The Missions Work Area met on September 24 and because of your generosity, we were able to make disbursements to several missions--

Missions has pledged support to two missionaries for the past several years. This year our support is going to Margaret Farnsworth and Pricilla Jaiah. We pledged $500 to each and paid part of our pledge in March and the rest in September.

Douglas Avenue has a commitment to pay $240 each year along with all the other churches in our conference for Liberian dollars. We have sent this money in for 2008.

Douglas supports nine local missions--Sojourn House, Helping Hands, Washington Street Mission, Mini O'Beirne Crisis Nursery, Kumler Pantry, Inner City Mission, Contact Ministries, Asbury Children's Supper Hour, and Beerlahai Roi Women's Ministries. We budgeted $50 for each mission this year and paid that in March. Because of your giving, we were able to send an additional $50 to each in September.

Now home on leave . . .
 
Margaret has had a busy summer visiting churches and other support groups to tell them about her life in Kazakhstan. She writes about her pleasure at meeting old friends, even going back as far as her and her husband's childhoods. She has also had an opportunity to help her mother with some health problems while she has been on leave. She is scheduled to return to Kazakhstan in December but has been asked to come back earlier if possible. She is praying about this and asks that we join her in that.
 
Margaret's younger daughter Nellie has been accepted for a master's program of study at Indiana Wesleyan University, has found a suitable apartment, and is in the process of moving in and looking for a part-time job. Her older daughter is home for a visit, which is giving Margaret much pleasure.
 
Margaret asks us to pray for funding for the Apple Tree children's mission. Apple Tree and other agencies have held several successful English camps for children this summer. The children are eager to learn.    -submitted by Cynthia Booher
 

Hands of Hope Celebration  May 18 at First West UMC 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
(In the event of rain, the event will be held in doors at the same location.)

DAUMC Fundraising Goal:  $1500.
Donations from the congregation have been $136,
plus $500 from our Mission Work Area:
Total $636 collected to date.

There will be live music on an outdoor stage all afternoon, featuring some of the awesome music teams of our Sangamon District. There will be a special Children's Fun Zone (we are hosting four children's activities!) as well as activities and music for the Jr./Sr. High Youth. There will be food available on-site for the family.

All proceeds will go toward our Liberian Initiative- The Building of the District Center in the Liberian Wealah District. Bring your family, bring your lawn chairs, bring your appetite and join us for this special afternoon.

At dusk we will join together in one massive CELEBRATION AND PRAISE time, as we come together to consecrate the offering that has been gathered for the work of God in Liberia.

Now home on leave . . .
Margaret Farnsworth has asked for prayers for the future of the church in Kazakhstan. Her latest report is that the restrictive law before the parliament will probably pass in May or June, but already the largest protestant church in Karaganda is being closed for "tax purposes." She says that a friend wrote that "a news magazine was forced to print an article about terrorist-type organizations -- listed were Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Baptists."

Margaret continues to meet with groups of supporters around the midwest and reports that these meetings are going well. She often runs into friends and acquaintances from long ago. She also reports that her mother is doing more and more on her own and is walking around the house sometimes without her cane or walker. -submitted by Cynthia Booher