November 1, 2007

Dear Friends at First United Methodist Church:

The Ecumenical Center and International Residence (ECIR) is a campus ministry that provides welcome and hospitality in God’s Spirit for international students as they come to study in Ann Arbor from around the world. Fifty students live at any one time in our residence located at 921 Church Street – and our programs reach out to the more than 4,500 international students at the University of Michigan.

We sponsor many programs – including weekly Global Village Dinners, community service-learning opportunities, interfaith explorations, Dinners in U.S. Homes, alternative spring break trips to Honduras and to Mississippi ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

The Purpose of ECIR is to:

                                  Empower people to

                                              Create community and

                                                          Transform the world

We seek to be an intentional living-learning community where students from many religions, races, cultures and economic systems can discover deep bonds of understanding and friendship.

We are thankful for our vital partnership with the members of First United Methodist Church and also with Wesley Foundation Campus Ministry. Members of your congregation serve on our Board of Directors and on nearly every committee, and are actively involved with our students. You are making a difference throughout the year!

Please find, on the other side of this page, a list of some of the volunteer opportunities that are possible for you through ECIR. We look forward to joining hands in God’s service in the year ahead.

With hope for a world reconciled and at peace,

Rev. Roger N. Pohl, Director

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Volunteer Needs

Volunteers are needed in a variety of ways through the Ecumenical Center and International Residence:

HOSPITALITY

• Invite students for dinner in your home – October – December.
• Recruit households in your congregation or organization to host international students for dinner
• Provide short-term housing for international students who arrive in Ann Arbor before their apartment is available

DRIVERS     

• Take students grocery shopping on Saturday mornings
• Pick-up newly arriving international students at the airport and welcome them to our community and ECIR
• Drive for a community service experience and participate in that event with students – usually on Saturdays, half or full day

OFFICE

• Help with office work – answer phones, do filing, photocopying…
• Be on-call to help get special mailings such as Center Reports and Friends of the Center mailings ready to go to the post office
• Computer data entry
• Help develop, update, and maintain the ECIR database
• Assist with archiving

PROPERTY

• Work with other volunteers to renovate kitchens in the older part of our student residence
• Volunteer personally or organize a team in your congregation or organization to paint a student apartment
• On-going needs for persons with plumbing, heating, and electrical skills
• Assist with maintenance, spring cleaning, landscaping and gardening

PROGRAMS

• Prepare a meal for a Tuesday Global Village Dinner during exams and other times of special need
• Help with special events such as the International Welcome Picnic in September and the International Dinner in October.
• Serve on an ECIR committee – program, property, finance, communications, or the Board of Directors
• Help plan and accompany a student trip to Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, or a work camp trip (like with Habitat for Humanity)                                                                          

Prepared by: John Wiseman (wisemanj@umich.edu)
CONTACT ECIR: 734-662-5529, ecir@provide.net , www.ecir.org