wfn.org | Maine Church Helps Dakotas People

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (179
notes).

Note 178 by UMNS on June 23, 1997 at 15:39 Eastern (3196 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Ralph E. Baker                          366(10-71B){178}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615)742-5470             June 23, 1997

Helping Dakotas disaster victims
brings Maine church back to life

by Donna Fisher*

     Cartons of cleaning supplies, cash, goods and gifts continue
to flow into the Red River valley but few shipments were as
personal as those labeled "DEEDS-Down East Emergency Donations." 
     The Rev. Steven Loan of Winter Harbor, Maine, wrote to the
Rev. James Persons, pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church,
Grand Forks, N.D., "We are sending this letter along with the cash
collected ... to let you know who we are and to tell you how God
has worked in our lives."
     Loan told how Gouldsboro, a 34-member church on his Schoodic
Circuit, closed last November when worship attendance dropped to
three. Loan was persuaded to hold Easter services, however, and 11
people came.  Then came national news about the Red River flooding
and finally the Grand Forks disaster.
     "We realized we could do something even though we were small
in size," wrote Loan. Members contacted UMCOR, got a supply list
and began collecting; soon the other churches on the circuit --
Prospect Harbor with 44 members and North Sullivan with 32 members
-- joined the effort.
     They got larger stores such as the local Walmart to act as
collection points; sent letters to 32 area churches; involved
community groups, a 4-H club and local grammar schools.  
     "The Day care section of a local nursing home held a car wash
and collected $69," Loan wrote. "It was such a great sight to see
them sitting in their wheel chairs spraying cars while the nurses
scrubbed the cars."
     For four weeks cash and supplies came in from these little
United Methodist Churches. Gouldsboro members contacted Service
Master headquarters; because of their efforts 23 Service Master
distributors around the nation each contributed $200 worth of
supplies.  The final project on May 24 was a Bean Supper, a Down
East phenomenon, according to Loan.
     "We are sending  23 cartons of supplies from the UMCOR list
of needs ... [and] a check for $600 for you to use as you see fit. 
These come with our love and hopes that life will return to normal
for you as soon as possible. " UPS shipped the cartons to Grand
Forks free of charge.
     Is that the end of what Pastor Loan called the "Maine to
Midwest" Connection?" He wrote, "While we started this project as
a way to help others, we have been greatly blessed by the Lord in
the process. Our little church has come alive again. We have had
as many as 35 at worship, two baptisms, and five people signed up
to join."
     The Gouldsboro, Maine, congregation said they want to stay in
touch with Wesley Church as a sister congregation. "We have
learned what it means to be a church ... to be a congregation of
God's children doing the Lord's work in the  world."

                              #  #  #

     * Fisher is editor of "Dakotas Connection."

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