Ways You Can Help Following Hurricane Harvey

In the wake of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey, here are several ways that you and fellow United Methodists can respond now:

1. Continue to pray for those whose lives have been impacted by this storm.  Pray also for first responders, early Response Teams, disaster coordinators, and many volunteers in the Texas, Louisiana, Rio Texas, and Central Texas Annual Conferences who are working tirelessly to provide initial help.

2. Make a flood bucket or relief kit for United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).  Our church currently has been 50 flood buckets and a supplies donated by LaGrange Home Depot that you can pick up either in the Fellowship Hall, Sanctuary or Chapel after worship that you can take, fill it up with items on the list, and return to the church by September 10^th.  The buckets will then be combined with buckets from other UM Churches and sent to an UMCOR distribution center in Louisiana and distributed to flood victims in Texas and Louisiana.  Alternately, you can make your own UMCOR bucket or relief kit at using the instructions at the FOLLOWING LINK.

3.  Purchase a Cupcake (or a whole bunch!) from our Children's Ministry.  Our children's ministry is being the "hands of Christ" by decorating and selling cupcakes to benefit the children of the First UMC of LaGrange, TX, many of whom have lost everything.   Our children are also donating a prized possession (toy, stuffed animal, etc) to a child there so they will have something to love on, but the main thing our congregation can do to help is purchase cupcakes.  They'll be available for sale in the Fellowship Hall Wednesday, September 6th or email our children's ministry HERE.

4.  In addition to UMCOR Relief Kits, please consider donating larger-ticket items for muck-out, including:

--Box fans (To dry out houses following flooding.)

--25’ heavy duty 14 gauge extension cords (To move the fans around inside a home)

--2 gallon garden sprayers (To fight mildew and mold)

--Flat billed shovels (Remove mud, wet carpet, pads, sheet rock insulation, etc.)

--Rakes with 3” tines (Remove tree limbs, leaves and muck from inside homes and yards)

--Wheel barrows (2 wheels, so they will not turn over going to the street)

If you want to donate any of the items above, please email our church’s Missions committee for instructions of how & where to take them.

5. Give money. You can donate through any North Georgia Conference United Methodist Church (including LFUMC) by clearly marking your donation “Hurricane Relief.”  Alternately, you can also give online directly at UMCOR’s website 

6.  Donate only those items requested.  Please wait for an invitation to volunteer.  The communities in the path of this storm are still in the emergency phase, and in this phase local emergency responders and community officials control the response and will let the public know what they need and when they need it.  Unsolicited items and volunteers only complicate and slow down relief to those affected. Proper response will take time to play out, and will require our time and attention long after the fact.  So, please wait for instructions and an invitation before doing more than what’s requested.

Thank you for your prayers, finances, and help providing relief to the victims of Harvey!  God bless you!

Pastor Brian