A Letter On Tornado Relief
Written: 7/1/2010
Dear Friends in Christ:
On June 5, 2010, on the eve of our recent Annual Conference session, deadly tornados ripped through Northwest Ohio leaving devastation and grief. The West Ohio Conference lost one of our student local pastors, Kathy Hammitt. She was serving North Dover UMCwhile attending seminary at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. We grieve with her family, the members of Kathy's congregation and the community at MTSO. The grief we feel is magnified across the three counties primarily affected by the tornados. Many people in our communities have experienced damage or destruction of private property. Many more have experienced the fear and anxiety of living through a natural disaster.
I am grateful to report that the United Methodist Church is and will continue to respond to the needs of affected communities and families. One of the greatest gifts of the United Methodist Church is our connectional identity. We don't have to do things on our own. While local congregations are providing care to those affected by the tornados, the Maumee Watershed District Superintendent, Rev. Marla Brown, has formed a response team to support the work of the local communities and congregations. Rev. Bob Ball has accepted Marla's invitation to serve as the coordinator of the District Response Team, helping to facilitate our long term response. Bob is joined in leadership by Paul Wortman, an UMCOR trained early response leader; Rev Larry Keeler, Ottawa County coordinator and pastor of Elliston Zion UMC; Rev. Phil Park-Thomas, Wood County coordinator and pastor of Millbury St. Paul and Moline UMCs; and Rev. Don Kreiger, Fulton County coordinator and pastor of Wauseon Zion UMC. The district leaders are working closely with the West Ohio Disaster Response Team, chaired by Jim Rodgers and staffed by Rev. Dee Stickley-Miner. Together, plans are being made to guide our long term response to include not only restoration of buildings, but emotional and spiritual care to the communities and congregations. West Ohio has already received an emergency grant of $10,000 from UMCOR to assist in our response. UMCOR consultants are also working with us to strengthen our capacity to respond to the needs of our neighbors.
Many individuals and congregations have inquired about how they can best assist in the relief and recovery work. I invite the members and congregations of West Ohio to support the efforts already underway to be the presence of Christ's healing love in Fulton, Wood and Ottawa counties. I encourage you to pray for those affected, those providing leadership to our response and those providing ongoing care. I also urge you to give financially. Those who are uninsured or underinsured desperately need our assistance. Please send your donations to the Council on Development. Checks may be designated as "NW Ohio Tornado Response." Your contribution will also serve as a living memorial to Kathy Hammitt. All checks should be mailed to:
Council on Development
West Ohio Conference
32 Wesley Boulevard
Worthington, Ohio 43085
I continue to be grateful for the leadership provided by Rev. Marla Brown and the District and Conference Disaster Response Teams.
Thank you for your extravagant gifts of prayer and treasure.
In Christ, the model of extravagant love and sacrifice,
Bruce R. Ough