{"id":16489,"date":"2017-11-08T12:28:52","date_gmt":"2017-11-08T20:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/?p=16489"},"modified":"2017-11-08T12:58:49","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T20:58:49","slug":"how-can-our-local-church-help-survivors-of-natural-disasters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/how-can-our-local-church-help-survivors-of-natural-disasters\/","title":{"rendered":"How can our local church help survivors of natural disasters?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Jesse N. Love<\/strong> with Rosalee Mohney<\/strong> and Jim Truitt<\/strong><\/p>\n

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An early November flurry of snow flows over Tacoma’s Proctor District.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tacoma, Wash<\/strong>. – On a snowy Sunday morning, Mason United Methodist Church<\/strong><\/a> in Tacoma opened its doors to two of the PNW Conference\u2019s dedicated leadership for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission<\/strong>,<\/a> Jim Truitt<\/strong> and Rosalee Mohney<\/strong>. Truitt serves as disaster response coordinator while Mohney serves as wildfires UMVIM coordinator for the Conference.<\/p>\n

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Jim Truitt and Rosalee Mohney of UMVIM presented Sunday’s message at Mason UMC. Both introduced the work they do and the current state of disaster response ministries targeting areas affected by wildfires and recent hurricanes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Both shared the scope of their work and the need for more volunteers in recovery for victims of the 2014\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>& 2015\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>Okanogan wildfires, southeast hurricanes<\/strong><\/a>, and California wildfires.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe covenant to pray with one another, lifting prayers for transformation and change. We are better together than alone and can do all things through Christ who strengthens us,\u201d shares Mohney, reading from the resource \u201cA Mission Journey: A Handbook for Volunteers\u201d.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Following service, the congregation of Mason UMC was interested in learning much about volunteering opportunities with VIMs. Some asked about how to raise funding for sending teams, others simply were curious about the experience and skills necessary to be a part of the effort.<\/p>\n

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Members of Mason UMC view a video presentation by Jim Truitt and Rosalee Mohney sharing the lasting effects from the Washington Wildfires of 2014 & 2015.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Truitt and Mohney further detailed the current needs in Okanogan County:<\/p>\n