Newsletter

President Bush visited New Orleans today working on a Habitat house in the 9th ward. "There's lots of progress," he told reporters traveling on Air Force One. "There's still a lot to be done."

"If you're interested in helping the victims of Katrina, interested in helping them get back on their feet, come on down here,"

--President Bush

Well? What are you doing for your summer vacation, summer quarter off, or mission work. In the coming months there will be new opportunities to serve, new disaster victims to help, and new amazing experiences where God is so visible working through us in this mission.

Scheduled trip dates are:
June 3 – Marshall University students from Norway Avenue campus group in Huntington
June 7 – Westerville South International Baccalaureate,
July 1 – New Life, Canal Winchester
July 8 – Linworth UMC and Alum Creek CofC youth groups
July 16 – Westerville Christian Father Son youth trip

Join a trip or build a team for a date that isn't scheduled yet. If you've been down before, we need you to help lead these teams.

We also have three groups collecting supplies and building kits to send into the Katrina disaster area. A group from Ohio State has collected food and funds to send down. A mother daughter group and some coworkers of one of our past volunteers are building cleaning kits to leave with homeowners who’s houses we clean out.

Servants Unite continues to grow into the permanent disaster relief volunteer organization God started after hurricane Katrina. You’ve all been so amazing giving your time and money to help these people we never met before, but have bonded to over the past 8 months. 8 months? This has gone so fast.

Currently Servants Unite is prepared to be a central Ohio communications point and logistics organization when the next hurricane or other disaster arises. Churches in our area can come to us to join a consolidated efficient effort. We can react and respond the next time.

The next level which we have not yet reached is to prepare in advance for the next response. To do so requires volunteers to take on some preparatory tasks now.

• Organize staffed, designated drop-off locations for first response supplies
• Help find quick response volunteers who can go in and help set up relief on short notice
• Inform more churches and church leaders of our efforts
• Lead new teams into the next area in need

We have a good thing going here. We’re doing God’s work and giving Him glory. We’re “getting dirty and helping people”. It’s an easy yoke to keep making this work a priority and answer God’s call when we see such amazing results. Thanks for all you are doing and all you will do to expand our abilities as united servants in the body of Christ.
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1 Peter 4:10, Mark 12:30-31, Mathew 9:36-38, Romans 12:4-8

John McGuire
www.ServantsUnite.org
614-523-3996 home
614-404-8610 cel

Servants Unite on Ohio News Network Tonight

Stephanie Mennecke from Ohio News Network interviewed Pastor Mike, Gary Sargent, and I tonight on team 12's trip to Louisiana 2 weeks ago and the continuing efforts of Servants Unite. It will air in the 9:00 hour tonight (Monday). If you can record it, please let me know as I've been unable to get anyone definitively to do so.

For other news, check out the blog entries from last week. Barbara Kempton from New Life did a great job of reporting on the work of their foursome and the people they were helping.

We have sent over 300 people to work in Louisiana since Katrina hit. Over 100 more are scheduled for summer mission trips. More than 3000 people have served with our partner organizations in the New Orleans area, Tammany Oaks, Hilltop Rescue, and Operation Nehemiah.

All you who have volunteered and plan to are so amazingly inspiring. Even if you can't go back or go on the next trip, you can tell someone else who can. Servants Unite is going strong and planning for the next response. You who have gone to serve have the additional task of witnessing to others. Gary and Mike did a great job of that to the ONN TV viewers today. You can be just as effective telling your church leadership, friends, family, and coworkers.

Servants Unite!