United Methodist Church sends messages of hope to nation
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose
Coden (Ala.) United Methodist Church�s sanctuary was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
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| Drying
mud cracks in the parking lot at Coden (Ala.) United Methodist Church
following Hurricane Katrina. The church�s sanctuary was destroyed by the
storm. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo #05-H014. Accompanies UMNS
#484. 9/2/05 |
Sept. 2, 2005 By Deborah White*
Millions
of Americans will see messages of hope from the United Methodist Church
as they watch the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on Cable News Network
over Labor Day Weekend. The messages will appear in the corner of the TV
screen for five or 10 seconds.
The wording is simple: "Support hurricane relief efforts at www.MethodistRelief.org. The People of the United Methodist Church." The messages will begin airing as early as Saturday.
CNN
is making the spots available as part of the denomination’s national
advertising and welcoming campaign that invites people to join in a
journey of faith. The theme is "Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors." A
new commercial called "The Journey" began airing Aug. 29 on 18 cable
networks and will continue through Sept. 18. To view "The Journey," see http://www.umc.org.
United
Methodist Communications is also developing a USA Today ad expected to
run Sept. 7 with the theme "Be the Hope." Part of the ad will say, "At
this time of great loss, let us commit to a hopeful, compassionate
community, now and for the long-term future. Give through whatever means
you choose. Volunteer. Be the hope."
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The Rev. Larry Hollon |
"It’s important for us as a church to say to the people of the Gulf
Coast that we are concerned, and that we are praying with them and will
be with them through the entire long recovery process," said the Rev.
Larry Hollon, chief executive at United Methodist Communications."We
as a church can send a message to the whole of the United States, if
not to the world, at times like these that community is important, that
we need each other, that sharing with each other is a healing process.
It restores the brokenness," Hollon said.
United
Methodists will gain another avenue for raising money for hurricane
relief with the launch soon of a new online giving feature called
"Friends Asking Friends," as a part of www.UMC.org, the denominational
Web site. It is an initiative of the United Methodist Committee on
Relief and United Methodist Communications.
"Friends
Asking Friends" allows organizations and individuals to create their
own hurricane relief fund-raising Web pages and to invite others to give
online. For example, local churches can choose photos from United
Methodist News Service’s photo gallery (on the News section
of www.umc.org) and write their own words for the page. They can then
e-mail church members and friends, asking them to visit these new Web
pages and donate online. All of the money donated will go directly to
UMCOR.
"You’re saying to the people
you know, ‘This is something I really believe in,’" said Matt Carlisle,
executive producer of UMC.org.
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose
A waterlogged hymnal lies on the mud-soaked carpet at Coden (Ala.) United Methodist Church following Hurricane Katrina.
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| A
waterlogged hymnal lies on the mud-soaked carpet at Coden (Ala.) United
Methodist Church following Hurricane Katrina. The church�s sanctuary
was destroyed by the storm. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo #05-H006.
Accompanies UMNS #484. 9/2/05 |
One of the key things that happens in emergencies such as this is the
use of the Internet, and the distribution of information through the
Internet has been unprecedented with this particular disaster," Hollon
said. This new online giving feature makes it "possible for me as a
friend to send you a bit of information about the United Methodist
Committee on Relief response and encourage you to contribute. You can
then pass that on, so that a network of giving and sharing of
information is possible."A Web page for posting prayers and laments in
the wake of Hurricane Katrina is the newest of a growing array of
prayer and devotional resources. The joint venture of the United
Methodist Board of Discipleship and United Methodist Communications can
be accessed at "Lord, Hear Our Prayers".
Worship
materials related to the hurricane, including prayers, litanies and
hymns, are available from the Board of Discipleship at www.gbod.org/worship.
Look for "Worship Resources for Times of Crisis" and "When the Wind
Blows: Worship Resources for Use after Hurricanes or Other Natural
Disasters."
Susan Hay, director of ministries with youth at the
Board of Discipleship, encourages youth workers to use the resources
this weekend. "This might provide an opportunity for the youth of your
church to invite the church family to join you in a worship or prayer
service for those affected by this devastating hurricane," she said.
Other worship and prayer resources include:
Upper Room Living Prayer Center: www.upperrom.org/prayer_center or 1-800-251-2468. Prayers can be submitted in both English and Spanish.
"Words of Comfort" from the Upper Room: www.upperroom.org/comfort.
Prayers for emergency workers and caregivers from the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry: www.gbhem.org/hurricaneresponse.html
*White is associate editor of Interpreter magazine and Interpreter OnLine.
News media contact: Kathy Noble, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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