Passing the baton
Key:
2 Conference office relocation
Supported by Apportionment dollars
4 Cards for migrants
Supported by Mission Links dollars
6 Native American witness
Learn more about Apportionment and Mission Links dollars at umcnic.org/apportionments and umcnic.org/misionlinks
United Methodists walk alongside Hurricane Ian survivors
Members of a volunteer team from the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church clean out a home in Fort Myers, Fla., that was flooded by Hurricane Ian. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.
In the first weeks following Hurricane Ian striking southwest Florida, pastors and church volunteers sprang into action to assess need and provide comfort. Ian brought 150-mph winds to Florida on Sept. 28, and there have so far been more than 110 stormrelated deaths in Florida alone, as well as fatalities in Cuba, North Carolina and Virginia. The storm also knocked out power to 2.6 million homes and businesses, with long-term recovery estimated in the tens of billions of dollars. It is the deadliest storm to hit Florida in almost 90 years. Florida Conference Bishop Kenneth H. Carter Jr. spent several days following the storm visiting pastors in areas that were hardest hit. “We were just there to listen and pray, to try to be a visible sign of the
connection,” he said. “It helps us to visually see how people are doing. Everyone we met was very exhausted, as are we.” The Rev. Debbie Allen, superintendent of the South West District, which includes Fort Myers, said that of the 75 churches and missions in the district, at least twothirds suffered some kind of damage. “I think the community here got hit harder in a lot of ways but the churches seem to have been more fortunate in terms of damage, so you see them already out there trying to engage and work with their communities to offer help and hope,” Allen said. “It’s what we do. We’re United Methodists; we take our faith and put it into action.” The Rev. Arlene Jackson, pastor of the Fort Myers Central campus of Grace United Methodist Church,
said that they held worship in the sanctuary the Sunday after Ian hit, even with limited electricity and no running water. Jackson reports they had a full house, sang hymns a cappella and celebrated Holy Communion together. Members of the 12-step recovery community, with whom the church has a strong partnership, brought grills to feed both the church and utility workers trying to restore power. A local DJ even brought a sound system to play music. Jackson’s home took on three feet of water and she said she’s basically lost all her worldly possessions, “but we’ve got each other, we’ve got God and our faith.” When asked how she juggles ministering to her congregants while dealing with her own loss, Jackson laughed out loud.
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2 From Your Bishop:
umcnic.org
Volume 168 | Issue 7
November 2022
DO NOT DELAY. DATED MATERIAL.
Reporter The
By Joey Butler*
How to Help Midwest Mission, located just outside Chatham, Ill., is working to provide disaster relief to those affected by Hurricane Ian and is in critical need of donations. “Our cleaning kit supplies have been depleted. After sending relief to 14 U.S. disasters this year, including the most recent flooding in Kentucky and St. Louis, we need help replenishing so we can get supplies to our partners who are ready to deploy the requested supplies,” said Executive Director Chantel Corrie. Three Ways to Help 1. Donate money so Midwest Mission can buy the supplies needed to fill the Cleaning Kits. Donate by texting “Donate” to 855-589-1314 or go to midwestmission.org/donate. 2. Collect supplies and bring them to Midwest Mission at 1001 Mission Dr. Pawnee, IL 62558. Or take supplies to a Permanent Collection Site near you listed at midwestmission.org/donate/permanent-collection-sites. 3. Buy supplies online and have them sent directly to Midwest Mission. Walmart and Dollar Days are good resources for volume and discounts. Find more information at midwestmission.org/hurricane-relief.
(continued on page 3, see From the Cover) The Reporter is published 10 times per year by NIC Communications. Postmaster: Send address changes to: 303 E. Wacker Dr., Suite 2020, Chicago, IL 60601