A Letter from Bishop John Schol, Bishop of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church, on the Devastation of Hurricane Katrina
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I grieve
and I am concerned over the recent destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Like
you, I am absorbed by the reports, the pictures and the stories. The stories
of families that have lost loved ones, children that have lost their homes,
schools and playgrounds, and those that are searching – searching
for family, searching for meaning, searching for how they will go forward.
As a disciple, I invite all of you that are participants in the discipleship
adventure to do three things during the next two Sundays and during other
times the church gathers.
1 Pray – pray for the children,
pray for those that have lost loved ones, pray for those that are homeless,
pray for those that have lost their livelihood, pray for the national,
state, and local leaders that have the challenge of helping to rebuild
lives and communities, and pray that the church will be a visible and
present witness to the love and compassion of Christ. One of our disciples
from the Baltimore Washington Conference shared with me that she encountered
a group of utility workers from New York on their way to Louisiana and
Mississippi to assist in emergency repairs. She asked if it would be alright
to pray with them. They welcomed her to pray for the people who are devastated
by the tragedy and for them as they go to share their talents with those
in need. Let prayer be one part of our witness to a world facing challenges
greater than they can handle.
2 Reflect – Help people to reflect upon their questions, fears and hopes. Welcome people to question why we encounter tragedy. Invite people to raise their fear of how do I live in uncertain times. Encourage people to bear witness of how God has sustained them in the midst of tragedy. Walk with people in the midst of their concerns. One place to find worship resources after a hurricane is on the General Board of Discipleship web page - www.gbod.org/worship/. You can also find information about the United Methodist Church’s response on the official UMC web page – www.umc.org. Our own www.bwcumc.org will also carry information as well.
3 Give – This is an opportunity for disciples to show they care. We are blessed as a church to have the United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR). UMCOR is one of the premier relief agencies in the world and it is because United Methodists are generous in their giving. 100% of what an individual in your congregation gives through UMCOR will go directly to the relief efforts. I know of no other relief organization that has this policy. I invite your congregation to take special offerings for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. To donate online, visit http://methodistrelief.org. Besides the Web site, donations to UMCOR's relief efforts can be made through your congregation. Designate checks to UMCOR for Advance No. 982523 and write "Hurricanes 2005 Global" on it. Send them to: Conference Treasurer, 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite D, Columbia, MD 21046. Credit-card donations may be made by calling (800) 554-8583.
People will also have the opportunity to give of their time through VIM
Teams (Volunteers In Mission) but at this point, it is too soon for VIM
Teams to go. Through our web page and The Connection, we will make this
information available.
These are days filled with pain and challenge but we do not have to idly
stand by. As disciples, we can pray, reflect and give. Thank you for your
leadership and participation in the Discipleship Adventure. Together we
can make the difference.
Keep the faith!
Your brother and bishop, John