Indiana United Methodists respond to floods
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A house in Johnson County, Ind., is underwater due to
flooding that has affected 21 counties in southern and central areas. A
UMNS photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
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A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom*
June 11, 2008
United Methodists in Indiana have mobilized to deal with flooding in the central and southern parts of the state.
President George W. Bush signed a disaster declaration on June 8 for the
state of Indiana, which allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency
to coordinate federal assistance to the affected 21 counties.
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Businesses and homes in New Hartford, Iowa, were evacuated
after Beaver Creek left its banks on June 9. A UMNS photo by Greg
Henshall, FEMA.
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Meanwhile, the United Methodist Committee on Relief is allocating a
$10,000 emergency grant to the denomination’s Indiana Area at the
request of Bishop Michael Coyner.
Storms and the subsequent flooding also have plagued other Midwest
states. In Iowa, where more than 40 counties already had been declared
disaster areas, sandbags piled by thousands of volunteers held back the
Cedar River in Cedar Falls early on June 11.
In Wisconsin, officials were monitoring dams that were threatening to
give way because of high water from days of storms. Lake Delton, a
manmade lake, emptied out into the nearby Wisconsin River, and
television newscasts repeatedly showed a video of a home there being
swept away.
In Indiana, the church's South Indiana Annual (regional) Conference was
to begin June 11 assessing some of the flooded areas, according to Bob
Babcock, the conference's disaster response coordinator.
"We haven’t had any churches that have had flooding," he told United
Methodist News Service on June 10. "But we’ve had numerous churches who
have called in wanting to help."
The South Indiana Annual Conference met June 5-7 at Indiana University
in Bloomington, and a number of attendees could not immediately return
to Indianapolis or other northern destinations because of flooding on
the afternoon of June 7. The conference was in session when Indiana Gov.
Mitch Daniels landed on the lawn of the South Indiana Conference Center
in Bloomington to view flood damage in the area.
Up to 10 inches of rain fell that day and started "the worst flooding
that we’ve seen," said Babcock, a retired general contractor who worked
with UMCOR in Bosnia in 1993.
Terre Haute and Columbus were among the worst-hit cities. Through the
Midwest Mission Distribution Center, which works with the UMCOR Depot in
Baldwin, La., the South Indiana conference received 500 flood buckets
in Terre Haute on June 10 and 100 flood buckets in Columbus. The North
Indiana Conference also sent 80 flood buckets left over from January
flooding there, which went to the Red Cross, according to Babcock.
Expansive needs
Only about 5 percent of the residents with flood damage had flood
insurance, Babcock said. He anticipates the state will need the help of
FEMA, UMCOR, the Red Cross and others to rebuild.
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Volunteers and residents fill sandbags June 8 to protect
their Iowa City homes from the rising Iowa River. A UMNS photo
by Greg Henshall, FEMA.
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Asbury United Methodist Church in Columbus was assisting residents
there by serving as a clothing site, emergency responder post and
collection site. "We have many groups mobilized in helping Columbus
residents with the devastation of their homes," reported the Rev. Al
Stryon, senior pastor. "We will continue with our efforts as long as
there are needs."
In Terre Haute, members of Centenary United Methodist Church checked on
the residents of Bethesda Gardens, a local retirement/nursing home which
was flooded and evacuated on the city's south side. Members also
assisted at Terre Haute North High School, where evacuated residents
were first taken.
Other congregations have offered their facilities to churches with
flooded buildings and have been assisting the Red Cross efforts.
Volunteers from Spencer (Ind.) United Methodist Church worked closely
with the Red Cross center at the elementary school, and members of First
United Methodist Church in Mooresville helped with the Red Cross
response in Martinsville.
Donations for UMCOR’s relief efforts in the Midwest can be made to
Domestic Disaster Response, UMCOR Advance #901670. Checks can be dropped
in church offering plates or mailed directly to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068,
New York, NY 10087. Write the Advance number and name on the memo line
of the check. Credit card donations can be made by calling (800)
554-8583 or online at www.givetomission.org.
*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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