“The mission of an Early Response Team is to provide a caring
Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster.”

 It’s Saturday afternoon in Eastern North Carolina.

Since this time last Saturday, as each hour has passed, countless families in the small communities that make up the New Bern, Elizabeth City, Greenville and Rocky Mount Districts of our Annual Conference have been trying to begin the process of putting their lives back together.  But it sometimes appears to be an insurmountable task for the survivors.

Stress levels are high, hearts are broken and the destruction is widespread. For many of these folks, there is no one to help them remove the water-soaked furniture, carpet and personal belongings from their homes.  No neighbors. No family. No one.

Yet, as of this morning, few have responded to help.  The question has already been asked, “Where is the United Methodist Church?”

Due to the critical need and the level of response to date, volunteers, regardless of previous disaster experience or length of availability are needed and will be deployed as soon as possible as per the following guidelines.

GENERAL GUIDELINES Read more »

Wanchese - Bethany UMC volunteers unload cleaning buckets delivered in a joint effort of Conference Disaster Response Committee and United Methodist Men. (photo - Bill Norton)

Updated – 9-2-11 6:17 PM

We have an immediate need for FULLY assembled flood buckets.   Due to the large numbers of flood buckets that we have sent to hurricane victims, we are immediate need of replenishing our stock to continue our response to flood victims.

Please do not send partially completed buckets or supply items.  We need fully assembled buckets ready for immediate shipment.

Please deliver the assembled buckets to the Conference warehouse at 676 Community Dr Goldsboro NC between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Saturday.  Please contact Charlie Gray at (919) 810-2217 or Barry Merrill at  (919) 922-1499 to ensure someone will be available at the warehouse to receive your donation.

Please pack the bucket as noted below:

Cleaning Bucket Kit Items

5-gallon bucket with Read more »

Bishop Al Gwinn calls on the North Carolina Conference for help in his letter about Hurricane Irene.  Please see his appeal at Bishop’s Appeal for Hurricane Relief

Family seeks safety from rising flood waters

Jesus says, “I was hungry and you fed me.”  Seemingly, Jesus believes it is an essential element of faith to reach out to the poor and disenfranchised who hunger, thirst suffer and die.  And as Jesus readily journeys into Samaria, embraces the bloody, travels to Gentile territory, names the outsider as neighbor, and constantly demonstrates compassion for the ones who would discomfort the good Jewish sensibilities of his day, apparently Jesus does not limit his love and ministry to those who are only of his tribe, national persuasion, or religion.

To such end, your United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is working through partners such as Church World Service (CWS) and Muslim Aid to bring help and relief to the cataclysmic floods in Pakistan that began three months ago.  Donor response has been slow, yet the needs are great.  By working with partner organizations, UMCOR is able to accomplish more to help suffering people in Pakistan.

Both organizations have been operating in Pakistan for many years and were on the ground as the floods rolled across the country in a slow moving tsunami.  UMCOR is financially supporting the work of CWS and Muslim Aid as they provide medical, food, shelter and livelihoods assistance.  CWS and Muslim Aid work with different communities and by supporting both UMCOR is reaching a wider group of people in need.

Please give to help the people of Pakistan recover.  Do it because they are in need.

Do it because you love Jesus.  Do it as an act of worship.

You can give on-line at:  UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response, Pakistan.

Or place an offering with the Advance # 982450 noted on your check or gift envelop into any United Methodist church offering plate.

Or send your offering to:
NC Conference, PO Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260.

Make check payable to:
NC Conference, Pakistan Flood, Advance #982450.

Storm-related flooding and other damage occurred in several areas of the North Carolina Conference from Thursday through Monday, and the rivers have continued to rise, threatening even more homes and businesses.

Please consider reaching out to your storm affected brothers and sisters here in North Carolina by giving to NC Storms Emergency Response – Advance #S000176.  100% of your gift will go to storm response.

Also, please consider a gift for the MERCI Mission Center as they seek to respond to this NC disaster.  Advance #S-00136.  100% of your gift will go to MERCI.

Send remittances, using the Conference remittance form, to Conference Treasurer, P.O. Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260.

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