October 17, 2003: The United Methodist Council of Bishops has launched a churchwide appeal set for October 19 to replenish UMCOR funds, seriously depleted in the wake of a series of storms in the United States. Storms during the past 16 months have left UMCOR with low fund balances for response to future domestic disasters. Agency leaders are urging local churches to take an offering on that date or soon after.
A mailing requesting the special offering went to pastors in early October. It contains a letter from the Council of Bishops, a bulletin insert that local pastors can reproduce, and a series of vignettes that illustrate the scope of the need. These resources are also on UMCOR's web site at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/dd2003appeal.stm .
United Methodist Bishop William Hutchinson of Baton Rouge testified to the positive impact UMCOR has in his home state. Hurricanes Isidore and Lili struck Lousiana within days of each other in October 2002, destroying farmland and homes.
"Louisiana is still recovering," he said. "This is the one-year anniversary of Lili's coming ashore, and there is still a great deal of work and clean up that has to be done. UMCOR is there for the long term." Some experts say recovery will take from two to five years.
United Methodists who wish to donate may designate their gifts to "Churchwide Appeal for USA Domestic Disasters," UMCOR Advance #901670. This special offering will enable United Methodists, through UMCOR, to assist those most vulnerable through long-term case management and volunteer building and repair teams. You can assure this healing and hope with every gift of support to the special offering on October 19, or some other Sunday in October or November.
"The United Methodist Committee on Relief is a way in which our faith is put into concrete action," said Bishop Hutchinson. "It is a way in which our beliefs are transmitted to the general public, and it is a way to help people recover from things not necessarily of their own making."
Rains continue to pummel areas of south Texas, flooding homes already damaged by Hurricane Claudette last July. To assist with recovery, UMCOR has provided a grant and flood cleanup supplies to the Southwest Texas Annual Conference. Also, in the four-state area where Hurricane Isabel's storm surges and high winds became one of the worst storms in recent memory, volunteers have set up response centers. UMCOR grants went to North Carolina, Virginia, Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware annual conferences. You can help! If you can participate directly in cleanup efforts, call the UMCOR Volunteer Hotline, 1-800-918-3100. Your generous donation to Hurricanes 2003 Advance #982438 will extend your heart and hands to those who need help the most in all these areas devastated by flood and hurricane.
UMCOR provides emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR's ministries, please visit umcor.org. You can donate to any project by placing a contribution in the offering plate at a local United Methodist church; by sending a check to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068; or by calling 1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted. UMCOR is exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and qualifies for the maximum charitable contribution deduction by donors.
And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.
