Parsonage Becomes Shelter; Gas Woes May Slow Help

The Community United Methodist Church is without power like much of its Massapequa, N.Y., neighborhood, but two families in the congregation have found shelter at the parsonage with Pastor Jeff Wells and his family. Wells opened the parsonage – which has electricity – to the families whose homes were seriously damaged by Hurricane Sandy. He reports that the homes of at least 14 members of the congregation on Long Island’s South Shore have suffered severe damage. The church itself sustained minor damage when a falling tree limb punctured a hole in the roof. The limb was removed, and there seems to be no additional structural damage.

Attempts to put together a volunteer work team to go to Massapequa tomorrow were being hampered by concerns about limited gas supplies, according to Warren Ferry, the disaster coordinator for the Long Island East District of the New York Annual Conference.

By Rev. Joanne Utley, Communications coordinator for the New York Annual Conference


Like what you're reading? Support the ministry of UM News! Your support ensures the latest denominational news, dynamic stories and informative articles will continue to connect our global community. Make a tax-deductible donation at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now
Social Concerns
The Rev. Dr. Sheron C. Patterson. Photo courtesy of the author.

A United Methodist call to healthy aging

The United Methodist Church should serve as a model for healthy aging and caregiving. “It is not simply a healthcare issue. It is a discipleship issue,” writes retired pastor.
Disaster Relief
Lahaina United Methodist Church on Maui lost its sanctuary in the deadly Maui wildfires, but its congregation never lost its faith. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

3 years after wildfire, hope spreads in Lahaina

The sanctuary is gone, but the congregation never stopped gathering. At Lahaina United Methodist Church, faith, volunteers and a vision for the future are helping a community rebuild.
Global Health
Jean Tshomba, coordinator of the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Disaster Management Office in Eastern Congo, turns on the tap of a new rainwater cistern in Kibumba, Congo, as Dr. Damas Lushima (wearing a blue hat), team members and a young girl from the village look on. With funding from UMCOR, 24 rainwater collection tanks were installed to  provide vital access to safe drinking water in this remote village, which is devoid of surface water sources and weakened by recent population displacements. Photo by Jolie Shabani, UM News.

Church installs rainwater tanks in isolated Congolese village

More than 600 households now have access to clean water through a project funded by the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2026 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved