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Churches Dealing with Disaster

Volunteers assemble cleaning buckets in this file photo on the website of the North Carolina Conference. A file photo by Bill Norton.By Barbara Dunlap-Berg*
Volunteers assemble cleaning buckets in this file photo on the website of the North Carolina Conference. A file photo by Bill Norton.By Barbara Dunlap-Berg*

When disaster strikes, United Methodists respond with prayers and support.

Find out how you can be a part of relief efforts. Follow news coverage or the United Methodist News Service page on Facebook.

Check for information about local churches or conferences.

Learn from the stories of United Methodists congregations that have faced hardship, healing and hope after disasters.

Useful Links

Resources

Disaster preparedness and response

Storms and flood

Part I of this series shares how the United Methodist Committee on Relief responds to disasters. The next four segments tell the stories of three churches — in Alabama, Indiana and North Dakota — that are recovering from tornadoes and floods.

Fires

During 2012 and early 2013, fire destroyed or damaged more than a dozen United Methodist church properties across the United States. This special news series reported on the damage from those fires, the response to the affected congregations and what churches can do to protect themselves.

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Disaster Relief
Ukrainian children perform during a festival in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. United Methodists in Romania and other neighboring countries continue to provide support for Ukrainian refugees more than three years after Russian armed forces invaded Ukraine. Photo by Aaron Roberts, ALR Photography.

Helping Ukrainian refugees make new homes
Art and music programs for children, language courses and waterproof Bibles are some of the assistance being provided to Ukrainians by nearby nations, many times facilitated by United Methodist churches and individuals.
Disaster Relief
Community members affected by a violent attack in Karim Lamido, Nigeria, gather to receive aid from The United Methodist Church on June 4. The Nigeria Episcopal Area provided food, bedding and other supplies to survivors of the attack on local farmers, which left more than 40 dead, including 24 United Methodists. Photo by the Rev. Filibus Bakari Auta, UM News.

24 United Methodists killed in Nigeria attack
United Methodist Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel said fellow church members were among more than 40 killed by attackers suspected to be Fulani herders.
Disaster Relief
Patrick Abro (left), a United Methodist missionary serving as health operation manager in the Burundi Conference, and the Rev. Cimpaye Valentine (right), Bujumbura District superintendent, hand a bag of rice to flood survivors in Cibitoke, Burundi. With financial support from the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the church helped 140 households affected by severe flooding in the district. Photo by Jérôme Ndayisenga, UM News.

Church supports flood survivors in Burundi
With financial support from the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the church has distributed food and other supplies to hundreds of flood survivors.

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