AB Women's Ministries of
Pennsylvania and Delaware
White Cross



2009-2010 Quotas
The White Cross year of 2008-2009 has come to a close (as of March 31). Local church White Cross reports for the year should now be in the hands of the Association White Cross Coordinators. The Association reports are due to me by April 30.

Chris Marziale sent an update on the status of Overseas White Cross as of January 31, and I included that update in my recent Communicator article.

2010-2011 Quotas
Our Region White Cross Quotas for 2010-2011 have arrived, and we have been asked to provide:


International Ministries (Overseas):
Congo:
4,000 roller bandages (3” x 5 yards) – note change
100 baby blankets (36” x 36”)
100 baby gowns (infant)
100 cotton squares (4” x 4”)

Philippines:
100 Sewing Kits ($4.00 each) – contributions only
50 Baby Layettes ($8.00 each) – contributions only

Myanmar: Purchase Plan Cash Request - $17,269.00

China: Purchase Plan Cash Request - $9,931.00

South Africa: Purchase Plan Cash Request - $4,000.00

Optional: Baby, Health and School Kits for Disaster ReliefWhite Cross Gifts of the Heart


National Ministries (Overland) – A variety of items for:
Baptist Children’s Services – King of Prussia, PA
Neighborhood Ministries – Youngstown, OH
Rankin Christian Center – Rankin, PA



After all Association reports have been received, I will assign quotas to the Associations for 2010-2011, and materials will be ready for pick-up at the Region Conference in June. Chris Marziale, the White Cross Coordinator for International Ministries, will once again share the latest information and answer questions during our White Cross Workshop at Conference.


Roller Bandages for Congo
We will once again have a White Cross “Bandage Rolling Room” at Bucknell in June. The room will be supervised during all three workshop sessions, so that women who have never rolled bandages before will be able to learn the “hows” and “whys” of this important White Cross labor of love. The room will also be open throughout the entire weekend so women can drop in during their free time to tear, sew, and roll bandages. Susie Kelleher of Brandywine Baptist Church (Riverside Assoc.) will supervise the room to make sure it is kept tidy and that needed supplies are always available.


White Cross Challenges
This has been a busy year for White Cross, including several “challenges”:
  • On Sunday, September 20 (2009), the Executive Board voted “to refuse the 2009-2010 White Cross quota for the Lake Avenue Baptist Church, Rochester, NY, due to their position of being a welcoming and affirming church, and we will also refuse any future quotas from ministries that affirm this lifestyle.” This motion carried with13 “yes” votes and one abstention.

  • National Ministries provided us with a replacement agency - Neighborhood Ministries in Youngstown, Ohio. At the Fall Board Meeting, I divided their request among the Associations who had been assigned the Lake Avenue church and sent the appropriate forms to those Association coordinators.

  • In December I was contacted by an Association White Cross Coordinator who declined the overland quota because it was for an agency too far away for them to hand-deliver the items and they couldn’t afford the cost of postage. After I reiterated that they could send a check or gift cards in lieu of the actual items, she said they didn’t want to send money or gift cards because they wanted to be sure the actual items requested were purchased. She said they had asked every year for an agency close enough to hand-deliver and many of the churches were tired of being ignored so were refusing the quota. In fact, they had already collected items for local organizations so they were not receptive to the suggestion of a different assignment. I spoke with Vicki Goff of National Ministries, and she assured me that the 2010-2011 quota would include an agency within easy driving distance of that Association, and she did follow through on this. Vicki was also trying to contact the Association Coordinator to discuss.

  • In January, Chris Marziale e-mailed an announcement that there was a great need for roller bandages in Haiti. I sent the information to Association White Cross Coordinators and had it posted on our Region ABW Ministries website. This was a limited-time project (ending on February 20th), and shortly after that date I posted the address for mailing the bandages. Judging from the number of e-mails and phone calls I received, a LOT of bandages were rolled and mailed for Haiti.


Elizabeth Arment
Coordinator of White Cross & World Relief
AB Women's Ministries of Pa & De
email: arment2@verizon.net



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American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware
106 Revere Lane, Coatesville, PA 19320