By: Christa Meland

Because of the generosity of Minnesota United Methodist churches, more than 160 families will receive a cleaning kit to help them after a natural disaster, 400 students will receive a school kit as they begin studies this fall, some women will be gifted a layette kit to help care for their newborns, medical supplies and diapers will go to maternal clinics, and blankets and quilts will be distributed to those who need them. One fortunate person will even receive a treadle sewing machine.
 
Twenty-five congregations throughout the state donated 6,000 pounds worth of supplies to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) earlier this month as part of a statewide collection effort—the second one in the last few months.
 
The latest collection was in response to an urgent call from the UMCOR and the Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC) in response to hurricanes in Louisiana and Haiti.
 
“It’s wonderful that many United Methodists in Minnesota are ready to quickly help out when a disaster occurs,” said Rev. Lyndy Zabel, Minnesota Conference director of community engagement. “They never hesitate to give of themselves generously and help those in need.”
 
On Sept. 20 and 21, Zabel drove a truck to designated collection sites around the conference: Park UMC in Brainerd, Coon Rapids UMC, Chatfield UMC, and Hope UMC in Blue Earth. A representative from MMDC, a hub for UMCOR relief supply collection and distribution, then met Zabel to pick up the supplies that had been donated from around the state and take them to MMDC in Pawnee, Illinois.
 
Thank you to these churches for donating supplies and healing a broken world in tangible ways:

Brooklyn UMC
Caledonia UMC
Chatfield UMC
Community UMC (Columbia Heights)
Coon Rapids UMC
Elk River UMC
Epworth UMC (Minneapolis)
Fairmont UMC
Forest Hills UMC (Forest Lake)
Good Samaritan UMC (Edina)
Harmony UMC
Hennepin Avenue UMC (Minneapolis)
Hilltop UMC (Mankato)
Hope UMC (Blue Earth)
Hubbard UMC
Le Sueur UMC
Mabel UMC
Messiah UMC (Plymouth)
Newburg UMC
Park UMC (Brainerd)
Path of Grace UMC (Maplewood)
Peace UMC (North Oaks)
Resurrection UMC (Hastings)
Stewartville UMC
White Bear Lake UMC
 
“We are making a difference in the lives of persons in need,” said Zabel. “Thanks for helping to heal a too-often broken world in all the ways you can, at all the times you can, and in all the places you can!”

Christa Meland is director of communications for the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.