wfn.org | UMNS# 05057-Annual conferences,

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Annual conferences, local church respond to needs in Indonesia

Jan. 24, 2005	 News media contact:   Tim  Tanton * (615) 7425470*
Nashville {05057}

NOTE: Photographs and related coverage, UMNS stories #056 and #058, are
available at http://umns.umc.org.

By J. Richard Peck*

SAN DIEGO (UMNS) - United Methodists in Indiana and Missouri will be
raising money to reconstruct churches, community centers and clinics in
Indonesia following the Dec. 26 tsunami.

That response followed a report on a recent visit to Indonesia by the
Rev. R. Randy Day, top staff executive of the United Methodist Board of
Global Ministries, to members of the Connectional Table, which met Jan.
20-23.

After Day told of the need to rebuild churches in Banda Aceh and
Meulaboh, Bishop Michael Coyner of the Indiana Area pledged $150,000 to
rebuild a church/community center/clinic in Banda Aceh, where more than
92,000 people were killed by the Dec. 26 tsunami.

The Rev. Carl Schenck, pastor of the 3,500-member Manchester (Missouri)
United Methodist Church, and a member of the Connectional Table,
followed suit by pledging $50,000 of the $100,000 needed to build a
similar facility in Meulaboh where 80 percent of the town was destroyed
and the same percentage of the 50,000 residents were killed.

Asked if he had contacted leaders of the North and South Indiana Annual
(regional) conferences before making the pledge, Bishop Coyner told
United Methodist News Service that he made contact by e-mail. "I knew
our conferences had a long history of supporting missions, but I told
them I was sticking my neck out." Kevin McKinney, dean of the South
Indiana Conference, wrote back, "We won't let you stick your neck out
alone."

Coyner increased his initial pledge from $50,000 to $150,000 to cover
the entire cost of rebuilding the facility. He noted that St. Luke's
United Methodist Church in Indianapolis had already raised $50,000 to
aid tsunami survivors.

Schenck said his congregation had already raised $37,000 and he was
confident the congregation would raise the additional $13,000. He hoped
another congregation would pledge the additional $50,000 needed to
complete the building in Meulaboh. He said the church already has a
relationship with a congregation in Mozambique and has given $8,000 to
dig a well for the Mabumbuza community.

Day said the building of the two structures provides a way to address
the medical needs of the two communities and the buildings will become
centers of hope and direct services. He further hopes the churches will
provide an open environment for Muslim-Christian dialogue.

Day also urged churches to provide medicine boxes for 8,600 people
living in displaced-persons camps (contents and process are online at
gbgm-umc.org/health/medbox/). "Our goal is to supply these camps with
medicines as long as the camps are in use," Day said.

"As fuller assessments are done, (the Board of Global Ministries) and
the UM Committee on Relief will share multiple opportunities for the
wider church," said Bishop Joel Martinez, president of the Board of
Global Ministries and a member of the Connectional Table.

# # #

*Peck, a clergy member of the United Methodist Church's New York Annual
(regional) Conference, is a correspondent for United Methodist News
Service. He served as the staff person for the General Council on
Ministries' writing team that prepared the Connectional Table
legislation for the 2004 General Conference.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org