JOIN US FOR HOLY WEEK
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Palm Sunday, March 24th, 10:30am

Wave your palm branch high as we calibrate the beginning of Holy Week.  Together we remember Jesus entry into Jerusalem, on a stolen donkey, which begins the events that lay at the heart of the Christian faith.

Maundy Thursday, March 28^th, 7pm

This is a combined service with Grace UMC and Shiloh UMC.  Rich in singing and symbolism, we will remember the last meal the disciples shared with Jesus before he was taken away to face trial and punishment.  Hear the story of the Passover meal and step into the minds of those first disciples.

Easter Vigil, March 30^th, 7:30pm

Originally the most holy service in the Christian year, Easter vigil marks the transition from the uncertainty of the crucifixion to the joy of the resurrection.  Considered the first service of Easter, at the vigil we will be welcoming new members into our church, celebrating baptisms,  and celebrating the return of light and life to a darkened world.

Easter Breakfast, March 31^th, 10am

Coffee, rolls, and other blessings await everyone at our Easter Breakfast.  A casual event, come, browse the selections, then eat with friends new and old.  Served in the Friendship room and Gathering area.

Easter Service, March 31^st, 10:30am

A joyous celebration of new life and resurrection!  Hear the story of Jesus approaching his friends at the Lakeshore and join in their joy in seeing their friend, teacher, and savior returned to them and victorious against every danger the world has to offer.

Read Pastor Jeremy’s News Article in the March 9, 2013 Billings Gazette.

I bring you warm Christian greetings from my family and I, also from the Christian fraternity in the East Angola Conference United Methodist Church.

My name is Kenneth Koome Nkando and I am your missionary serving as Mission Finance Officer in East Angola Conference. I give thanks to the various churches, conferences and individuals whose contributions, both financially and through prayers and volunteer work, have been instrumental in carrying out the work of Jesus Christ here in East Angola.

I am from Kenya and commissioned as a missionary in 2007.  I was posted to Nigeria where I served with my family for 4 years. In 2011, I was reassigned to Kenya to take up the role as a regional auditor for East Africa; and then in 2012 I was reassigned to Eastern Angola Annual Conference.  Your faithful support of the United Methodist Church’s mission sending agency, The General Board of Global Ministries, enabled me respond to the call the Lord placed in my heart to serve wherever my skills and expertise can make a difference in improving the lives of God’s people.  I am both humbled and thankful for the opportunity to serve.

Angola has enjoyed peace during the last ten years after three decades of Civil war that resulted into massive destruction of lives, properties and displacement of people. The current population is estimated to be around 19 Million people.  A majority of the population is comprised of children under the age of 18 years, and about half of the population live below the poverty line. The Country was colonized by the Portuguese and apart from the local dialect; the only main language of communication is Portuguese. During the war, many children lost a chance to attend school due to destruction of learning facilities and the resultant insecurity. There is currently a generation of people who cannot read or write. This has resulted into education not being accessible to all due to constrained educational facilities and also lack of financial means amongst many parents to send their children to school. A large number of the population is Christians, followed by Muslim.

Health care is also a big challenge. Hospitals and other health facilities were destroyed during the war. The few hospitals run by the government, churches and private individuals are not enough to cope with the demand.  Medical care is only affordable to the rich.  There is a great compassionate need to restore church related hospitals and clinics.

As Missions Finance Officer with the General Board of Ministries, I am called to ensure financial prudence in the spending of donor funding.  In addition to that I provide training to Annual Conference on handling funding from various churches and conferences. I also assist with travel logistics for VIM teams, assist program heads in proposal writing and fundraising initiatives assist the Bishop with travel arrangements and receive and disburse Episcopal office funds from GCFA.

Eastern AngolaAnnual Conference receives financial support from General Board of Global Ministries, UMCOR, Women Division, General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits and endowment funds. The Conference has also continued to receive tremendous support fromYellowstoneand Florida Annual Conferences!!

Your Christ-centered support is transforming lives and communities!  Below is a brief overview:

A).Quessua women’s Training Center: This is an empowerment center where women are equipped with vocational training skills like dress making, embroidery, baking, kitchen gardening and proper nutrition skills for their families. This has enabled mothers within the church start up income generating ventures to support their families with day to day needs.  Though staffed by faithful people of God, the Center is struggling financially and the Center’s work has slowed down a bit.  There is limited funds to pay the staff, to buy training materials and also to sponsor more mothers who want to take up the training.

B).Quessua mission boarding school: The school has continued to provide affordable, Christ-centered education to children within the community. The church is complementing the Government’s efforts in provision of education to the citizenry.  However, the school is faced with the challenges of adequate classrooms to accommodate more students. Many of the school buildings were destroyed during the civil war that bedeviled the country for over three decades. The available classrooms are dilapidated and needs urgent repairs to alleviate unforeseeable dangers to the students. Additional classrooms and dormitories are needed to accommodate more students needing education.  Scholarships for needy students are also needed.

C).Quessua Medical Center.  Prior to the civil war inAngola, the Eastern Angola Annual Conference was one of the institutions in the frontline of provision of medical care in communities.  AtQuessuaMedicalCenter, both in and outpatient services were offered to the sick. The church had also other outreach medical and satellite clinics that were coordinated fromQuessuaMedicalCenter.  However during the Angolan civil war, this health facility that was the main health provider withinMalanjeProvince was destroyed.  Some medical staff and patients lost their lives during this attack. Missionary doctors who served in the facility had to be evacuated fromAngola. To date, the facility has remained in a desolate state due to inadequate funding to have the hospital restored/rebuilt.

Malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malnutrition are some of the leading causes of high mortality rate inAngola.  However due to financial constrains, the Church is not able to subsidize the Government efforts in provision of medical care amongst its people. Provision of affordable medical care remains a big challenge.

D).Agriculture and livestock breeding: There is much malnutrition amongst Angolan children. The Government is unable to provide sufficient food for the poor.  There are no incentives from the government to encourage its people to engage into farming. During the war, the population living in the villages who practiced farming all run to the cities as internally displaced persons because this is where they were provided with security and food by the international communities. A majority of farming communities who escaped into the cities during the war decided not to return back to their farms to continue with farming. To encourage the communities theAngolanUnitedMethodistChurchstarted Agriculture and livestock breeding inQuessuaCenter. This is a demonstration farm where both modern livestock husbandry and farming is taught to the people. Mothers are also taught how grow food crops that have high nutritional value for their families, however, this program is also faced with financial and personnel challenges.  Poor management from the staff program led to the project not successfully meeting its objective of training the community residents how to use agriculture as a business, and not as a “hobby”. 

E).Childrens’ Home: Many families were displaced and others lost their parents and relatives. Most affected are children who were abandoned/lost during the chaos of the fighting.  Some were orphaned when their mothers died during the war. TheAngolanChurchestablished two Orphanages in Quessua for the boys and another in Malanje for the girls where they are offering them shelter, food, clothing, and mentorship. The church has also enrolled these kids in various schools where they receiving formal education.  Even after the war, these two homes have continued to receive more destitute kids from the communities, due to girls getting pregnant at very young ages.  This is as a result of the poverty situation in the country.  Realizing the plight of these innocent post-war “victims”, theAngolanChurchseeks to provide a compassionate, loving and Christ-centered response by offering the two orphanages. This is a challenge for the resource poor Angolan Conference who seeks to adequately support these kids with meals, school fees and accommodation. There is urgent need to expand the already constrained facilities in order to take more into the home because the problem is worsening.

PARTNER WITH ME

I invite you to pray for me so that I may have wisdom to develop and strengthen the ministries that I am called to work with. Pray for my physical and spiritual health. I am thankful for prayers that enable me remain focused and healthy.

I invite you to assist with my salary support so that I can remain faithful to the call the Lord made on my life. You may support me through:

1. Utilizing the Global Ministries ‘website: www.umcmission.org to send a donation for my salary support. At the bottom of the page, click on “Missionaries”. Scroll to my name on the missionaries’ page and my profile will appear. At the bottom of my profile is a link to make an online donation.
2. Through mailing a check. Make your check payable to ADVANCE GCFA.Write “For support of Missionary Kenneth Koome Nkando.Advance #-15148Z.Send your check to. ADVANCE-GCFA,BOX 9068,NEW YORK,NY10087-9068.

3.      Through your Conference office indicating “for Kenneth Koome Nkando”, Advance #15148Z

I am excited and pleased to inform you that I will be visiting the United States during September to share about our ministries in Angola and the impact your faithful support is making in the lives of everyday Angolans!  I hope to visit all of you.   Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you desire my visit to your church.  You may contact Global Ministries Executive for Itineration, Jenn Bryant, jbryant@umcmission.org.  

Thank you and may the good Lord bless you all.

Kenneth Koome Nkando

Rua Cmdt.Dangereux 46-C.P.No.9-Malanje,Angola

Email:knkando@umcmission.org\koomeken2012@gmail.com\Skype kenwise5631

Drop-in Job Help is an additional service being offered in conjunction with the Yellowstone Free Store.  Linda Lang, Bryan Moreland and Carol Hansen will be available in EUMC’s conference room during Free Store hours: 10:00 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of each month.

Saturday, January 19^th, was the first time that Job Club was represented at the Free Store.  It was great!  Linda and Carol were busy speaking with interested people the entire time that the Free Store was open.  The various requests and individual needs of the job seekers reshaped our original format.

Free Store volunteers are asked to “market” the Drop-In Job Help opportunity and guide Free Store shoppers down to the conference room (located near the stairs leading up to the Free Store).  If someone knows of job openings, please share that information with Linda, Bryan or Carol.  The need for jobs is great and the reasons for unemployment are varied.  The bottom line is that we are to help each other; and if it is giving hope, offering encouragement, lending a listening ear – we can make a difference to that individual.

There have been several examples of precious moments surrounding the Free Store.  A Free Store volunteer sought-out a shopper attending Job Help, and hand-delivered a sweatshirt to this man who hadn’t found his size while shopping.  A couple came to Job Help and their teen girls felt comfortable enough to go by themselves to Pat’s Soup Kitchen in the Friendship Room.  Friends teasing each other, such as “you have to sing for your meal” and break out in songs delight everyone in the soup kitchen.  Strangers becoming friends!  Desperation meeting generosity!  Wonderful stories that will warm your heart and renew your faith in mankind.

God’s blessings abound!