Advent Conspiracy Video

I've watched this video 10 times, and it doesn't stop being meaningful. Watch it, and pass it on.






This Christmas consider making a financial contribution to help those who really need it. Checks can be made payable to New Light (with Advent Conspiracy in the memo line) or online here.

Blood: Water Mission

Did you know that $1 can provide water for a year for a sister or brother in Africa? We have decided to give half of the money raised through Advent Conspiracy to Blood:Water Mission, an organization dedicated to empowering communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crisis in Africa.

Blood:Water Mission promo video from Blood:Water Mission on Vimeo.

Blood: Water Mission funds full-scale programs in iWASH: Integrated Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. This approach is critical as community behavior changes in hygiene and sanitation practices have the potential to more than triple the health impact of clean water alone. While each program is unique according to the cultural, environmental, and political climate in which it's implemented, every program is built around core principles in community empowerment. To date water technologies used in Blood: Water Mission projects include drilled wells, rain catchment, spring development, gravity flow, and biosand filtration.

Through the efforts of many generous supporters, Blood:Water Mission has completed 859 water projects, in 11 countries, changing the lives of over 570,000 people. They have also opened 3 clinics, tested 18,000 people for HIV/AIDS, and served over 22,000 people.

This Christmas, consider making a financial contribution to help those who really need it. Checks can be made payable to New Light (with Advent Conspiracy in the memo line) or online here.

Advent Conspiracy 2009

We are issuing a challenge to members of New Light and Chestnut UMC to celebrate Christmas more simply, this year by spending less on Christmas gifts for friends and family -- and then to match that amount, dollar for dollar, with a gifts to people who really need it. With a little help from Advent Conspiracy, we are encouraged to spend the season worshiping fully, spending less, giving more, and loving all.

We are focusing our efforts this year in two different ways:
First, a local project, to help Florence House, the new Women's Shelter opening in Portland, by furnishing an apartment. Florence House, a program of Preble Street, will provide safe, supported permanent housing to chronically homeless women in Portland.

Secondly, a global project, Blood:Water Mission is partnering with groups and individuals to empower our sisters and brothers in Africa to build healthier communities through sustainable clean blood and clean water solutions. Since 2004, Blood:Water Mission has completed 617 water projects delivering clean water, hygiene, and sanitation training to 460,000 people while helping to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Did you know that $1 provides one year of clean water for our sisters and brothers in Africa? Let's see how many people we can help this holiday season.

When you're ready to make your contribution, just make a check out to New Light, clearly marking "Advent Conspiracy" on the memo line. Or if you'd like to make your gift online using a credit or debit card, you can do that here... Just scroll down and make your gift in the "Advent Conspiracy" category.

Join the Conspiracy! And remember, matching your Christmas spending dollar for dollar is the challenge, but it is not an all-or-nothing deal. Set a goal and try to reach it, and honor Christ by helping people in need this holiday season.

Earth Day Happenings

This week offers many great ways to celebrate Earth Day!

On Sunday, during our regular worship time (6:00pm) we will share in the Festival of God's Creation. We invite you to bring along a symbol of God's Creation, or a symbol of a means of caring for the earth. For example: a bowl of water, a stone, a leaf, a plant,a piece of fruit, a recycling bin...whatever you can think of! We will be using these items to create our worship space on Sunday!

Vacation Station:
Tuesday, April 21 from 9:30am-12:00 @Hope.Gate.Way.(185 High St.)

We will host a children's activity day, for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. There will be crafts, snacks, games, and music all with an Earth Day theme. Talk to Sara, or post a message here if you are interested in volunteering, or if you know some kids who might enjoy this!

Earth Day Community Potluck & Movie:
Wednesday. April 22 @ 5:30pm @Hope.Gate.Way. (185 High St.)

Bring a main dish, side dish, salad or dessert to share. After we eat, we'll watch the movie "Flow" an award winning documentary about the world water crisis.This is going to be a great community event, so be sure to invite your friends, neighbors, co-workers, grocers, dentists, etc. to come along with you!!

Give Water to School Children

“Over half of all schools worldwide lack safe water and sanitation, jeopardizing the health and education of millions of schoolchildren. Most of the 115 million children currently out of school are girls. Many are denied their place in the classroom by lack of access to decent toilets at school, or the daily chore of walking miles to collect water.” - UNICEF, 2005

In the next week we will be finishing up with the Advent Conspiracy and sending our donations off to the Humble United Methodist School in Uganda.

We are collecting money to help to install a water system at Humble United Methodist School in Uganda. This school provides food, shelter, and education to about 250 children, most of whom are orphans due to the AIDS crisis or civil war. Currently the school lacks a system that provides a consistent supply of clean water for sanitation and cooking.

Did you know?

• More than 150 million school-age children are severely affected by waterborne parasites like roundworm, whipworm, and hookworm. These children commonly carry up to 1000 parasites at a time, causing anemia, stunted growth, and other debilitating conditions.
• Children who suffer from constant water-related illnesses carry the disadvantages into school. Poor health directly reduces cognitive potential and indirectly undermines schooling through absenteeism, attention deficits, and early drop-out.
• Nearly 90 percent of all diseases in the world are caused by unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene. Every year, there are 4 billion cases of diarrhea as a direct result of drinking contaminated water; this results in more than 2.2 million deaths each year—the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing every day.

We can do a small part to help these kids get the safe, reliable water they need to stay healthy and get an education. To find out more visit Living Water International. Please give donations to Allen, Sara, or Erica by February 1st.