When communities need help,
United Methodists respond.
We are a part of a grassroots movement within The United Methodist Church designed to provide an official channel whereby Christians, both lay, and clergy, may offer their skills and talents for Christian service at home and around the world on short-term assignments at their own expense. Work includes construction and renewing of mission facilities, teaching, witnessing, conducting medical clinics, conducting Bible study or Bible School for children, and serving in disaster relief efforts around the world.
Contact the BWC Disaster Response Coordinator
Contact the BWC VIM Coordinator
Contact the BWC Disaster & Mission Staff Rep
HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
STEP 1: REgister
Registration is required prior to joining or posting a trip. You only need to register once and at any time you need to update your information.
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After a trip is approved and/or a team leader for an active trip has confirmed that you have been added to the team, prepare for your trip per your role and training.
- Teams should acquire insurance as per training guidelines: http://umvimnej.org/mission-insurance/
STEP 2: Post a TRIP
This step serves as your request for deployment. It is very important that all teams complete this step prior to making plans to go to an affected area. Please check the Current Conference Invitations page for a listing of Conferences who have invited teams to support relief efforts.
- All trips will be reviewed by the VIM or Disaster Response Coordinator
- If approved, the trip will display on the “Find a Mission Trip” page. The team leader should also be notified directly by the VIM or DR Coordinator.
– OR – Join a TEam
If you’re not forming your own team, search the mission trips posted by other team leaders and find the trip that best fits your calling.
- Use the search tools to find the right trip for you.
- Click on the trip title to view more information.
- If “Currently accepting new team members?” indicates “Yes”, contact the trip leader to join the trip.
When you make a financial donation, you can be assured that every dollar will go to the program you specify. UMCOR can guarantee this because all administrative costs are covered by the UMCOR Sunday offering and other undesignated gifts. Volunteering or sending relief supplies to one of UMCOR’s supply depots are two more ways you can be a sign of hope for others. Your prayer support is vital to all that UMCOR does.
Early Response Teams (ERT)
Early Response Teams (ERTs) fill a specific need in the early days after a disaster to clean out flood-damaged homes, remove debris, place tarps on homes, and otherwise help to prevent further damage, while providing a caring Christian presence.
ERTs are not a first-response group of emergency workers, nor are they recovery, rebuild, or repair teams. Under very specific guidelines, ERTs assist survivors, without causing further harm or being a burden to the affected community.
ERTs require an invitation to travel to another district, conference, or jurisdiction.
Volunteers in Mission (VIM)
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) is a short-term mission agency of the United Methodist Church. UMVIM exists to promote, encourage and enable Christians to exemplify “Christian Love in Action” through short-term mission service locally, nationally and internationally.
UMVIM provides opportunities for service by developing and nurturing relationships with domestic and international leaders after ERT teams have completed their work in affected areas.
VIM Teams require an invitation to travel to another district, conference, or jurisdiction.
ERT Training REquirements
All ERT members are trained by authorized UMCOR trainers, and are given identification badges as evidence of successful completion of the basic class.
- Complete an 8-hour Basic ERT Certification Course
- Re-certify every 3 years (4-hour ERT Re-Certification Course)
- Role-specific trainings (2 hours) may also be available
Learn more about ERT course content.
VIM Training REquirements
All VIM team leaders should complete the UMVIM Team Leader Training prior to forming a team. This is a 6-8 hour class that prepares you to lead a VIM Team locally, nationally, or globally. Topics covered include: Best Practices, Cultural Awareness, Health & Safety, Team Orientations, Useful Forms, and Fundraising. All team leaders must also be in compliance with the BWC Safe Sanctuaries policy.
Upcoming ERT Trainings
2019 Training Schedule Coming soon!
The BWC is currently seeking ERT Trainers! If you are interested in serving in this role for your district or region, please contact us at disasterresponse@bwcumc.org.
Upcoming VIM Trainings
2019 Training Schedule Coming soon!
The BWC is currently seeking VIM Trainers! If you are interested in serving in this role for your district or region, please contact us at HWilsonVT@gmail.com.
Upcoming NEJ Trainings
DONATIONS
– Mission Central Hubs –
Best Practices & Policies
Additional Resources
What is a mission Central Hub?
HUBs extend the reach and service opportunities of Mission Central, located in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Together, the 35 HUB sites (and growing!) work to “Connect God’s Resources with Human Need.” Three of the current HUB sites are located in Maryland, within the Baltimore-Washington Conference.
If you are feeling called to take a more active role in Mission Central HUBs, there are multiple ways to fulfill that call.
Mission Central HUBs have limited space to accept items. Only needed items will be accepted.
- Donating items FAQs: what generally can and cannot be accepted
Become a Hub
ST. Matthews umc hub
14900 Annapolis Road
Bowie, MD 20715
Church HUB website
Email: hub@stmatthews-bowie.org
HUB Coordinators:
David Winters, 202-369-3553
Bob Fuller, 202-498-0567
Bentley Springs Hub
421 Bentley Road
Parkton, MD 21120
HUB Coordinator:
Fred Sipes, 410-967-9134
Pastor:
Fred Sipes, 410-967-9134
BWC Disaster Preparedness Manual
Deployment Policy
Before any ERT/VIM team travels beyond the Baltimore-Washington Conference
geographical area to serve in a disaster region, an invitation from the Episcopal Leader of the affected area must be received in our conference office. This invitation is facilitated through our Episcopal office and/or UMCOR for deployment of teams. At no time should individuals or teams self-deploy to a disaster region(s) without appropriate episcopal, federal, and local authorization(s).
Let us know you are willing and ready to serve when the time comes by completing the “Mission Trip Listing” / Deployment Request Form.
Communicating After a Disaster
Do you have a plan in place to communicate with church members and others in your community after a disaster? Whether it’s a natural disaster, political crisis or other tragedy, your communications matter before, during and after the event. Here are four steps you can/should take now to be prepared.
Local Health and Human Services
Disaster Relief Partnership with Home Depot
Oct. 9, 2018: The General Council on Finance and Administration has partnered with Home Depot to help your church provide materials for UMCOR Disaster Response and VIM reconstruction, relief, and recovery efforts. Your church or United Methodist affiliate organization can activate discounts and bulk buying opportunities for the work you need to do on your church or organizations’ property as well as help support UM ministries by signing up for The Home Depot Pro Loyalty Program. Account registration is FREE!
E-mail the Home Depot Pro Account Rep, Michael Daniel, He will contact you personally to sign you up.