Northeastern Jurisdiction UMVIM - UMCOR   Training Academy

You are invited to learn about excellence in how we serve those in crisis from natural or human disasters. Gather with others from around the Northeastern Jurisdiction and UMCOR staff and trainers to learn, share, and prepare so that the church in your region can be ready to respond when disaster and crisis come to those in your community. As people of faith, we recognize that relief and recovery require attention to the physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational needs of survivors and that we can point to God's healing presence and hope simply by being there when the storms of life have hit. 

This event is designed to provide an introduction to those who have not yet been involved in this type of mission service and to expand the skills and education of those who already have basic understanding and experience.  Community members, pastors, church leaders, Emergency Response teams, Disaster Response Coordinators, UM Volunteers in Mission Coordinators, and District Superintendents are invited to attend.

Sessions will include a look at UMCOR at 75 Years and Foundations of Disaster Ministry.  Participants will be asked to choose one Elective Track for the rest of their courses. The tentative schedule can be found underneath the 'Register Now' button below.

DISASTER MINISTRY TRACK ELECTIVES – CHOOSE ONE TRACK

1. EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL CARE TRACK (Wendy Vencuss, UMCOR)
This track will offer participants ways to be prepared to provide a “ministry of presence” for disaster
survivors, survivor caregivers, and congregations alike. Training includes how to appropriately offer spiritual and emotional care needs of individuals, communities and congregations following disasters, responses to those needs, strategies for disaster responders’ self-care and coping.  This will explain how Care Teams fit into the overall UM disaster response as well as focus on spiritual development of congregations, particularly in times of crisis.This track includes three sessions:
         a. Basic Care Team
         b. Care-for-the-Caregiver
         c. Congregational Care

2. READY CONGREGATIONS TRACK  Local churches have the best opportunity to help a community after disaster, but only if they have prepared to be resilient by insuring, planning and training in advance. Connecting Neighbors presents the tools needed to strengthen a church to be in disaster ministry. Class members will be able to present the material to audiences ranging from a small local church to a conference cabinet. Sessions
include:
          a. Connecting Neighbors (Christy Smith, UMCOR)
          b. Congregational Care (Wendy Vencuss, UMCOR)

3. EARLY RESPONSE TEAM (ERT) Train-the-Trainer TRACK(Barbara Tripp, UMCOR)  The Early Response Team trainer class supports leaders who will train within their Annual Conference and assist in building United Methodist volunteer disaster response teams. Those who attend should be willing and able to demonstrate and articulate ERT best practices to provide disaster ministry opportunities. Pre-requisites: Recommendation from your conference disaster response coordinator and current ERT badge. Please note you will begin with a 1:30pm Session on Wed.

4. VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE TRACK   All of us who are involved in Disaster Ministry are United Methodist Volunteers in Mission acting as servant leaders on behalf of Christ. Facilitated by experienced UMVIM leaders, this track is designed for those persons who desire to deepen their understanding and capabilities for volunteer leadership. Every team leader (ERT, Care Team, Recovery, etc.) is encouraged to take the team leader training course. As you take this course in team leadership, you will have opportunity to connect with and be in conversation with other Academy participants who have been involved in Disaster Ministry. Sessions include:

          a. VIM TEAM LEADER TRAINING
           b. MISSION JOURNEYS: Envisioning our mission trips as new mission journeys                                      

NEJ UMCOR-UMVIM Training Academy Schedule

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
1:00-5:00 Registration

1:30 – 4:30 DISASTER LEADERSHIP GROUP (Conference Disaster Response, VIM Coordinators)
1:30 – 4:30 ERT TRAIN-THE-TRAINER TRACK begins

5:30 Dinner
7:00 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
7:15 PLENARY- Greg Forrester / Nick Nicholas

THURSDAY, MARCH 19
7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Meditation
8:30 FOUNDATIONS FOR DISASTER MINISTRY
10:00 Break
10:30 FOUNDATIONS FOR DISASTER MINISTRY (continued)

12:00 Lunch

1:00 FOUNDATIONS FOR DISASTER MINISTRY (continued)
3:00 Break
3:30 TRACKS: SESSION 1
      1. Emotional & Spiritual Care: Care for the Caregiver
      2. Early Response Team:  Train-the-Trainer
      3. Connecting Neighbors: Local Church Disaster Readiness and Response Training
      4. Volunteer Leadership: Respecting culture in disaster ministry

5:00 Break
5:30 Dinner
7:00 Free Time, Networking (Note: ERT TTT group has homework this evening)

FRIDAY, MARCH 20

7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Meditation
8:30 TRACKS: SESSION 2
        1. Emotional & Spiritual Care:  Basic Care Team
        2. Early Response Team:  Train-the-Trainer                                                                                                         3. Connecting Neighbors: Local Church Disaster Readiness and Response Training
        4. Volunteer Leadership: VIM Team Leader Training

10:00 Break
10:30 TRACKS: SESSION 3
        1. Emotional & Spiritual Care:  Basic Care Team
        2. Early Response Team:  Train-the-Trainer
        3. Connecting Neighbors: Local Church Disaster Readiness and Response Training
        4. Volunteer Leadership: VIM Team Leader Training

12:00 Lunch

1:00 TRACKS: SESSION 4
        1. Emotional & Spiritual Care:  Basic Care Team
        2. Early Response Team:  Train-the-Trainer
        3. Connecting Neighbors: Local Church Disaster Readiness and Response Training
        4. Volunteer Leadership: VIM Team Leader Training

3:00 Break
3:30 TRACKS: SESSION 6
        1. Emotional & Spiritual Care:  Basic Care Team
        2. Early Response Team:  Train-the-Trainer
        3. Connecting Neighbors: Local Church Disaster Readiness and Response Training
        4. Volunteer Leadership: VIM Team Leader Training

5:00 Break
5:30 Dinner
7:00 Active Disaster Ministries Panel (NY, NJ, PEN-DEL, SUS, UNY, WV) Inter-Conference / Mutual Aid

SATURDAY, MARCH 21

7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Meditation

8:30 TRACKS: SESSION 7
         1. Emotional & Spiritual Care:  Congregational Care
         2. Early Response Team:  Train-the-Trainer
         3. Connecting Neighbors: Congregational Care
         4. Volunteer Leadership: Special Topics

10:00 Break
10:30 CLOSING
         Review and Evaluations
         Certificates
         Worship / Communion

12:00 Lunch