Congregations meet in tornado-torn town

By ROXANA HEGEMAN,

Associated Press Writer

Sun May 13, 7:38 PM ET

Church leaders on Sunday told more than 3,000 residents, volunteers and disaster workers gathered in this tornado-ravaged community they should not fear the future because God was with them.

The non-denominational service marked the first time the congregations have worshipped in Greensburg since a May 4 tornado destroyed more than 90 percent of the south-central Kansas town and killed nine people.

Tears and hugs were common as many residents saw each other for the first time since the tornado. Volunteers passed out flowers to mothers in honor of Mother's Day.

"We are a scattered, dispersed community. But the Lord Jesus is our redeemer and is with us. 'Do not fear for I am with you,' says the Lord," said Rev. Gene McIntosh, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Greensburg.

Tim Henning, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Greensburg, likened the city's plight to that of Job in the Bible, whom God tested by taking away everything he loved but who kept his faith through it all: "We are like him, we lost everything," he said.

Henning reminded residents that God was still with them.

The congregations held hands as Willard Olinger, the elderly pastor of Faith Tabernacle, reassured them that Greensburg will be rebuilt, even if it is not within his lifetime.

Greensburg, Kansas

These pictures tell a story without words.

Whoever heard of Greensburg, Kansas until this weekend? I hadn't. Did anyone think there could be devastation like Katrina did again? Not many. But Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting of the Kansas National Guard said in some ways the damage is worse than Hurricane Katrina, because the entire city is in ruins. "There's no place to go to stage to rebuild," said Bunting, a nearly 30-year veteran of the Guard. "We'll have to create that."" The entire city in ruins. Gone. All the churches gone. Every business on Main Street was demolished, and the town’s fire engines were crushed. This morning one of my parishioners called in tears as she watched on TV the story of the Rev. Gene McIntosh. the Methodist Minister who lost everything. They were hit by an EF-5, Tornado, with winds estimated at 205 mph. Unbelievable. 10 dead. A early warning was given which probably saved many lives.

The rural homes of several members of the Trousdale United Methodist Church, which is in nearby Trousdale, also were destroyed as the same 1.3-1.7-mile-wide tornado that hit Greensburg cut a 22-mile swath across southwest Kansas.

On the following night, May 5, another tornado struck, killing two more people and damaging buildings, including the Trousdale church. Church members gathered at the building on Sunday morning, May 6, to salvage the altar, piano and some furniture. They plan to worship May 13 at the home of a member. The Rev. Elaine Lord, Trousdale pastor, said the congregation has a strong and positive spirit and is determined to go on.

UMCOR is providing on-site support through UMCOR disaster consultant Cherri Baer, who is working with Nancy Proffitt, Kansas West disaster response coordinator, to mobilize the response when volunteers are allowed into the community. As of May 7, access to Greensburg was limited to residents and a small number of disaster responders.
Plans are under way for United Methodist volunteers to staff a liquids trailer provided by the conference's Salina District, a hot foods trailer from the Hutchinson District and a tools trailer from the Wichita East District.

To contribute financially, drop checks in local United Methodist church offering plates with "UMCOR Domestic Disaster Advance #901670" written in the memo line or made payable to UMCOR and sent to UMCOR at P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068. Contributions also may be made online at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/work/emergencies/ or by calling (800) 554-8583.
To send checks to the Kansas Area Disaster Fund, make checks payable to Kansas West Conference and indicate "Area Disaster Fund" on the memo line. Mail to Kansas West Conference, 9440 E. Boston St., Suite 110, Wichita, KS 66207. Arrangements are being made for online donations.
To volunteer, visit the Kansas West Conference Web site at www.kswestumc.org or Kansas West Village at www.7villages.com/kansaswestconference.

The United Methodist response to the disaster began by mid-morning on the day after the first tornado hit. McIntosh and Lord were making calls to their parishioners, while the United Methodist Committee on Relief released an emergency grant of $10,000 to the denomination's Kansas West Annual (regional) Conference.

Kansas Area Bishop Scott J. Jones issued a special appeal for the Kansas Area Disaster Fund, asking area churches for special Sunday offerings as the severe weather season continues. Much of Kansas is also experiencing flooding as a super cell weather system continued to generate severe thunderstorms.

Prayers for those who lost family members. Prayers for those who lost their homes. Prayers for those who were injuried. Prayers for those responding to the disaster with aid and help.

Prayers for Greensberg citizens. Prayers for the Pastors who now comfort in the midst of their own loss.

Forced fast from the Internet

Hi all, I am sitting in our hotel room in Chattanooga, where finally I have internet access. We stopped here to cut our trip back home from the mountains in half. I took my computer with us to the mountains, thinking I remembered there was internet access at the place we stayed. But no there wasn't. And there were no cyber cafes near by. And you just don't run off to find a place to post on your blog in the middle of a Blizzard with category 3 hurricane winds. And you don't leave the kids while you do this. I guess I could have, but I didn't. So from Saturday until today, I have been off the internet, and I did not open the computer the whole time, until now. I have missed you all and blogging and all. It has been a strange quiet time, but I think I needed it. I'll blog more about the vacation and the internet-less experience later. But it is good to have been on vacation, and now to start back. I didn't preach last Sunday, and I don't preach tomorrow. I start back next week though.

Bad Weather All the Way Around

Well, yesterday was a really bad day in America for weather as you all probably already know by now. So far there are 20 dead as tornadoes hit Ga., Ala., Mo. My heart goes out to those whose family members and friends were killed yesterday. Being a parent, I am really upset about the deaths at the high school in Enterprise. (I hope the revgalblogpals in that area are okay, like Cathy knits, 1-4 Grace).

I had gone to a workshop in Birmingham on Dealing with Conflict in the church. I almost turned around in Muscle Shoals because the weather was so bad. As I listened to the radio, and heard that schools were closing I called Bob and asked about the girls. He said he hadn't heard anything. I went on, and the weather broke to no rain, no wind. Got to the Conference Center which is on Birmingham Southern Campus. Everybody's anxiety was up about the weather. (Some of the news weather men tend to over do it sometimes.) Schools were closing, the tv and radio was predicting really bad thunderstorms and tornadoes. We went on with the workshop and broke for lunch. One of the guys got off the phone and told us that they were predicting the storms would hit Bham by 2:30pm. I added up the hours and decided to head home, it takes about 2 hours or more to get home. So I left and called Bob to let him know I was headed home, and to find out about the girls. He said the schools still had not closed. Well, when I got home and the kids got home, we found out they had spent 2 hours in the basement during all the warnings and did basically nothing. Yep, how can you teach scared little kindergartners? You don't, you just try to keep them calm. When I found out about that, I called the Principal who said it was the call of the Superintendent, and I could call her, which I did. I was furious, that they knew ahead of time that the National Weather Center in Norman had issued a severe weather alert with the possibilities of 50 tornadoes nation wide. It is an alert that they don't make flippantly, it has meaning and purpose. The county schools and other just didn't have school. Their excuse was getting the kids on the buses and home. They could have done what the county schools did and had no school. I understand about the bus situation.

Well, right after that we learned about the Enterprise situation. I was even madder with our Superindentent. What if that had been our kids? It was somebody's kids. I predict legislation out of this. I predict an uprising from parents, and I may be one of them. In little ole Wadley they canceled schools if there were tornado alerts. I wonder how many more calls the Superindent got? I think I will be at the next school board meeting.

My prayers go out for parent, the teens, teachers, family members of the kids killed in Enterprise, and to those elsewhere.