a while, these children begin to believe this. We, at RFKC strive to give these children a healthy dose of positive self-worth. They are given opportunities to complete tasks successfully, learn new skills, and most of all to have FUN! They are allowed to make many choices at camp, this is something they may rarely get at home. We show them unconditional love and acceptance. We let them know just how precious they are and how much God loves them.

We are available to speak at church functions, UMW meetings, etc. For more information, contact Susie Davis at the Panama UMC at 782-4031 or Ernie Price at the Bemus Point UMC at 386-3401.

Revision 6/7/06 mkb