September 8, 2005

Hurricane Relief Update

ELKHART TRINITY UMC PROVIDES HOUSING FOR HURRICANE SURVIVORS

Thirty evacuees from the Louisiana are either in or on their way to Elkhart as guests of Trinity United Methodist Church. Pastor Mark Fenstermacher told e-HUM earlier today that a group of lay leaders met late last week, felt God calling them to respond and decided to charter a Cardinal Bus and take it south. They returned with 16 evacuees and, to our understanding, another 15 or so evacuees will arrive tomorrow by car. Housing arrangements were made today with the Goshen Housing Authority; the children were enrolled in Concord West Side Elementary School; and a local mobile-home company, which has just signed a contract with FEMA for at least 2,000 units, has promised to hire those who pass the drug test and police background check. According to this morning edition of Elkhart's The Truth, here is what the group has accomplished since in this past week:

• Four apartments in the same complex were secured for the 16 members of Augustine Russell's family, which is expected to move from a motel today or Friday.
• Housing will be arranged for another mother who came to Elkhart after her two daughters and their families arrived earlier this week.
• A family physician -- on his day off -- provided physical examinations to all of the Russell children.
• All school-aged children were enrolled in a school near their apartment.
• Plenty of clothing has been donated for every individual -- and toys for the children.
• Donations continued to cover meals at area restaurants.
• People from different churches and groups offered furniture to furnish apartments.

Fenstermacher realizes that there are challenges ahead and said the endeavor is "another example of the laity leading the parade up here, with the clergy doing their best to keep up." According to The Truth, Debbie Meyer, part of a Trinity United Methodist Church group that invited families and individuals on a return bus ride to Elkhart for housing, jobs and other opportunities, said, "We wanted to show them that people in Elkhart, Indiana, care about them -- that they're not forgotten. When I was hugging them, I felt like I was hugging them for all of our church, all of Elkhart and all of Indiana," Meyer added. "We can't feel their pain, but we can show them how much we care about them."

Read The Truth's story at www.etruth.com.

UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS RESPONDS WITH HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF

The United Methodist-related University of Indianapolis is responding to Hurricane Katrina in a number of ways:

• We will waive tuition charges for students from Gulf Coast schools and admit them as guest students for the fall semester. Displaced students should contact Vice President Mark Weigand (weigand@uindy.edu) by Monday morning, Sept. 12. The University's toll-free number is 800-232-8634.
• We will try to get new students into the residence halls, and also have faculty and staff willing to provide room and board for the semester.
• In keeping with the wishes of relief organizations, the University is encouraging students and employees to donate cash, not goods, to a special fund that will be split between the United Methodist Committee on Relief and to the American Red Cross, and has earmarked $5,000 to match contributions. With a United Way drive under way, employees also are being encouraged to consider increasing their pledges and designating the additional funds to disaster-serving agencies.
• The University is contributing employee time to the relief efforts, for individuals who are involved in an organization or agency that is providing disaster aid and would like to assist.
• Students are collecting money in the residence halls and have just begun a "foodless food drive" involving the One Card system in the dining hall. (Students swipe their cards and designate that meal money as a donation.) Central Hall residence is taking donations from now until Sept. 8 that will be directed to the American Red Cross. Two other residence halls, Warren and Cravens, have challenged each other in a loose change war to see which hall can raise the most money. Every Thursday night students in those halls will sell grilled cheese sandwiches, the proceeds going to disaster relief.

More information about the University of Indianapolis is available at www.uindy.edu. 

NEW ALBANY DISTRICT COLLECTION SITES

Pick ups will be Sept. 14 and 28

NORTH INDIANA CONFERENCE COLLECTION SITES

A North Indiana Conference-wide network of collection sites has been set up for churches and individuals to receive their hurricane relief supplies. These businesses and churches have opened their hearts and buildings to collect relief supplies. The North Indiana Conference will be sending a truck to these locations Thursday, Sept. 15 or Friday, Sept. 16 to pick up donations. This first pick-up should be primarily Health Kits, disposable baby diapers and new or clean, gently-used blankets. Other pick-up dates with a new list of requested items will made available at a later time.

CURRENT LIST OF DROP-OFF LOCATIONS

KIRBY RISK SUPPLY BRANCHES in

• Anderson 633 N. Broadway, Anderson, IN 46012 Hours 7-4:30 M-F
• Rensselaer 609 N. McKinley, Rensselaer, IN 47978 7-4 M-F
• South Bend 1904 N. Kenmore St, South Bend, IN 46628 7-5 M-F

Chesterton UMC, 434 S. 2nd. St., Chesterton, IN 46304 219-926-1478

Salem Chapel UMC, 2802 E ST Rd 4, Laporte, IN 46350 219-362-3300

Nappanee UMC, 301 E Market St., Nappanee, IN 46550 574-733-4183

Plymouth Trinity UMC, 425 S Michigan St., Plymouth, IN 46563 574-936-2519

Huntington Trinity UMC, 530 Guilford St., Huntington, IN 46750 260-356-0961

Kokomo St. Luke's UMC, 700 E Southway Blvd., Kokomo, IN 46902 765-453-0555

Ft. Wayne Sonrise UMC, 10125 Illinois Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46804 260-469-3700

Gas City First UMC, 213 E South A St., Gas City, IN 46933 765-674-3583

Yorktown UMC, 2301 S Broadway, Yorktown, IN 47396 765-759-7411

Kendallville Trinity UMC, 229 S State ST, Kendallville, IN 46755 260-343-0387

North Indiana Conference Disaster Relief Questions may be directed to:

Connie Payne, 765-985-2864, e-mail cfpayne@myvine.com

Charlie Jones, 765-643-9613

MISSISSIPPI BISHOP EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO THE CHURCH FOR ITS SUPPORT

Dear friends in the Council of Bishops,

Mike and I have been overwhelmed by the loving care extended by the Council of Bishops to the Mississippi Conference. Thank you for every contact and offer of assistance. You are a means of grace to the 180,000 United Methodist people in 1160 congregations here. We hope that this message will answer collectively many of the questions you have about the emerging response to the ongoing crisis in LA, AL, and MS.

We give thanks that we have now been in touch with all the clergy of the Mississippi Conference and report that we know of none who have been injured by the wind and water of Katrina. There has been loss of life in several of our destroyed churches where members and neighbors sought refuge from the wind and water. We are creating teams of clergy to surround each impacted pastor with support and care. Ministry continues in amazing ways and in surprising places.

RV's have been found and donated to house clergy who are displaced from their homes. We are grateful to those of you in close proximity who have acted quickly to help us meet this immediate need. As these temporary homes continue to arrive, there is great relief and thanksgiving.

The salaries of all clergy will be paid without interruption regardless of the devastation to the local church and the scattering of congregations. MS was the first conference to join PACT and our ministries are protected in the short range with coverage for initial expenses, including destroyed offices (computers, books, robes, etc) and ministry support, including salaries. We have established a conference advance for the needs of churches with scattered congregations and impacted clergy and damaged facilities. We anticipate great need for local church support, including clergy compensation, during the long-range time of recovery.

Communications infrastructure has been devastated by the storm and the use of the toll-free number at the Marion Edwards Recovery Center in NC has made possible the initial connections of gifts and needs.

You continue to offer help in a variety of wonderful ways. Please check www.mississippi-umc.org Web page so that you can inform others in regard to volunteers, donations, work teams and emerging needs. It is our hope to connect what is offered and what is needed as efficiently as possible.

A huge challenge is the care of internally displaced families in all our communities. Thank you for your offerings of shelter and long-term housing. Often families can be reunited if they have the resources to get to their destination. One Jackson congregation has organized a team of people to visit with those housed in the Coliseum here and to ask the simple question, "Do you have family and friends you seek to reach?" The answer is often yes, and the offer of transportation is the greatest gift we can give. The screening of families for relocation across the country is beyond our capacity and the capacity of FEMA and others at this time. We are keeping a record of each offer of hospitality you have extended. Pray with us for creative solutions to this pressing, urgent need. By some estimates, there are 500,000 internally displaced persons in MS (population: 3 million) who fled Louisiana before, during, and after Katrina.

I continue to be amazed at the patience and perseverance of the laity and clergy of the Mississippi Conference. These are times that try us -- days without electricity, cell service, land lines, water -- and yet there is overwhelming sense of the enormity of the disaster and the need for cooperation and helpfulness. Next door from our conference office, the fellowship hall of Galloway UMC has been transformed into a maternity ward and six families with newborns, including one family with twins, has been welcomed. Sharing abounds amid the suffering and light shines in darkness. On Sunday, a yellow butterfly fluttered over the bread and cup on a makeshift table by the ruins of one of our churches in Gulfport as we spoke the familiar words, Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. The best of all, God is with us.

With gratitude for the rich connection we share,

Hope Morgan Ward, Bishop of Mississippi

www.mississippi-umc.org/

SOUTH INDIANA CONFERENCE CENTER BECOMES COLLECTION SITE

The South Indiana Conference Center, 1520 S. Liberty Drive in Bloomington, has become a collection site for donations to assist 100 Hurricane Katrina evacuees coming to Bloomington next week. Churches are working with the Monroe County United Way in this resettlement project. The Conference Center and the Bloomington District Office is collecting these items: toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, plastic cups and silverware, paper plates, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, health kits, diapers, feminine products, shampoo, blankets and towels. Center hours are M-F 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m. The evacuees are being settled by community agencies. Churches are supporting these efforts with donations, such as those listed. Any questions about the collection need to be directed to Jessica Lindsey, Bloomington District administrative assistant, at 812-339-1445 or by e-mail at blumcsec2492@sbcglobal.net.

SOUTH INDIANA CONFERENCE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR HURRICANE RELIEF

The South Indiana Conference is collecting applications of volunteers able to go to Gulfport, Mississippi to work on hurricane relief projects. Teams are presently going for one week. Skills needed at Trinity UMC in Gulfport include: cooking, cleaning, light carpentry. Teams should expect primitive camping conditions. VIM organizers are hopeful that the Conference Circuit Rider Bus will be there to accommodate volunteers. Volunteers are asked to take enough money (preferably traveler's checks) to cover their needs for one week. To apply for one of these week-long missions, go to www.sicumc.org, download the Volunteer in Mission Trip Form, complete the form and mail or fax the form back to the conference office. Mail forms to South Indiana Conference, P. O. Box 2267, Bloomington, IN 47402 or fax to 812-336-0216.

For daily updates of what is happening in the South with relief efforts, log on to www.umcor.org.

For continuous news stories about relief efforts, log on to www.umns.org.

Compiled by
Dan Gangler, director of communication
Indiana Area of The United Methodist Church

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