United Methodists offer prayers, assistance in Kansas
An aerial view shows how the May 4 tornado devastated the church building of Greensburg (Kan.) United Methodist Church.
Photo by Jaime Oppenheimer, courtesy of The Wichita Eagle.
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A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom*
May 10, 2007
As President Bush surveyed tornado damage in Greensburg, Kan., on May
9, United Methodists responded to the storms across Kansas with prayers
and humanitarian aid.
Bishop Scott J. Jones, who visited the town the day before Bush,
expressed sadness and offered prayers for those affected by the weekend
tornados or flooding associated with the storms.
United Methodist pastors were helping plan a community-wide
ecumenical service set for May 13 in Greensburg, which lies about 108
miles west of Wichita.
The town of 1,400 people was basically destroyed by a May 4 twister.
All residents now have been accounted for, according to local fire
officials. The overall death toll across Kansas stands at 12.
Alexander Giles, a member of Byers (Kan.) United Methodist Church,
was among the dead and was remembered during a funeral service May 9.
Giles, 84, and his wife, Bunny, 82, had taken refuge in the basement of
their rural Hopewell home, which was destroyed. Mrs. Giles, who was
hospitalized, told The Wichita Eagle she heard him call her name
three times and then fall silent as two fallen trees trapped them in the
basement. They would have celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary on
May 16.
"A Christian's response to natural disaster is to focus on the love
of God from which nothing can separate us. We live by hope and faith in
God," Jones said in a statement. "It's our calling in times like these
to bear witness to that hope in word and deed. Toward that end, we are
already at work in these communities to be bearers of God's love in
times of trouble.
"We are grateful for the outpouring of prayers and financial support
from our United Methodist sisters and brothers around the country," he
added. "Our connectional church allows for God to work quickly and
effectively to accomplish God's mission through us."
The Texas Annual Conference responded with a $50,000 check for disaster relief to be used at the bishop's discretion.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief, working in cooperation with
the denomination’s Kansas East and Kansas West annual conferences, will
provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the storms.
A storm recovery center will be established at the United Methodist Church in Haviland.
Many storm victims are staying with relatives or at shelters in Haviland and Mullinsville.
"A Christian's response to natural disaster
is to focus on the love of God from which nothing can separate us. We
live by hope and faith in God."
–Bishop Scott J. Jones
Greenburg itself has been closed to outsiders, but the denomination
plans to provide volunteer teams for cleanup in the town and to serve
meals through a "hot foods" trailer.
The United Methodist Church in Greensburg, which was insured, was
destroyed May 4, and the United Methodist Church in Truesdale was
heavily damaged by a tornado on May 5. The conference has since received
word that the Truesdale building is structurally unsound.
Other communities affected by the weekend tornados include Maxwell,
St. John, Ellinwood, Stafford, Bennington, Longford, Mizpah and Osborne.
When a tornado struck the Liberal, Kan., area four years ago,
Greensburg was one of two United Methodist churches that sent volunteer
teams to the area, according to the Rev. Ken Hathaway, pastor of the
Liberal First United Methodist Church.
"They sent two teams that came and re-roofed a home, repainted
houses, repaired houses and helped in many ways," he explained. "They
not only supplied labor but brought equipment and supplies as well. They
were a god-send to us, and we were so thankful.
"I want to let others know of the generous spirit that the people of
Greensburg have," Hathway said. "This is our opportunity to give back to
them."
Volunteers will be needed for the recovery effort. A temporary
volunteer coordination office has been set up in Wichita. Contact Bev
Weber at (800) 745-2350 or bweber@kswestumc.org.
To contribute financially, drop checks in local United Methodist
church offering plates with "UMCOR Advance #901680, Midwest Tornado
Emergencies, Greensburg" written in the memo line or made payable to
UMCOR and sent to UMCOR at P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068.
Contributions also may be made online at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/work/emergencies/ or by calling (800) 554-8583.
*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New
York. Lisa Elliott Diehl, director of communications for the Kansas
Area, contributed to this report.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
United Methodist Committee on Relief
Kansas West Conference
First United Methodist Church of Greensburg, Kan. |