A Message from Serving Ministries
Dear friends,
Our hearts are broken with the devastation being experienced in Tennessee and Louisiana. Continue to keep all who are impacted by the the storms and efforts to properly respond to this disaster.
Please remember that any work related to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will start only after all the first responders leave the area. There will be more specific calls to help in the coming weeks and months. We strongly advise against any self-deployment to these areas. The work of recovery will continue in the coming months and years, and Serving Ministries invite your church to be part of this long journey.
In the meantime, if you want to help, there are some things that you can do:
- Pray – Those who are hurting need to be reminded that God is there for them
- PSALM 46:1-2 – God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.
- ISAIAH 43:2 – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
- Give – The Virginia Conference Disaster Response and Recovery (#5037) coordinates preparation, response and recovery in the conference during times of disaster. This addresses the personnel needed, equipment required and Christian witness that is desired in such situations. If you have question regarding giving, please email [email protected]
- Cleaning Buckets – If there are churches who want to assemble cleaning buckets, they can do so but we normally wait until UMCOR makes an official call. However, for those churches who are willing to make cleaning buckets and deliver them, please do it directly to the Central Virginia Mission Hub.
Central Virginia Mission Hub
205 Lesco Blvd Culpeper, VA 22701
Contact: Darryl Lam (540) 219-2829
Website: www.cvmhub.org
Directions to assemble a cleaning kit: https://www.cvmhub.org/cleaning-kits
- Early Response Team (ERT) – ERT are one of the first who will be deployed to areas who were devastated by the natural disaster. The Virginia Conference has a Disaster Response team, who will respond when we are called. We are yet to be called, but we believe there will be a call to help. If you have an ERT certification, please make sure your information is up-to-date. If you would like to have more information about ERT and potentially host a training, please contact Rev. Bob Philcratnz ([email protected]), VAUMC DISASTER RESPONSE COORDINATOR, for more information.
We are thankful for the faithfulness of God’s people, who strives to serve in any and every way possible.
Thank you so much for all the work you do.
In Christ,
Associate Director of Serving Ministries
Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church