wfn.org | Burned Churches 2

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

CONTACT: Linda Bloom				    (10-21-71B){180}
		New York (212) 870-3803			 March 25, 1998

NOTE: This story accompanies two other UMNS articles, #178 and #179.

United Methodist volunteers
help reconstruct burned churches

		by United Methodist News Service

After Gay's Hill Baptist Church in Millen, Ga., burned to the ground in
March 1996, United Methodists became a large part of the reconstruction
effort.
	They coordinated volunteers and on-site construction, provided
money for administrative expenses, and arrived in teams to do the actual
work.
United Methodist Bishop Richard Looney, South Georgia Conference, was a
featured speaker during the July 19-20, 1997, dedication services in the
new sanctuary.
Today, after the project's completion, an ongoing relationship has
evolved between Gay's Hill and two nearby United Methodist churches,
according to Joe Hamilton.
Hamilton coordinates the denomination's volunteer work with burned
churches through the Southeastern Jurisdiction Office of Volunteers in
Mission (VIM).
Gay's Hill is only one of the congregations that has received VIM teams
since September 1996, when the United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR) asked the office for its assistance.
The National Council of Churches' Burned Churches Project initially
designated three churches as United Methodist rebuilding projects, but a
number of others have now received some sort of assistance from the
denomination, according to Hamilton.
"We do what's possible in the best way we can," he said. "We end up
connecting in a lot of diverse ways."
The interest in helping burned-out congregations rebuild is so great
that more than 80 teams of United Methodist volunteers had been placed
as of March.
The appeal is simple. "It's brothers and sisters helping brothers and
sisters," Hamilton explained. "If you burn one church, you burn them
all."
But volunteers can't do their work unless money is available to buy
materials and pay for necessary costs, such as architects' drawings and
filing fees.
"There are a number of places where we could be more involved if the
funds were there," Hamilton added.
The rebuilding efforts often involve cooperating with other
denominations. United Methodist volunteers, for example, helped in the
construction of Spring Hill AME Church in Dillon, S.C., a project
coordinated by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.
Other churches that have received United Methodist assistance in
rebuilding include Rocky Point Missionary Baptist Church in McComb,
Miss.; Rosemary Baptist Church in Barnwell, S.C.; South Richland Bible
Way Church in Gadsden, S.C.; New Hope Baptist Church in Seattle, Wash.;
Mt. Olive Full Gospel Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ga.; Long Suffering
Full Gospel Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Miss.; Avenue M
Church of God in Christ in Birmingham, Ala.; and Apostle Faith Church of
Jesus in Indiantown, Fla. 
Construction is nearly complete at Pleasant Ridge United Methodist
Church in Pulaski, Tenn., which burned down on Palm Sunday in 1997.
Because of United Methodist efforts ranging from the local to national
level, the congregation is now worshipping in its new sanctuary.
For information on volunteering, call the Southeastern Jurisdiction
office at (404) 659-5060.
				# # #

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
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