LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (UMNS)—Messages of encouragement and promises of prayers are coming to Moore, Okla., from around the world and the Rev. Tish Malloy, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Moore, said “it means so much to us.”
Following is a message sent out by Arkansas Bishop Gary Mueller to the people in the Arkansas Annual (regional) Conference.
Pray. Give. Hope.
You heard the news. A horrible tornado tore a wide swath through the town of Moore. Dozens of people were killed, including many children. The destruction is absolute. Your heart breaks for those involved. And, if you’re honest, you’ve wondered what it would be like if it happened to you, and you had to deal with the loss of all you have and, worse, the death of loved ones. It’s a poignant reminder of a reality in life you don’t like to focus on: life is often painful, can change forever in an instant and offers no guarantees. This is a fact of life, and it doesn’t matter how much money you have, what you’ve done in the past or how much security and protection you put in place. But there is one guarantee in life – God. And, when you’ve experienced God’s radical, unconditional, never-take-it-back love, you can live each and every day with the absolute knowledge that nothing that happens in life or in death – even the worst possible thing you can ever imagine – can separate you from God’s love in Jesus Christ.
But there is more. So much more. Because this experience of God’s ‘never-take-it-back love’ is so powerful, you want to reach out to those who are hurting. Of course, this will vary from situation to situation. But today, in light of the tragedy in Moore, you can do three simple things – Pray. Give. Hope.
You can give with confidence to the Red Cross or the Salvation Army. But you can also give to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) with the assurance that 100% of your gifts will go directly to disaster response. You can give in three simple ways:
Text STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UMCOR
Website: UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response Donation Page
Pray. Give. Hope. It’s what you can do in the face of tragedy to make a world-changing difference. Take time to do it right now!
Grace and peace,
Gary E. Mueller
