FMC CropWalk Participants

Chair: 2014-2015
Donna Haines

What Is “Faith In Action?” The Peace and Justice + the Mission & Service Committees have combined forces to be “Faith in Action or FIA.” This should be everyone’s goal. Come join the “new” committee and live your faith! Contact Donna Haines for more information. (09.14)
The two committees joined together and developed the following joint committee mission statement:

• Provide leadership in assisting individuals or the congregation to respond to peace, justice, mission and service opportunities
• Sponsor, plan and carry out justice, mission, service and peace events/services which further our Anabaptist faith
• Encourage small groups to participate in mission, service, peace and justice service events opportunities
• Inform the congregation of church-wide mission and service programs and needs (MCC, MVS, MDS, MMN, etc)
• Inform the congregation of specific local, national and international peace and justice issues
• As appropriate join the initiatives of others (either within our outside the church) who are addressing peace, justice, mission and service needs.
• Every action of kindness makes a difference. “Faith in Action” recognizes this and we dedicate this page to keeping you in touch with opportunities to help.

Below outlines our continuing efforts to make a difference.

 2015

APRIL

Workers in more than 200 cities across the U.S. walked out on jobs or joined protests bankrolled by organized labor on Wednesday, April 15th in latest bid to raise minimum wage. We were represented by Janet Wakefield and JoAnne Lingle.

MARCH

We had great participation with the Gleaners Food Project. We have over 60 FMC members sign up to help sort and bag food. Click here for some photos of that event.

JANUARY

FMC was a blood donation site for the American Red Cross. The event exceeded projected blood donations and received a record number of participants.
Open FIA Winter newsletter 2015 to pull up the Winter 2015 service opportunities.

• $$ MONEY IS AVAILABLE: Faith In Action budget has monies budgeted for requests by individuals for Faith in Action activities. Examples include supplies needed for your mission trip, a volunteer service entrance fee, air fare for your SOOP volunteer trip, gas expense for your MDS activity, or a conference fee for a workshop that will assist your faith into action. If interested, see the Chair Donna Haines for details.
• Checkout our Bulletin Board: Stop by the newly redesigned faith in action bulletin board located by the welcoming center. It highlights 2014 faith in action recipients of funds as well as some individuals putting their faith into action!
• Faith In Action Email distribution: You can still join the 30+ families who have signed up to receive local and Mennonite updates that call us to prayer and action. Send email request to join
  

  Volunteer Peace Ambassadors

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• Peace Ambassadors: January 10th – In collaboration with the Peace Learning Center nine First Mennonites were trained to be Peace Ambassadors.

SAVE THESE DATES:

1. MARCH 21, 2015 – FMC Morning of Service on March 21^st at Gleaners Food Bank. Sign-up sheet is on the Kiosk along with Volunteer Guidelines, Release form and Map. Ages 9 years old and up are invited to participate in this church wide event. Feel free to invite others too. No training needed. Must be able to stand and use both arms. Volunteers will be asked to sort and box packaged food and household items. Sometimes we make bags of school lunches for children. Others may be asked to work in the meat locker sorting meat. Go to https://www.gleaners.org/ to learn more
2. MAY 31 – JUNE 7 – SAVE THE DATE for IHN (Family Promise)! Our next hosting at FMC is May 31 – June 7th. Start talking with your friends/small group about how you can be part of this important ministry.

Several FMCers attended “Uncharted,” a 98-minute film about homeless issues in Indianapolis on Wednesday, January 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the Emmaus Center of St. Monica Catholic Church, 6131 N. Michigan Road. Indianapolis is one of the few cities its size or larger that does not have a centralized city government-supported homeless agency program – right now, the homeless are only looked after by non-related non-profits scattered throughout the city. to learn more, visit https://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/uncharted-a-new-doc-on-homelessness-in-indy/Content?oid=2909639 . (01.04.15)

2014

DECEMBER

FMC donated funds to a missionary church in Mexico, which helped many families. Here is the link to that video: Donation to Mexico (12.14.14)

FMC donated funds to the Peace Learning Center and IHN as end of the year gifts.

FMC adopted families at St Mary’s Pre-School for Christmas.

FMC provided holiday decorations for the homes of persons with disabilities (through Compass).

FMC collected $2,000 during Advent and Christmastide and donated $1,000 to Dayspring Center and $1,000 to Flood Christian Church in Ferguson, Missouri.

FMC collected $2,000 during Advent and Christmastide and donated $1,000 to Dayspring Center and $1,000 to Flood Christian Church in Ferguson, Missouri.

Nathan Geiser

NOVEMBER

FMC donated 42 bags of clothing to the Family Promise fall clothing drive.   That’s 16 more bags than our last drive!!  At $5 voucher per bag, Family Promise will be receiving $210 of Goodwill vouchers.  Their case managers gave these vouchers to the shelter guests and Aftercare families so they could shop with dignity for the clothing they needed for themselves and their children.  Thanks First Mennonite!! (11.09.14)

FMC made Thanksgiving baskets/dinner for the families who are in Family Promise’s after care program.

FMC gave money to Morning Star Mennonite Church’s Thanksgiving baskets for the poor.

Crop Walk 2014

OCTOBER

FMC participated in Crop Walk to raised money for hunger.

FMC hosted IHN (Interfaith Hospitality Network).  For one week the church provided housing and food for 4 families.

SEPTEMBER

FMC members (7pp) started the academic year (2014-2015) volunteering with School on Wheels, a program that tutors children in homeless shelters.