Volunteers in Mission assist Aulne UMC
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Aulne United Methodist Church is undergoing major expansion and renovation.
Besides the addition of a new fellowship hall, the entire church basement has been gutted to make room for Sunday school classrooms.
The renovation of the basement is being done by a team called Volunteers in Mission, organized by the Kansas West Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The group is installing four classrooms and a storage area and renovating the basement bathroom. They began work April 30 and will be on-site for three weeks.
Most of the workers are retired people who have camped out at the church in their RVs. Others drive in and volunteer as their time allows. They come from all over the western half of the state.
According to Marlin Brown, Wichita, coordinator of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM), from 12 to 25 volunteers have been on hand each day so far.
The six women among them have been painting at Florence UMC and the Florence parsonage. Their main task at Aulne will be to paint the sheetrocked walls.
Because the basement kitchen was gutted, the women of the church can't provide meals for the workers, but they provide refreshments.
The 70-year-old Brown said he has selected 12 projects to be completed in 2007. He likes to take crews where the need is greatest. A list of projects is provided by the General Board of Global Ministries.
Brown draws from a database of 80-100 volunteers and spends 50 hours a week organizing teams. They go all over the United States, working mainly in small, rural churches, church camps, and residences of needy people. They also provide money to assist with the cost of materials.
Some projects require volunteers with expertise in plumbing, electricity, and other specialties.
"We try to make a difference somewhere," Brown said. "We're Jesus' hands and feet."
Brown likes to recruit people with RVs because they don't need places to stay and eat while on a project, making organizing a lot easier. Volunteers come from all walks of life. Some are from other denominations, and some come from other states.
Don and Betty Fruechting of Marion have been members of Volunteers in Mission for several years. So far this year, they have participated in projects in Texas, South Dakota, South Carolina, and Mississippi (after Hurricane Katrina).
Don said after he married Betty, he realized they both had the same ambitions and wanted to be of service. They enjoy meeting and working with people.
"This group can't be beat," he said. "After half a day together, we're like family. The work gives us a lot of satisfaction."
Brown has led UMVIM since 2000 and said he enjoys his work, even though it is demanding.
"I've never been so happy. It's a calling. We're meant to be here."
He always is looking for recruits and envisions having 30 or 40 teams in a couple of years. People wanting to become a part of Volunteers in Mission may contact him at (316) 393-6591 or online at browniem@sbcglobal.net.
