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August 4, 1997
Methodists in Montserrat continue to struggle with property damage, homelessness and the economic fallout caused by destructive volcanic activity. They also have been affected by the loss of life from the June eruption and by the fact that others have left the Caribbean island, according to the Rev. Joan Desol Meade, pastor of several churches there.
So far, she said, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has sent two shipments of food and given a $10,000 grant to assist displaced farmers. Donations can be made to UMCOR Advance #982450-1, earmarked "Montserrat".
The volcano destroyed Bethel Methodist Church, "the largest and loveliest" of the nine churches, she told United Methodist News Service on Aug. 1. Also destroyed was the Bethel Manse, the old school used for Christian education programs, along with land earmarked for an agro-food processing project.
Homes in communities near Bethel church -- Bramble's Village, Bethel, Spanish Pointe, Farms, Trants and Lower Harris -- were completely destroyed, except at Spanish Point, Meade reported. Those communities also are inaccessible, so that whether or not homes were destroyed, members from Bethel and two other Methodist churches, Long Ground and Beulah, "are, correctly speaking, now homeless."
Bethel Church has 178 confirmed members and many adherents. Long Ground has a confirmed membership of 38 and Beulah has 72. Trinity Methodist Church in the capital of Plymouth has the largest membership at 317.
Only three churches, she said, currently are available for worship -- Salem, Cavalla Hill and Bethany.
Ten people are presumed buried underneath the volcanic ash in the village of Farms, which was served by Bethel. Although none of the missing were confirmed members, they were closely affiliated with the church, according to Meade.
The Methodists and Church of God had a memorial service for the 10, in addition to the island's national day of mourning on July 8 for all 19 people missing after the eruption. "It was a time of mourning, healing, thanksgiving, all in one," she said.
Since the volcanic alert, 52 Bethel members have left Montserrat to live abroad. "This is the largest exodus as it relates to the Methodist Church, but all congregations have been affected by the migration," Meade explained. "Some of our most active and committed leadership, especially in the 25 to 45 age group, have gone away."
Many will remain on the island, she added, "if an acceptable quality of life can be maintained."
To assist in that process, the church plans to construct a building for 53 people, with dormitory living on the ground floor and three two-bedroom apartments on the upper floor. "That may sound like a drop in the bucket but now every drop does count," Meade said. "Also, we have 10 families that have accessed land in the safe zone but cannot afford to finance the building."
During the past year, four work teams -- two from Wisconsin and one each from Pennsylvania and Ohio -- have helped the Methodist Church there by building a house for a displaced family; repairing an old chapel building that houses the children's KonoiniaKraft program, financed by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries' Women's Division; preparing accommodations for future work teams; and constructing a floor for a UMCOR-donated tent used for youth steel band rehearsal.
A larger UMCOR tent is used for worship services and three smaller ones for Christian Education.
Source: United Methodist News Service, official news agency of The United Methodist Church.