photo courtesy: Peoria Journal Star
Our prayers are with all those affected by Sunday’s powerful storms and tornadoes that swept across the Midwest leaving damage in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. Several communities in the Northern Illinois Conference including Manhattan, Frankfort, Wilmington and Peotone experienced damage from roofs blown off and windows broken to downed trees and power outages.
Some churches were in the middle of Sunday morning services and parishioners needed to seek shelter in basements. Thankfully, there are no reports of injuries or deaths.
However, nearby Coal City, Diamond, Pekin, East Peoria and Washington, IL in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference saw the most devastating destruction from the tornadoes. Homes were wiped out and there are reports of six fatalities and many injuries.
Several people in our conference have connections to the hardest hit communities as well. The Rev. Brian Smith at Trinity United Methodist Church in Wilmette wrote, “Please pray for my hometown, Washington and for Pekin where I had my first appointment, both hit hard by tornadoes. My parents are safe, though without power and a landline.” Read his blog.
Rev. Melissa Meyers at Genoa Faith UMC wrote on Facebook, “My grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins live in Washington, IL. Physically they’re fine, but my aunt and uncle’s neighborhood and house are not. Grateful that they’re not hurt and prayers for this whole community as they begin to look at what recovery might look like for them.”
How can you help?
The Northern Illinois Conference Disaster Response Coordinator the Rev. Christina Vosteen along with the Illinois Great Rivers Conference Disaster Response Coordinators have been in contact with Illinois Emergency Management as well as the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). They are requesting monetary donations only instead of material supplies. We know many of you are ready and willing to help immediately, but they also advise volunteers to stay out of the affected areas because of the danger and so first responders can do their work.
“This is not the time to be sending in shoes and clothes or volunteers – that will only hamper the relief efforts,” said Rev. Vosteen. “There’s going to be the opportunity for long-term recovery work possibly in the spring and summer.”
The Illinois Great Rivers Conference has a disaster advance fund in place for donations. You can send money to: IGRC Disaster Response Fund Advance #6800 – United Methodist Center P.O. Box 19207 Springfield, IL 62794-9207or you can donate online visiting IGRC.org.
You can also give to UMCOR through the Advance Special #901670, Disaster Response, United States and then designate it for “Tornadoes 2013.” Visit umcor.org and click on donate.
Giving to UMCOR through The Advance, the United Methodist official giving channel, ensures that 100% of each donation goes directly to the need specified.
Philippines Relief
We also remember there is still a great need in the Philippines. Bishop Ciriaco Francisco visited the Northern Illinois Conference this past weekend and received an outpouring of support. He appealed to churches to give financially to help those in his Episcopal area who are struggling in the aftermath of not only Typhoon Haiyan but last month’s earthquake.
“All of the houses were destroyed in the earthquake and then the typhoon only worsens the situation for the people who live in the poorest annual conference of my Episcopal area,” said Bishop Francisco. “I am appealing to United Methodists all over the world to pray for us and to help us reconstruct and rebuild the community.” You can donate to UMCOR through Advance Special #982450.
ERT Training
Rev. Vosteen said the Illinois disasters are a good, while very unfortunate, reminder of the need for local Emergency Response Team training (ERT). “We really do need more people trained here in the Northern Illinois Conference,” she said. “Consider getting people in your local congregation trained so we can respond locally if a disaster hits and be ready to go when we are called to help out in other areas.” (ERT Training will be held at First UMC, Evanston on Jan. 25. Call the church office at 847-864-6181 for more information or click here.)