If You Want to Understand Our United Methodist Connection...

I have been a Methodist from birth. For 55 and a half years, I have belonged to a family in which Methodist was part of its name. Never have I been more delighted to be a part of this family of faith than the past two days since I've been at Camp Hope in Mississippi working on a Katrina Recovery home.

If you want to understand our United Methodist connection, come to Camp Hope. Right now I'm sitting in the hallway, between the dorm-style rooms for men and women, that has t-shirts in a variety of technicolor dreamcoat colors hanging on the walls. Many of the t-shirts represent VIM teams from United Methodist churches who have come here to assist in the disaster relief following Hurricane Katrina. The names of their team members are listed on the shirts. Volunteers in Mission: Oneda, Greg, John, Shelley, Eric, Sandy, David, Lola... I don't know them personally; but what I do know is that they, like me, are a part of the Methodist family. We're connected to a man who claimed the world for his parish. We're connected to the Great Commission and Great Commandment. We're empowered by God's Spirit and sent out into the world. We're connected to Christians everywhere who do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.

If you want to understand our United Methodist connection, come to Camp Hope and be reminded of the work of UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which is still here in Mississippi, using its resources donated by churches across the denomination, after most of the other relief groups have gone.

If you want to understand our United Methodist connection, come to Camp Hope located behind VanCleave UMC. VanCleave and the other UM church on the charge (so sorry that I can't remember its name), which have about 150 persons attending between them, have 120 persons who are active in taking care of the mission teams which stay here. The members cook incredibly delicious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners five days a week for the teams; care for the bedding and towels; and a host of other things.

If you want to understand our United Methodist connection, come to Camp Hope and meet Dee, Jack, Steve, and the others on staff who are working daily to ensure that relief happens for those who are still waiting to have their homes rebuilt or remodeled and that each VIM team has a positive and fruitful experience.

If you want to understand our United Methodist connection, come to Camp Hope and see the t-shirts on the walls from churches from other denominations. Each team is welcomed and given the same downhome, Southern hospitality that United Methodist teams receive. Everyone gets the same melt in your mouth biscuits and sawmill gravy for breakfast!

If you want to understand our United Methodist connection, come to Camp Hope and listen as the two teams in for the week intermingle and take the time to get to know each other. In listening, understanding begins to take place.

Often we hear about the negatives that come with being a part of a denomination. I want you to hear the positive. The United Methodist connection is alive and well in the Katrina Recovery work in Mississippi. In fact, it is a vital part of it. When United Methodists are involved in living out our faith through works of compassion and justice, we can't help but connect.

This week, I'm enjoying the fruits of the connection. While our team doesn't have a t-shirt to add to the wall, we're going to put up a map of Delaware with a pic of Grace Church on it, and the names of each team member. We want others to know we are a part of such an amazing UM connection.

Just in case you think we might have forgotten, even though Neil isn't a UM, he's a vital part of our team and the connection. He is the reminder that the United Methodist circle is greater than just us: it includes all who follow Jesus Christ and share the name Christian.

New pics are posted on Facebook which can be accessed through the Grace Church website at www.gracechurchum.org.

Tomorrow is coming all too soon. Pray for our team as we go out on day three.

Sweet dreams.