Hurricane Helene
Disaster Relief

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

As pictures, videos, and stories emerge from the western part of North Carolina following Hurricane Helene, our hearts are devastated for the suffering of our neighbors. We know that many families at Hayes Barton UMC have also been impacted personally or within their families because of the storm. It is a Christian impulse born out of love that urges us to help our neighbors in times of disaster and distress. Our Methodist teaching tells us to Do Good, to Do No Harm, and to Stay in Love with God. We practiced these three spiritual truths during the Covid-19 Pandemic. And, we are now called to practice them again.

 

In this first week following the storm, we have compiled some ways to help our neighbors. Working directly with the North Carolina Conference and the Western North Carolina Conferences of The United Methodist Church and other partner organizations, below is a list of ways that your family can offer immediate support. In the coming weeks we will provide you with other ways to offer support as the needs change.  

 

Do no harm.

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• It is tough to wait to help when the need is so great. But, please, don’t go to western North Carolina now. This week is the time for first responders, emergency workers, FEMA, and local governments to give support. By staying off the roads, we are allowing the trained workers to provide aide. Right now, we need to allow the helpers to do their work.

 

Do good.

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• Donate: When children experience traumatic events, such as being displaced or losing loved ones in Hurricane Helene, they have mental health needs that need to be addressed. Their parents and guardians are often so challenged by immediate needs that the children are left with a lot of feelings and inadequate ways to process those feelings. In partnership with the MERCI Center, we are currently collecting donations for children's mental health kits. We are collecting items now through Sunday, November 17th and welcome volunteers to help package the kits at Generous Helping, on December 4th. Click here for the Amazon wishlist to purchase items.

• Volunteer: Please fill out this form if you are interested in traveling to Western North Carolina to help once the Conference begins deploying Emergency Response Teams teams. Initial trips will likely be three days long with indoor camp-style accommodations and mobile shower units. Dates have not been determined, but there will be weekend options. These teams will be engaged in heavy manual labor mucking out homes, but no special skills are required.

 

Stay in love with God.

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• Please join us for an evening prayer service focused on our neighbors suffering the effects of Hurricane Helene. We will gather on Thursday, October 3, at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary prior to the Flood Bucket Preparation event. Feel free to invite friends and neighbors to worship with us.

• We have heard from so many of you about people and situations in western North Carolina – impacted parents, siblings, and children, college students, and loss of property. If you have a particular hurricane-related prayer request, we would like to include those requests in a separate prayer bookmark in our Sunday morning worship bulletins. Please email your request to prayer@hbumc.org, and we will include it in the worship bulletin. If you have a private prayer request that you would not like to be included in the bulletin, please make a note of that in your email.

• Finally, pray with a prayer from Bishop Ken Carter of the Western North Carolina Conference:

 

O God, we place our trust in you.

As the wind and rain has passed through the mountains

 of Western North Carolina, we name before you

those whose lives have been devastated.

We especially remember those who have lost so much,

those with the fewest options, the most vulnerable.

Draw near to those who are the most exposed,

the most frightened, the most overwhelmed.

Hold space for a stillness and a peace even in the midst of the storm.

 

O God, we place our trust in you. 

In the aftermath of ravaging wind and surging flood,

inspire those who give themselves for others.

Let that work be done justly, wisely, safely, generously.

Help us to turn toward one another in our need.

Strengthen our bonds of connection and love for each other.

 O God, we place our trust in you,

and we say these words in the strong name of Jesus.

Amen.

 

Your siblings in Christ,

The Pastors and Staff of Hayes Barton United Methodist Church