
Bishop calls for donations of funds, storm kits
By Maidstone Mulenga
The United Methodist Church Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Marcus
Matthews is appealing to members and churches in the area to support the relief
effort in the wake of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene.
In a letter to the more than 182,000 members of 937 United Methodist churches
under his supervision, Bishop Matthews urged the Christians to render help to
their neighbors who were affected by the storm.
The rains came down and the floods came up. The house of our Lord stands
firm. As the waters recede, our neighbors need our help. Many homes have been
destroyed and will need to be rebuilt; others will need repair, he wrote in the
letter dated Aug. 30.
He said the greatest need is for funds for immediate relief and long-term
recovery. Cash is the most flexible in use, most easily transportable donation.
It can be stored at no cost and does not spoil.
Donations can be sent to UNY Conference Center, (324 University Ave.,
Syracuse, NY 13210) designating your gift to fund #4200 (Upper
New York Conference Hurricane Recovery). The focus will be helping our
churches, communities and individuals after other resources are exhausted.
Please remember that 100 percent of all gifts through our United Methodist
Church are available for recovery work, Bishop Matthews wrote.
Additional cash donations can be sent to UMCOR for
wider area needs. Designate
US Disaster Response #901670 on your check and send them through our
Conference office. UMCOR contributions can also be made online.
Bishop Matthews and Conference Disaster Response Coordinator Carl Chamberlain
are also urging local churches to consider hosting flood relief fundraisers,
receiving special offerings or tithing a portion of an existing event.
Bishop Matthews also called on churches to contribute toward Cleaning
Buckets and Health Kits (formerly known as Flood Buckets). Chamberlain
has requested a tractor-trailer load of Health Kits for immediate distribution
through a partnership with The Salvation Army. We have assurance that the need
is far beyond our supplies on hand, he said.
Churches have been asked to begin collecting the supplies and assembling
Cleaning Buckets and Health Kits for collection next week.
In regard to volunteers, there are
few communities ready to receive teams at this early stage. Those wishing to
volunteer are asked to contact Greg Forrester, NEJ UMVIM coordinator, if you
have a team ready to deploy. He will know those areas ready for volunteers or
can help schedule work teams in the months ahead. Current UM-VIM Early Response
Teams (ERTs) should contact Forrester for assignments. His office number is
(607) 756-7799 or e-mail him at
umvimnejs"0" sizset="29">Meanwhile, district superintendents are assessing
any damage to church properties across our Conference. If your church or
parsonage has sustained damage, you are asked to notify your DS and contact the
Conference insurance carrier, Walsh-Duffield, immediately. Contact information
is on our Conference web page (www.unyumc.org).
You may also contact our Walsh-Duffield agent Charmaine Derenda directly at
(716) 362-7336 or via e-mail at
cdrenda@walshins.com.
Keep in prayer our neighbors whose lives are disrupted by Hurricane Irene
and the associated flooding. Also remember the men and women who are serving
others in need. Join us in prayer and service that we may all be safe in the
hands of our Lord, Bishop Matthews said.
|
Events for Week
Oct. 31, 2011
ATTENTION:
WORK TEAMS ARE LEAVING ABOUT ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS TO HELP WITH FLOOD
RELIEF. CALL 782-3033 FOR DETAILS ON THE NEXT TEAM.
-------------------------
AA Meets:
Monday-Friday Noon
until 1pm
Fridays 8-9:00pm
Gamblers Anonymous
& Gam-Anon Meets:
Wednesday at 6:30PM
ZUMBA
Meets:
Mon.,Tues, Fri 6-7:00pm
Choir Practice:
Wed. 7-8:15pm
_____________________
THIS WEEK
SATURDAY, NOV. 5th
Holiday Bazaar, Bake
Sale, and Lunch all for missions
Cookies by the Pound
for the Watertown Urban Mission Food Pantry
9AM - 4 PM
_______________________
LOOKING AHEAD
Nov. 20 - 10 AM -
Worship and then work at the Urban Mission
Nov. 27 - 10 AM -
Celebration of 190 years as a church in the city of Watertown
|
|
|