News

Adult & Teen Challenge of Maryland is opening a recovery home in Keedysville soon.  Their mission is to: “teach men principles with purpose. Through biblical principles we help men define who they are and provide them with the tools needed to assist them in the process of recovery. Adult & Teen Challenge offers both personal growth and group studies and mentoring.” The model has proven to be very effective.  Help is needed to get started in Wash. Co.  See info sheet for financial and volunteer opportunities.  For more info, contact Jonathan Gray at jonathan.gray@atcmaryland.com / 703-926-2765.

 

See attached flyer for current needs

Over the last several months, more than 2,300 Maryland adults and families with Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards have had their food and cash benefits stolen from their accounts. Today, the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) is launching a simple, seamless and swift process for reimbursing stolen benefits and making people whole.

We need your help to spread the word. Feel free to share the attached flyer (in Spanish), share the Facebook post from Washington County Department of Social Services on your own page, or share the following process with someone to submit a claim for reimbursement:

1. Click the link to view the EBT Fraud Claim Attestation Form
2. Complete the form
3. Type name on the signature line of the form and click the submit button

Benefits will be reimbursed in 15 business days or sooner. Please be mindful of the following deadlines for filing a new claim:

Benefits Were Stolen	Last Day To File A Claim
Oct. 1, 2022 – Feb. 28, 2023	May 31, 2023
On or after March 1, 2023	45 days from the date benefits were discovered stolen

For help filing a claim, please visit Washington County Department of Social Services. For questions about Maryland’s reimbursement process, or to check the status of a pending claim, please call the DHS EBT Reimbursement Hotline at 1-833-330-7328. You can also visit the DHS Website to view frequently asked questions.

Thank you for helping us get the word out that help is here.

Girls Inc. is  hosting a Spring giveaway!  They received some items, and they are excited to be able to pass these wonderful contributions to our Churches, and Non-Profit for FREE!

Please review the following guidelines and expectations.

• Pick-up location: 1000 Florida Ave., door 13 suite E. (Head into the parking lot; head to the back where you will see us on the left!)
• Pick-up date and time:
  • Friday, March 31^st 9:00-5:00

Important Information:

• Girls Inc. and Warehouse are not responsible for accidents while inside or on the premises of the shopping area.
• Items are on a first come, first serve basis.

• ALL the items are very heavy; you MUST bring manpower to help you load.
• Be sure to have a vehicle large enough to transport. You must take home what you select during your time. We will NOT hold any items.
• ALL ITEMS ARE “AS IS” and cannot be returned or exchanged – to a store or to us.
• Items CANNOT be sold to others for a profit.
• Items CANNOT be returned to the store for a refund. Items have been logged in at the store as a donation and CANNOT be returned. Trying to return an item will jeopardize future donations to our organization and you will also be excluded from any other benefits through this program.

 Items Available:

• Treadmills
• Desk- Standing, L-Shaped, gaming desk, computer desks.
• Canopy’s
• Lawn mower/lawn and garden items
• Kitchen corner/regular Hutch- all sizes

The purpose of the sexton is to maintain the buildings and grounds of Grace United Methodist Church.  A successful applicant will ensure all properties associated with Grace UMC are:

• clean and orderly;
• perform basic preventative maintenance and repairs;
• set up church/rooms for use as needed
• inform pastor/church administrator of dangers/concerns about the condition and maintenance of buildings and grounds;
• maintain a 30-day supply of regularly used cleaning and maintenance supplies.
  • Provide an inventory list of needed supplies to the church administrator so they may be ordered.

Grace United Methodist Church
712 West Church Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
240-347-2345 (church office)

Download the full job description here

20 hours per week, $13.50 to $16.50 per hour, 3 weeks’ vacation.

1. Be a presence in the church Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. Flexible times possible.
2. Answer phones, collect mail, monitor/forward email, post items to Facebook, post items to the webpage. send announcements via email.
3. Use PowerPoint, Word, Publisher, and Paint to assemble weekly worship documents and a monthly newsletter.
4. Record weekly giving and membership changes to Shepherd’s Staff.  Generate yearly giving statements for member tax documentation.
5. Create vendor payment checks, prepare a monthly payroll, and generate financial reports using QuickBooks.
6. Use Excel to consolidate yearly financial information into proposed budget reports.
7. Record/forward requested information on secure websites for tax purposes, government data collection, and church synod auditing.

 

Send a resume with work references to: CELC 216 N. Cleveland Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21740.  Phone: 301-733-3482.   Email: christlutheran@gmail.com.

The 2023 Oscar results inspired me to watch the movies, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and Guillermo de Toro’s “Pinocchio”.  I found them to be a bit slow in parts, but I watched on to the end.  My heart found a similar God-at work message in each of these two extremely different creations:

• Choose life with its myriad, unexpected challenges.
• Embrace community in all of its complex diversity.
• Respond always with exuberant love and kindness.
• Be open to experience connection, peace, hope, and joy in each new day.

The movies gave us the symbol of a woman wearing a google eye on her forehead and a wooden boy.  I chose the lap robes, that I make for folks, as a symbol to remind me of these God empowering insights.  These blankets represent kindness, utility, and an energizing riot of color to me.  What symbol of God-at-work will you see and choose today?

Linda Sappington

Looking for volunteers to serve in your ministry? Or are you looking for volunteer opportunities for yourself and/or your group? JustServe is a website where volunteer needs meet volunteers. All nonprofits, houses of worship and faith-based organizations are welcome to use this service to post your volunteer needs – just contact Ashlee Harris to get started at jon2ash@gmail.com. Those searching for volunteer opportunities can simply search the database by city, state or zip code or even look for ways to volunteer by remote.

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is looking for a Director of Children Ministry to teach their children about God and the Bible.

For a full job description contact Dianna in the Church Office – diannaplotner@fcchagerstown.org or 301.733.0144

The Refugee Welcome Network (RWN) is currently working with six Afghan refugee families, most of which are seeking asylum due to fear for their lives in their home country.  Most were professionals in Afghanistan – medical professionals, seamstresses, a journalist – and one was involved in security with the national army.  They all faced many hardships coming to the United States, and had almost nothing left when they arrived.  Most are now in legal limbo, unable to support themselves or their children until they reach a certain point in their asylum case.

God has brought many people in the faith community and various organizations together to form a network to help.  Thank you to so many of you who have already donated goods and services, giving of your time, treasure and expertise!  The families still have many needs, but some current highlights are:

• Volunteers to provide transportation – contact Susan Strobl, 301-730-9654
• 4 car seats – contact Pam Bradford, pfbradford@myactv.net
• Financial assistance for housing, electric, water – donate through HARC and designate for refugees, or ask about needs for specific families
• Grocery gift cards
• Jobs – nothing is too small!

For more information, contact HARC at director@harccoalition.org or 301-842-4272.

Sleep In Heavenly Peace is in urgent need from the community for bedding donations as their supply is running low.

Website: https://shpbeds.org/chapter/md-hagerstown/