"God is our refuge and strength, a help always near in times of great trouble. That’s why we won’t be afraid when the world falls apart"
Psalm 46:1-2a
Today, I'm grateful for the worldwide disaster response of The United Methodist Church.
In February, layperson Suzanne Parker while speaking at St Luke's United Methodist Church, reminded us that we had United Methodists at work on the disaster relief across the world recovering from earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is a proven network of global disaster relief. Even where we don't have United Methodist churches, we have ecumenical partnerships that we work with to offer recovery.
On Friday, tornados devastated communities in Mississippi and Alabama taking the lives of over two dozen people. Mississippi's governor communicated this to the world:
At least twenty three Mississippians were killed by last night’s violent tornados. We know that many more are injured. Search and rescue teams are still active.
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 25, 2023
The loss will be felt in these towns forever. Please pray for God’s hand to be over all who lost family and friends.
UMCOR is already responding. They have a way to contribute (you could have done so on Sunday morning at your local UMC - you can always earmark UMCOR or "disaster relief" on your check even when it isn't mentioned). They are looking to mobilize for long-term recovery efforts using our connections.
When I was the pastor at Piedmont, we were on the receiving end of United Methodist disaster response. While I was on the front-lines, I never felt as if I were in this alone. I knew the Oklahoma Conference was behind me as well as countless United Methodists across the world.
This is one of the best things we do. It is also important to offer a theology that clearly states, "God did not do this to you because of something you have done." Jesus reminds us in Luke 13 that people crushed by a falling tower were no more guilty than any of us.
As we continue through Lent, one thing you might organize for your local church is to pack cleaning buckets. These are utilized for natural disasters and offer God's love to people who are feeling lost. It is powerful to offer this gift for someone you'll never meet. In a way, this is what we do by putting money in the offering plate each Sunday. God surely uses the power of the connection in ways we'll never see.
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| When we are on site, we offer what we can for strength. When we can't be there, we have other ways to show we care. |
Picture taken by Holly McCray. Used by permission.
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