Photo: The leadership team at the recent North Central Jurisdiction United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) Round Up. Left to right—Ronda Courdill, Western Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator, Audrey Phelps, South Central Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator, Tammy Kuntz, incoming North Central Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator, Lorna Jost, North Central Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator, Tom Lank Northeastern Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator, Paulette West, Southeastern Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator and Jason Frazer, North Central Jurisdiction disaster response liaison. Photo courtesy of Lorna Jost.

Lorna Jost UMCVIM-NCJ coordinator is retiring after 13 years of service. At the NCJ Round Up recently held in Ohio, it was announced that Tammy Kuntz, East Ohio conference will be the new coordinator.

Each annual conference in the North Central Jurisdiction was represented at the jurisdiction’s United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) RoundUP held at Camp Asbury in Hiram, Ohio,  August 4-7.  Rick Jost, Brookings UMC and Julia Jones, Pierre First UMC, represented the Dakotas Conference.

“It has been rewarding to serve the North Central Jurisdiction,” said Jost. “I have been blessed to go so many places and by the work of so many volunteers.”

The journey for Jost began when another VIM coordinator approached her. “Beverly Nolte, Iowa Conference was serving as the North Central Jurisdiction, UMVIM coordinator at the time and encouraged me to apply for the position,“ said Jost. “I went to Chicago for the interview and was hired.”

Photo: The incoming, current and past UMVIM coordinators for the North Central Jurisdiction, (left to right) Tammy Kuntz, East Ohio Conference, incoming North Central Jurisdiction UMVIM coordinator; Lorna Jost, Dakotas Conference, current UMVIM-NCJ and Beverly Nolte, Iowa Conference, past UMVIM-NCJ. Photo courtesy of Lorna Jost.

Jost along with her husband Rick had been UMVIM coordinators for the Dakotas Conference for nine years. “We had been working on a lot of mission projects and trips encouraging others to volunteer and volunteering ourselves.”

The job of VIM coordinator is about connecting the people who want to volunteer to places where they want to volunteer. Jost works out of an office in Brookings, S.D.

“I spend a lot of time connecting people to places and people across the nation and internationally,” she said. “I help people be the hands and the feet of Christ.”

One of the highlights for Jost has been the work that has happened around disaster response. Disaster response has become an integral part of the UMVIM-NCJ work. The work and needs for disaster response has increased immensely. “We were able to hire another person, through some UMCOR funding, to work as the disaster response liason for the North Central Jurisdiction,” said Jost.

Hurricane Katrina was one of the first experiences she had with UMVIM volunteer management work. The catastrophic nature of the disaster required a network of linking people that wanted go serve on teams. UMVIM teams provided the needed connection and leadership.

Jost has been on quite a few mission trips and served as a team leader.  “As team leader, I encourage others to share in the joy of being in mission with our neighbors around the world,” she said. 

A trip to the Cambodia and one to Palestine left Jost with lasting impressions. “The young adults in Cambodia are working to rebuild. They have lost an entire generation of people,” said Jost. “It is inspiring to hear and see them in action.”

A trip to Palestine allowed Jost to see oppression first hand. “You quickly realize that not everything you hear in the news is true,” she said. “These people are becoming the first Christians in their community and country.”

Jost is preparing for her official retirement on January 1, 2017. “My task right now is to pass things on to my successor,” she states.  Additionally, Jost will retire from her position on the board of directors for the North Central Jurisdiction UMVIM.  Julia Jones will be the representative for Dakotas Conference. 

Visit UMVIM-NCJ to learn more about UMVIM opportunities in the North Central Jurisdiction.

October 12-15, 2016, Jost will hold a volunteer training at Storm Mountain Center. The training is for anyone who is interested in volunteering at mission site for two months or longer. Click here to learn more.

By Doreen Gosmire, Dakotas Conference communications

UMVIM-NCJ RoundUP from Dakotas UMC on Vimeo.