Many of us are wondering how we can help those in Western NC who have been affected by Hurricane Helene. Both prayers and action are called for in times like this and here are some ways that YOU can minister to Western North Carolina through the United Methodist Church:
- Every local United Methodist church, conference-wide, is asked to receive a special offering for disaster relief on Sunday, October 6. Every penny in the offering will be used to assist those who have been affected by flooding and other harm caused by the hurricane. Main Street UMC will be receiving a church-wide special offering on Sunday Oct. 6 in our 3 worship services to support direct relief through our Western NC Conference Disaster Response Ministries. Checks should be written to Main Street UMC with a note on the memo line, or cash in an envelope with a note. The Church Office will send one combined contribution.
- Main Street UMC will host a Prayer Vigil on Wednesday, October 9. Our Sanctuary will be open from 8:30 to 4:00pm for you to stop by and spend some time in our peaceful Sanctuary as you lift your heart to our Lord in prayer for those devastated by Hurricane Helene.
- UMCOR Cleaning Buckets – Here is a link to details on how to assemble a cleaning bucket: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/
- Our Western NC Conference has identified some crucial material needs:
- Bottled Water (flats of individual waters and gallon-size jugs)
- Diapers (all sizes) + Wipes
- These items may be taken to Maple Springs UMC over the next month and they will be delivered to Western North Carolina: Maple Springs UMC, 2569 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem. Call the Maple Springs UMC church office at (336) 722-7563 to arrange drop off.
Thank you for your loving response to those in Western North Carolina!
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Friends,
As we witness the immense devastation caused by Hurricane Helene across our area, we are overwhelmed by the response and caring of faithful United Methodists across the Western North Carolina Conference. Our conference staff is working around the clock to check in with affected community leaders, clergy, and disaster response teams.
In the coming days, we will have more information available on ways you can help with the recovery efforts across Western North Carolina – including details about a conference-wide special offering next Sunday, October 6. Please follow our Conference platforms – ENews, website, and social media channels – for all those communications.
In the meantime, please watch this video from Bishop Carter and prayerfully consider the list of ways you can help below. We know that our United Methodist family will show up with abundance to help those whose lives and livelihoods have been impacted by this storm. We thank you for your generosity and support.
How you can help (updated 9.28.24):
- Pray for those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
- Check on your neighbors, nearby churches, and communities. If you hear of any issues, please call the Disaster Response hotline at 980-354-4157.
- Early Response Team Training: We are planning a “Just-in-Time” Early Response Team (ERT) Training in the Asheville area on Monday, October 7. Volunteers must have ERT training to assist in recovery efforts. Please help spread the word to interested churches and individuals. Register here: ERTTraining-InitialSign-Up
- UMCOR Cleaning Buckets: We will likely need UMCOR Cleaning Buckets to replace those distributed to impacted areas. Instructions for making kits can be found here: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/
- Donations: Encourage your churches to donate to support WNCCUMC recovery efforts directly. Donate here:https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations
