Invitation from Bishop Laurie to support hurricane relief

Update October 6, 2022: Bishop Laurie adds new relief information for Hurricane Fiona and Ian

Invitation to Support Hurricane Relief

 
Iowa Annual Conference 
September 29, 2022
 
Dear Friends,

The words of the prophet Isaiah are haunting today as we lift in constant prayer our brothers and sisters who are in harm’s way because of Hurricane Ian.

 “Lord, you are my God.
 I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
    for you have done wonderful things,
 planned long ago, faithful and sure.
 You have been a refuge for the poor,
    a refuge for the needy in distress,
    a hiding place from the storm,
    a shade from the heat.” (Isaiah 25:1, 4 CEB)

The powerful Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall on the west coast of Florida on Wednesday, with Governor Ron DeSantis declaring a state of emergency and a possibility of substantial loss of life. As I write this, the storm system’s winds increased to 70 mph as it moved up the Florida Coast.

Governor DeSantis said, “I think we’ve never seen a flood event like this. We’ve never seen storm surge of this magnitude and it hit an area where there’s a lot of people in a lot of those low-lying areas, and it’s going to end up doing extensive damage to a lot of people’s homes.” He also that this could be a five-hundred-year event. Sixteen inches of rain has already been reported in Orlando as the storm moves north. 

President Biden promised that he would support state and local officials, including the cost of clearing debris and rebuilding public buildings and supporting those with destroyed homes. 

What can you do to help?

• Please pray for all those who are in danger right now from the powerful effects of Hurricane Ian and for those who have lost loved ones.
• I invite you to consider donating to support what will be a long process of rebuilding homes and lives. You can give to the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s (UMCOR) U.S. Disaster Relief Fund. (Advance #901670) UMCOR is already assisting those in need.
• After the storm has passed, do not self-deploy to go help. First responders and UMCOR will assess the situation and let us know when it is safe to deploy recovery groups. For more information on how you or your church can get involved, visit our Disaster Ministries page.

May God’s grace and hope surround all those whose lives are affected by Hurricane Ian. Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity. 

Blessings,

Bishop Laurie