United Methodists pray for crash victims
By United Methodist News Service*
Feb. 13, 2009
United Methodists in the Buffalo, N.Y., area were among those mourning victims of the crash of Continental Flight 3407.
According to the Rev. Natalie Hanson, the denomination’s Niagara
Frontier District Superintendent, a church family at Pendleton Center
United Methodist Church in
North Tonawanda, N.Y., lost a loved one on the flight.
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Bishop Marcus Matthews
|
The plane was about seven miles from Buffalo Niagara International
Airport when it went down around 10:20 p.m. on Feb. 12, striking a
house in Clarence Center. All 49 people aboard were killed, along with
one person in the house.
Hanson requested prayer for the Pendleton church and its pastors as
they ministered to the family. She also asked for prayer to support the
Rev. Chuck Smith and the congregation at Clarence Center United
Methodist Church as they ministered to their community. Clarence Center
church is within a mile of the crash site.
Bishop Marcus Matthews of the New York West Area issued a statement
about the crash early on Feb. 13. “Our hearts are broken,” the
statement declared.
“To all those who lost loved ones on Continental Flight 3407 this past
Thursday evening and for the community of Clarence Center and for all
those who responded to the call for assistance following the disaster,
we the people called United Methodists, offer our prayers of support.
“We also lift in prayer the faith communities, including many of our
United Methodist pastors, who will be surrounding these families and
friends with love. We extend gratitude to those who will offer special
counseling for those persons in deep grief and shock.”
Matthews asked churches to observe a moment of silence on Sunday, Feb. 15, for those affected by the plane crash.
*Marilyn Kasperek, director of communications, for the United Methodist
Western New York Conference provided information for this report.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
Western New York Annual Conference
Pendleton Center United Methodist Church
Clarence Center United Methodist Church |
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