UMCOR News & Stories

Matt Lohmeier, Executive Dir. of San Antonio Justice for Our Neighbors(JFON) and Susan Hellums, Border Area Mission Coordinator of First United Methodist Church of McAllen discuss their firsthand experiences working with the growing population of migrants in Texas.

Even though Hurricane Harvey hit Texas over two years ago, there is still much work to do. Long-term recovery efforts are going strong thanks to the disaster response team in the Rio Texas Conference. Staff like Austin, Vicki and Nikki continue to be a reliable and compassionate presence in Harvey’s aftermath. To be most effective, they see the importance of building and strengthening relationships. Whether it is relationships with partner agencies, churches, community members, or even among the staff themselves, the Rio Texas Conference has seen great impact and progress in recovery by working together and supporting one other.

After a dozen years of a conference-to-conference In Mission Together connection between the Eurasia and Baltimore-Washington episcopal areas, relationships grow stronger and faith grows deeper roots as they develop ways to reach more people with Christ’s love.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief will enter its ninth decade led by Lara S. Martin who brings a strong background in international disaster response, public health and child welfare.

On the 10th anniversary of their death, Thomas Kemper remembers the life, ministry and mission of two Global Ministries staff members who died in the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Through small grants, the Encounter with Christ fund has nurtured Methodist mission and relationships in 26 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mertarvik, Alaska, the relocation site for Newtok, a Yu’pik village that lost much of its land to rising sea levels and eroding coastline, receives its first residents in newly built houses, complete with UMCOR-funded PASS sanitation units in each home.

The community of Tamac in the Philippines partners with UMCOR through the Baguio Episcopal Area Disaster Management Office to shore up needed water sources after typhoons and a landslide destroy homes and fields.

Residents of Grand Bahama Island and Abaco are receiving relief in the form of shelter, meals and hygiene items. Some are also taking great joy in being a part of the volunteer effort, serving their neighbors in the midst of their own tragedies.

The month of September marks two years since Hurricane Maria brought widespread destruction to Puerto Rico. The recovery has progressed steadily, thanks largely to the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico, and with the help of UMCOR training and funding and more than 200 Volunteer in Mission teams.

Although it didn’t receive much national attention, the spring floods of the Arkansas River wiped out property and devastated some communities. UMCOR and the Arkansas Conference Disaster Response Team have just rolled out a new phase to help with recovery.

Throughout Hurricane Dorian’s movements, UMCOR coordinated with Conference Disaster Response Coordinators from United Methodist conferences along the Southeastern U.S. coast, monitoring their needs and likely responses.