Friday Digest | Oct 04, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elias Torres cleans up flood damage from Hurricane Helene at Cedar Key (Fla.) United Methodist Church. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News. |
|
|
|
| Florida churches begin Helene recovery efforts |  | CEDAR KEY, Fla. (UM News) — United Methodists across the southeastern U.S. are responding in communities that were devastated by Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that left more than 200 people dead. UM News photographer Mike DuBose traveled with church leaders and relief workers in Florida, where the storm first made landfall, to document as they began assessing damage and planning relief efforts. | | | | |
|
|
|
|
Mary Allen looks through household items ruined by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene at her home in the Shore Acres neighborhood of St. Petersburg, Fla. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.
|
|
|
|
| Holston Conference
'Look what God can do' | | GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — An East Tennessee pastor says God guided her congregation to respond to the needs of families displaced by Hurricane Helene. The Rev. Sarah Varnell, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, says the church’s response started small and has grown into a community-wide effort. “Look what God can do,” she said. Lilla Marigza with UM News and Annette Spence with the Holston Conference have a video. | | | | |
|
|
|
| Western North Carolina Conference
Church houses families of first responders | | BOONE, N.C. — Boone United Methodist Church’s preschool is offering free emergency child care to any household affected by Helene. That includes first responders, health care workers and volunteers taking part in relief efforts. Meanwhile, members of Cullowhee United Methodist Church helped people in their community check in with loved ones after the storm. Ken Garfield and the Rev. Kelli Hitchman-Craig have the stories. | | | | |
|
|
|
|
| Time Magazine
United Methodist makes Time list | | DURHAM, N.C. — Caleb Parker, a General Conference lay delegate and member of Duke Memorial United Methodist Church in Durham, was included on the Time100 Next list for 2024. The list recognizes influential leaders who aren’t waiting to have an impact. Parker led the formation of General Conference’s first Queer Delegate Caucus, whose leadership contributed to overturning decades-old denominational bans on gay clergy and same-sex weddings. Helen Ryde has the tribute. | | | | |
|
|
|
| West Virginia Conference
Faith brings UM Men, Scouts together | | CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Two weeks before the West Virginia Conference United Methodist Men’s annual Circuit Rider event, Wayne Custer received some discouraging news: Only four men, four Scout leaders and 20 Scouts had registered. In 2023, 600 Scouts and 140 men had participated. Despite calls to cancel, Custer said he instead prayed and “constantly asked God for guidance.” Custer’s prayers were answered, as 70 adult Scout leaders and 140 Scouts registered in the following weeks. Audrey Stanton-Smith reports.
| | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Discipleship Ministries
Laity Sunday is approaching | | NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The third Sunday in October is set aside each year as Laity Sunday. It celebrates the ministry of all Christians as they love God and neighbor. United Methodist Discipleship Ministries offers a resource to help churches take part in a meaningful Laity Day.
| | | | |
|
|
|
|
| | | | Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, you can add it to the calendar by clicking here. |
|
|
|
Monday, Oct. 7-Wednesday, Oct. 9 | | |
| Friday, Oct. 18-Sunday, Oct. 20
| | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Missionary walks where Jesus walked, even in time of war | JERUSALEM (UM News) — Decades after serving as a mission intern in Jerusalem, the Rev. Jane Eesley returned to the Holy Land in 2023 as a United Methodist missionary. Within weeks of her arrival, the war between Israel and Hamas began. Eesley now helps amplify the voices of Palestinian Christians and also works to identify where grants from the United Methodist Committee on Relief could make a difference in the lives of people affected by the war. Paul Jeffrey reports.
| | |
|
|
|
|
United Methodists offer relief after Helene | BOONE, N.C. (UM News) — United Methodists in the southeastern U.S. are doing their best to raise morale and get organized after many communities there have been hard hit by flooding from Hurricane Helene. “It’s pretty devastating,” said Brian Mateer, disaster response coordinator for the Western North Carolina Conference. “What’s complicating matters is there’s no access in and out of some of these places, no roads.” Jim Patterson reports. | | |
|
|
|
|
Western North Carolina Conference
Conference helps neighbors recover from storm | HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — In a video message, Bishop Ken Carter of the Western North Carolina Conference talks about the response to Hurricane Helene. He said the conference is assembling cleaning buckets in collaboration with the United Methodist Committee on Relief and will be providing volunteer teams when the time is right. The conference also is planning a special offering on Oct. 6 to support churches and communities across the region. “We love our neighbor, and in a crisis, we reach out to them as a strong connection,” he said. | | |
|
|
|
|
Holston, Florida and South Georgia conferences
Long recovery begins in Southeast | ALCOA, Tenn. — In the mountainous Holston Conference, rescuers and survivors are beginning the long recovery following Helene’s catastrophic floods. The conference’s flood relief fund already has received more than $36,000 through an online giving link. Florida Conference Bishop Tom Berlin has a video of his visit to Cedar Key United Methodist Church, which is now recovering after multiple hurricanes. In Georgia, United Methodists have helped to clear roads and are organizing resources for the work ahead. | |
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment