The deadline is Nov. 12 for packed flood buckets to be delivered to the United Methodist Ministry Center, in Oklahoma City, for the next shipment coordinated by Volunteers In Mission.

A number of churches are conducting flood-bucket drives to help restock the UMCOR Sager Brown depot in Louisiana.

Sager Brown Depot and other distribution centers within the United Methodist connection collect, package, and ship the buckets to people in flooded areas all over the United States. These 5-gallon buckets are filled with clean-up supplies.

After shipping thousands of the resources in response to flooding caused by 2008 hurricanes, Sager Brown Depot reported its supplies were almost depleted.

"Your help ensures this kind of support continues to be readily available," said Richard Norman, VIM coordinator of disaster response and national missions.

Find online information on flood buckets at: www.okumcministries.org/vim/Disaster_Response_Donations.htm.

Manos Juntas Mexico has officially become Advance Project No. 3020527.

That denominational status qualifies the ministry, founded by Oklahomans, to receive funding through the General Board of Global Ministries. The Advance is an accountable, designated-giving arm of the Church that ensures 100 percent of each gift reaches the intended recipient.

For more than a decade, Manos Juntas Mexico has been serving the people of Rio Bravo, Mexico, and surrounding areas. The ministry provides basic health care and housing. It is supported through Oklahoma Conference Volunteers In Mission. Regularly, VIM teams from Oklahoma churches deploy there to build casitas, lead Vacation Bible School, and do other outreach.

Oklahoma native Marsha Alexander is director of Manos Juntas Mexico. She reported the Advance selection, which is for the 2009-2012 quadrennium.

She noted there are several ways to donate through the Advance. For example, checks to your local church can be designated with the Advance number. Online donations can be made by clicking the link at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/advance/. 

For more information about the ministry, contact Shannon Lemmons, VIM coordinator of international missions, 405-530-2031.

The name is changing—by one letter—for Oklahoma Conference’s disaster response teams. The former DERT (Disaster Early Response Team) designation is now ERT (Early Response Team), as announced by Richard Norman, VIM coordinator of disaster response and domestic missions.

Rev. Norman explained the reason for the change: "We are in relationship with many organizations, and it is extremely important that we all talk the same language in order to communicate effectively. This is the terminology now used nationally by disaster response organizations. This small change will help us as we respond to disasters around the country."

For more information, contact him, 405-530-2032, Rnorman@okumc.org.