Friends,

As you know, over this past weekend, many parts of our Annual Conference have experienced severe storms and historic flooding. In the wake of the violent weather, many in our mission field have lost their homes and more have been forced to relocate.  Tragically, lives have also been lost.
 
As United Methodists, we want to do all we can to show grace and mercy to those affected by the storms and floods. We are currently coordinating with our Conference Disaster Relief Coordinator, Eugene Hileman, our District Disaster Relief Coordinators, the District Superintendents and the United Methodist Committee on Relief to determine how we can best aid those in need. We are already delivering supplies in the form of flood buckets. Two Early Response Teams and one Chainsaw Team are currently working in Wimberley. We are now organizing more Early Response Teams and offering more Early Response Team trainings. Click Here to sign-up for the ERT training in Wimberley this Saturday. 
 
We know there is a great need, and we know there are many hands willing to help. We also don’t want to be in the way or obstruct the work of communities and agencies already on the ground. For most of us, here are some of the best ways we can be help:

• Pray. Pray for those who have lost family members, homes and livelihoods. Pray for those who are already offering assistance.
• Pack. We will need more flood buckets, and we will need to resupply our warehouse with flood buckets for the future.
• Give. Your church can take an offering and designate it for the Conference Disaster Relief Fund. These funds will be spent to aid directly the victims of the floods and storms in the Rio Texas Conference.

You can find more information on how you can help on our website at RioTexas.org. Keep up-to-date with the relief efforts by clicking here. 
 
Our God is a God who speaks order over the waters of chaos, who brings calm to the storms of life. While we offer our hands, feet and money to aid those in need, we will also trust in God to bring peace and calm to our communities.
 

Bishop James E. Dorff
Rio Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church