|
|
EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI |
UPDATE #3 |
JANUARY 21, 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
We are vigilantly monitoring the relief efforts in Haiti, and are grateful for our United Methodist connection and the many ways you are supporting those affected by this tragedy.
STATUS
UMCOR is on the ground in Haiti, partnering with other agencies to provide medical supplies and personnel, clean drinking water and other emergency relief. To learn more about their operations, please click here. Visit www.UMCOR.org often to see the latest on UMCOR relief efforts in Haiti.
RESOURCES NEEDED
Health Kits Urgently Needed Material resources at both of UMCOR’s relief supply depots are in short supply due to the overwhelming response to the Haiti earthquake. The depots are also continuing to respond to other countries’ needs as they respond to Haiti. The goal is to receive health kits and send them back out to Haiti as quickly as possible.
If your church is interested, instructions for the assembly of health kits can be found at UMCOR Health Kit Guidelines. Please be sure to follow these guidelines exactly, as this is critical to the timely shipping of these kits internationally.
Important: If your church assembles health kits, you will independently need to make arrangements to get the kits to the Sager Brown Depot in Louisiana. Information about how to get the kits to Sager Brown is in the guidelines, or you may want to join with other churches to deliver a supply of kits to the depot.
Option: If you prefer to donate toward the purchase of supplies instead of buying and shipping them, please give your financial gift to Material Resources, UMCOR Advance #901440.
Giving to this Advance project enables Sager Brown to purchase relief supply contents. Checks can be placed in your church offering plate or mailed to UMCOR PO Box 9068 New York, NY 10087. You can also give online at www.umcor.org.
Fundraising We know our caring and compassionate churches are praying and sending money, but we are also aware of your need to do more. Why not consider hosting a fundraiser for Haiti at your church? This could be something as simple as a bake sale, a flea market in the fellowship hall, a garage sale in the parking lot, or a spaghetti dinner. Get creative and get going!
Money raised can be donated to UMCOR Advance #418325 or mailed to the Florida Conference at 1140 McDonald St. Lakeland, FL 33801, with the check designated for 2010 Methodist Church in Haiti Relief #100190. One-hundred percent of the money going to UMCOR will go to relief efforts in Haiti; 100 percent of money going #100190 will go to rebuild the United Methodist Church in Haiti and for clergy support.
Please give! Churches can also take up a special collection for Haiti. Click here for a bulletin insert about financial gifts.
Other donations As part of the conference response, the Conference Committee on Haitian Ministry (CCOHM) and the Haiti-Florida Covenant need your help. The Bishop has asked these committees to work together to coordinate donations going to Haiti. If you are collecting material goods for shipment to Haiti, it’s important to coordinate those activities through the CCOHM. This will help avoid duplication of efforts while getting resources to those who need them most. Please click here to learn more about how you can help.
Worship During times of devastating loss, often the best thing we can do is join together in times of corporate prayer and worship. Consider uniting with others in your community to share your grief and renew your faith in the One who is faithful.
Bishop Tim Whitaker of the Florida Conference has taped a message outlining the ways Florida United Methodists can help at this time. This 2.5 minute video is designed for churches to download and show during worship this weekend or any time Haiti relief is being mentioned. Visit www.flumc.org for more information.
Volunteer teams Bishop Joel Martinez, Interim General Secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, reminds us that now is NOT the time for volunteer teams. We need to allow the international relief agencies – including UMCOR – to do what they do best, without getting in their way. Click here to read Bishop Martinez’ memo to the Council of Bishops.
UMCOR has asked SEJ UMVIM to be the clearinghouse for teams from the SEJ wanting to help in Haiti. If you are interested in being part of a team, please click here to register. You will be contacted when Haiti is ready for teams, which is currently projected to be March or later.
For more information about the United Methodist response, please visit www.UMCOR.org and www.umvim.org. You can also visit www.flumc.org for links to these sites and more information. In addition, the Florida Conference’s e-Review is providing stories with a Florida angle. Visit www.flumc.info for more information.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Florida Conference Disaster Recovery Ministry: (800) 282-8011 ext. 149. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dear United Methodist Friends:
United Methodist Communications offers the following updates on the Haiti earthquake. With sadness, we report the passing of two United Methodists, whose families we lift up in prayer.
Sam Dixon
The Rev. Sam Dixon, top executive of UMCOR, died of injuries received after being buried in the rubble of a collapsed hotel following the earthquake. Continue >>
Volunteer Jean Arnwine
A member of a Dallas UMC mission team providing
eye care to Haitians died of injuries suffered in the earthquake. Continue >>
Communications Worship Resources
United Methodist Communications offers downloadable bulletin inserts, bulletin covers, Web and worship graphics, and more. Continue >>
GBOD Worship Resources
GBOD offers hymns and prayers related to Haiti, as well as other worship materials suitable for times of crisis. Continue >>
Ways to Support
UMCOR continues to receive gifts online, which have totaled more than $1 million so far. Checks can be made to UMCOR with "Advance #418325 Haiti Emergency" in the memo line. Checks can be put in the church's offering plate or mailed to: UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Continue >>
Updated Information
Breaking news and information appears at http://www.umc.org/haiti and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/unitedmethodistchurch
|
www.umcom.org | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
United Methodist Communications: 810 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
|
|
EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI UPDATE #2 JANUARY 15, 2010
The Rev. Raphael Dessieu said he’s alive, but his home has been destroyed. The former president of the Methodist Church of Haiti sent that message in an e-mail to the Rev. Debbie Casanzio, a Florida Conference pastor. Dessieu’s home was located near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where a massive earthquake struck Jan. 12.
Many in the Florida Conference know Dessieu. He and Florida Conference Bishop Timothy Whitaker signed the Haiti/Florida Covenant at the 2006 Florida Annual Conference Event.
In his Jan. 13 e-mail, Dessieu said: “My family and I are alive, sleeping in the street, as home and items are all gone. It is not safe, so please pray.”(Read the full story on the Florida Conference’s e-Review pages here.)
The United Methodist Church and the Florida Conference in particular have a special relationship with the people of Haiti. There is a large Methodist presence in Haiti, including a United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Office that has been in place since 2005, and regular work teams sent through United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM).
Praise God! Three executives of the Board of Global Ministries who were in Haiti when the earthquake struck -- Sam Dixon, top executive of the United Methodist Committee on Relief; Clinton Rabb, head of Mission Volunteers; and James Gulley, an UMCOR consultant—have been found alive at the Hotel Montana. According to a United Methodist News Service article, Dixon and Rabb sustained leg injuries and Gulley was uninjured.
As much as we all want to “do something,” it is very important that we wait and allow the relief teams to do their jobs without adding to the chaos by sending unsolicited donations or teams. We will be responding with what is needed when the time is right and those in Haiti are ready to receive in-kind donations.
For now you can:
PRAY – Pray for the people of Haiti; pray for the safety of the responders, the speedy rescue of survivors and the ability of all the organizations to work together effectively and efficiently in this response and relief effort. The General Board of Discipleship is offering worship resources for congregations to use this weekend. Click here for prayers, hymns, and liturgies.
GIVE – Churches are encouraged to take a special offering for Haiti this weekend or next. There are two avenues to give money. First, general humanitarian aid is being provided by UMCOR. Gifts to Advance Special #418325 are for these purposes. Every dollar UMCOR receives for this Advance goes directly to help the people of Haiti. Checks can be mailed to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087, dropped in your church offering plate on Sunday (with #418325 in the memo line), or you can donate online at UMCOR .
Secondly, United Methodists in Florida may send monetary donations to the Methodist Church in Haiti. Every dollar collected will go directly to the Methodist Church in Haiti to help them rebuild lives and buildings. Checks may be made payable to “FAC Treasurer,” and note “2010 Methodist Church in Haiti Relief, #100190” on the check. Individuals may send checks directly to the Florida Conference, 1140 McDonald Street, Lakeland, FL 33801. Churches may send these checks through their normal apportionment giving channels, utilizing lock-box #207.
A bulletin insert (.pdf file) is available online by clicking here. Churches may download the insert, duplicate and share with the congregation this weekend.
PLAN – Plan to sponsor or send an UMVIM team later in the year to help rebuild. UMVIM is gathering information to form future teams. Please visit the UMVIM Web site for updates and to register to go to Haiti: www.umvim.org.
PREPARE – Consider preparing health kits or other items that may be needed during the short-term and long-term recovery efforts and send them to Sager-Brown, the UMCOR Depot in Louisiana. To learn more on making kits, or for other information on the United Methodist response to Haiti, visit www.umcor.org.
As we learn more, we will send additional updates which will also be posted on the conference Web site.
For more information about the United Methodist response, please visit www.UMCOR.org and www.umvim.org. You can also visit www.flumc.org for links to these sites and more information.
|
|
|
Connection News
Special Haiti Update_2 January 14, 2010 |
Starting tomorrow United Methodist Communications will run a 15 second Haiti Response spot to air on CNN throughout the weekend.
We have also created a Resources for Haiti Emergency link for communicators to access downloadable print files. As resources are created, they will be posted to the website, and made available for everyone to use.
The United Methodist News Service will continue to provide ongoing coverage about United Methodist mission teams, and what other local churches are doing to provide aid. Stay tuned to http://www.umc.org/haiti for more information.
|
|
|
EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI UPDATE #1 JANUARY 14, 2010
As the horrifying pictures and videos from Haiti begin rolling in, our minds reel and our hearts break as we try to take in the extent of the devastation. Relief agencies from all over the world are responding with supplies and trained teams.
The United Methodist Church and the Florida Conference in particular have a special relationship with the people of Haiti. There is a large Methodist presence in Haiti, including a United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Office that has been in place since 2005, and regular work teams sent through United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM).
Three executives of the Board of Global Ministries-- Sam Dixon, top executive of the United Methodist Committee on Relief; Clinton Rabb, head of Mission Volunteers; and James Gulley, an UMCOR consultant-- were on the island on a mission-related trip when the earthquake hit. They have not been heard from since the earthquake. Please join all United Methodists in prayer that they are safe and will be heard from soon.
As much as we all want to “do something,” it is very important that we wait and allow the relief teams to do their jobs without adding to the chaos by sending unsolicited donations or teams. We are in constant communication with UMCOR and UMVIM as they work with the government and other responding agencies to provide relief and determine what is needed. We will coordinate our response through UMCOR and UMVIM.
For now you can:
PRAY – Pray that we hear from the UMCOR workers in Haiti soon and that they are safe; pray for the safety of the responders, the speedy rescue of survivors and the ability of all the organizations to work together effectively and efficiently in this response and relief effort.
GIVE – Give generously to UMCOR Advance Special #418325. Every dollar UMCOR receives for this Advance goes directly to help the people of Haiti. Checks can be mailed to UMCOR, PO Box 9068,
New York, NY 10087, dropped in your church offering plate on Sunday or you can donate online at UMCOR
PLAN – Plan to sponsor or send an UMVIM team later in the year to help rebuild. Sending teams now is not appropriate. Please visit the UMVIM website for updates on team needs: www.umvim.org
PREPARE – Consider preparing health kits or other items that may be needed during the short-term and long-term recovery efforts and send them to Sager-Brown, the UMCOR Depot in Louisiana. To learn more on making kits, or for other information on the United Methodist response to Haiti, visit www.umcor.org.
As we learn more, we will send additional updates which will also be posted on the conference Web site.
For more information about the United Methodist response, please visit www.UMCOR.org and www.umvim.org . You can also visit www.flumc.org for links to these sites and more information.
|
|
|
|
United Methodist Communications continues to provide news coverage of the situation in Haiti, including how the church is responding, at www.umc.org/haiti. We also want you to know of other resources available for churches and members who want to help.
Volunteers and Health Kits
According to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), there will be a great need for volunteers to help rebuild once the initial crisis is past, but it is not safe or possible for volunteers to go to Haiti at the present. However, UMCOR’s two relief supply warehouses are asking United Methodists to provide health kits that will be sent to Haiti. Instructions for assembling and shipping health kits are available here.
Donations
We are grateful that donations continue to come in online. Donors may also contribute by placing a check in the offering plate at a local church or by mailing it to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Checks should indicate “Advance #418325” in the memo line. United Methodist Communications is creating a special bulletin insert for churches’ use, which will be available Friday at www.umc.org/haiti.
Ministry Resources
 Following the Asian tsunami, United Methodist Communications produced a video and study guide titled "God, Why?" to help people cope with the spiritual and emotional impact of disasters. The resource, available from EcuFilm, explores why such tragedies happen and God’s role in them. The study guide provides a basis for group study and discussion.
During this time of pain and suffering, let us take comfort in the promise of Psalm 46:1, NSRV: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
|
