Worship Times: 9:00, 11:00am

Disaster Relief

Donate to Haiti Relief Efforts

If you would like to donate, please make check out to First United Methodist Church and designate as “UMCOR-Haiti.” 100% of your donation will be used directly for disaster recovery efforts and humanitarian aid in Haiti.

FUMC Kids Mission Project: Haiti Relief Health Kits

Build a kit and bring it to the church this week, no later than Sunday morning, January 24. The needed items are listed below. 300 toothbrushes have already been donated. If you do not have time to shop for the items on the list, you may make a monetary gift to JFUMC earmarked “Health Kits”. Every $15 will provide for at least one Health Kit.

  • one-gallon plastic bag
  • hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”, No kitchen towels) 
  • washcloth 
  • comb (large and sturdy, appropriate for Haitian hair) 
  • nail file or fingernail clippers 
    (no emery boards or toenail clippers) 
  • bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up) 
  • 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages 
  • $1.00 to purchase toothpaste* 
  • $1.00 for shipping
* Toothbrushes have already been donated.

The kids will have a kit assembling party Sunday, January 24th at 5 PM at the church. Open to all children, families, and other volunteers.

NOTE: All items included in kits must be NEW items. All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more. Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

Volunteering

Volunteers In Mission - No Experience Necessary

If you would like to be part of a V.I.M. (Volunteer In Mission Team), contact Cecil Kirk at First United Methodist Church (731)422-4002, or Turn on JavaScript!.

Early Response

If you are already part of an Early Response Team and would like to help, contact your Area Team Leader (e-mail preferred):

Area 1 covers the two Memphis Districts
Team Leaders are:
Myrtle Brown - Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (901) 327-6980
Byron Crain - Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (901) 754-0754

Area 3 covers Brownsville, Jackson, and Paris Districts
Dan McCue is the Team Leader
Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (731) 584-5060

Area 4 covers the Paducah and Dyersburg Districts
Allen Burnett is the Team Leader
Turn on JavaScript! Phone: (270) 554-9405

Some Basic Information You Should Know in Case of Disasters

For continued updates go to the Memphis Conference Web Site: www.memphis-umc.org.

Stages of a Disaster

  1. EMERGENCY PHASE (Usually of short duration, usually 3-5 days)
    1. During this time, Emergency Personnel are in charge. The role of the local church is to assess the damage of their church and parishioners and report information their District Superintendent and Joe Moseley at the Memphis Conference Program Ministry Office (731-664-8280) to report damage.
    2. Search and rescue is taking place in order to make things Safe, Sanitary, and Secure.
    3. Do NOT interfere with rescue or emergency personnel.
    4. If homes are damaged, discourage outsiders from entering the area unless they have legitimate business there.
    5. Communication will be complicated and many times facts will be wrong. Do NOT spread rumors or information that is hearsay. Tell only what you know to be facts.
  2. RELIEF PHASE (Usually lasts up to ten times longer than the relief stage).
    1. This is the stage where Early Response Teams do their work and the Annual Conference begins organizing itself based on the needs of the community. We are here to serve their needs, not feed ours.
    2. If your church is involved in the clean-up: Do NOT do any repairs until the insurance companies and government have assessed the damage. If the disaster is federally recognized FEMA will open a Disaster Recovery Center or Centers.
    3. Assessment of needs continue including determining the need for Long Term Recovery.
    4. During this phase, Interfaith and Community Service Agencies may form.
    5. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), FEMA, The Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) are working to provide help for victims.
  3. RECOVERY PHASE (Usually lasts up to ten times longer than the relief stage)
    1. The emphasis is on long-term community based organizations assisting in restoring lives, homes, and their community back to the way they were before the disaster.
    2. It is during this stage where volunteers are needed the most.

 

Ten Commandments of a Disaster

  1. Thou shalt NOT be a gawker. Only go to the disaster site if you have an invitation to be in the area unless you have a legitimate need to be there.
  2. Thou shalt NOT send any items such as bottled water, clothing, or other supplies to a disaster site unless you have verified the need and receiving point. It is essential to locate a reliable relief organization willing to receive the shipment of goods.
  3. Thou shalt NOT go to a disaster site unless you have made arrangements for food and housing.
  4. Thou shalt NOT assume that you know more than the local people.
  5. Thou shalt NOT remove trees from over a house unless you have a signed release from the owner and they have contacted their insurance agent and all the official organizations.
  6. Thou shalt NOT make repairs on a home that might jeopardize the victim’s eligibility from insurance and or government agencies.
  7. Thou shalt NOT make personal judgments on anyone.
  8. Thou shalt NOT make any promises you cannot personally keep
  9. Thou shalt NOT make promises for someone else.
  10. Thou shalt NOT be anything but a representative of Christ at all times.