Dear St. Paul’s Family,
The apostle Paul begins his second letter to the church in Corinth with the notion that when anyone in the body of Christ suffers, it is a joint suffering with the whole Christian community:
If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation. (2 Corinthians 1:6-7)
As we continue to watch fellow residents of Iowa clean up and recover from devastating storms and floods around the state, we are reminded that all of us share the mutual burdens of suffering and consolation.
From July 28-30, members of this church will be heading to the Cedar Rapids area to assist in the recovery efforts. We are grateful for the many ways that people in this church and in this community have come together to put these plans together. Holzhauer Motors is donating a 15-passenger van for us to transport personnel and supplies. HyVee Drugstore has donated supplies for a first-aid kit. We are partnering with Morningside College in Sioux City and led by the Rev. Kathy Olson, who is a trained leader with the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission. Many of you have already contributed many items for the trip. We are coming together as a church and community, to join in the consolation of those in need.
If you would still like to help, there are a number of ways to take part:
1. Join us on the team. We will primarily be responsible for debris removal, and we are in particular need of men who can assist with larger items. While our trip is scheduled for three days, you can come for just a day or two, depending on your schedule. Volunteers need to be at least 14 years old to participate and a recent tetanus shot (within the last five years) is required.
2. Make a financial contribution towards the team’s cost for the trip. We can certainly use assistance in paying for gas, meals, and supplies needed to do our work. Make your checks payable to the church and designate them for the “Storm Relief Team.”
3. Donate or loan out any of the following items that we will need for our work. Note that at this time, clothing and food donations for the victims are not advised.
Items for the Team:
- Monetary contributions for gas, food, and supplies
- Bottled water
- Hand sanitizer
- Airbeds w/pump
Items for Debris Removal:
- Grain Shovels
- Utility knives and blades
- Wheel Barrow
- Hammers
- Dolly
- Extension cords/power strips
- Construction garbage bags
- Shop-vac with dust bags and for water removal
- Reciprocating saw (battery powered helpful)
- Tape measures
- Jig saw
- Assorted tapes (electric/duct/plumbers)
- Floor squeegee
- Carpet knives and blades
- Crow bars
- Sledge Hammers
- Drop Lights
- Push brooms/dustpans
- Drills (battery powered helpful)
- Skill Saw
- Step ladders/work platforms
- 4 or 6 ft levels
- Chalk/chalk lines
- Assorted screws/nails
Items for Cleaning (a.k.a “flood buckets”)
- 5-gallon bucket with resealable lid
- Bleach (two 1-quart or one 82 oz. bottle. Do not include bleach if you are shipping the bucket through the US Postal Service, UPS or FedEx)
- 5 scouring pads
- 7 Sponges
- 1 scrub brush
- 18 cleaning towels (reusable wipes)
- Liquid laundry detergent (two 25 oz. or one 50 oz. bottle)
- 1 household cleaner, 12-16 oz. bottle
- Disinfectant dish soap, 16-28 oz. bottle
- 50 clothes pins
- Clothes line (two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.)
- 5 dust masks
- 2 pair latex gloves
- 1 pair work gloves
- 24-bag roll of heavy-duty trash bags, 33-45 gallon (remove roll from box before placing in bucket)
- 1 Insect repellant spray, 6-14 oz. can (If aerosol, cans must have protective caps. See Special Requirements below.)
- 1 Air freshener, 8 or 9 oz. can (If aerosol, cans must have protective caps.)
For regular updates on recovery efforts throughout the state, visit the conference website at iaumc.org.
Together, let us fulfill Paul’s call to share in the suffering and the consolation of others.
It’s still great to be the church!
Magrey
The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org
PSALM SERIES CONCLUSION
This Sunday is the last in our sermon series on the Psalms, and we conclude with a sermon on trust based on Psalm 121. These words have reminded generations of Christians of the power and provision of God in times of need. Come to church this Sunday with whatever burdens you are carrying, and join others in receiving the comforting words of this passage. This would be an excellent service to invite a family member or friend you know who is dealing with difficulties in their lives.
Psalm 121:1-8
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.
MEN’S EVENT AT ST. PAUL’S
We are hosting a gathering of United Methodist Men from around the district this Saturday, July 19, from 2:00-5:00pm. All men in the church are invited to attend. Volunteers are needed for parking, greeting, providing refreshments (snacks or desserts), and serving in the kitchen during the break. Please let the church office know of your availability.
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