What It Means to Be a Reconciling Church
The people of Friendship United Methodist Church in Bolingbrook, a Reconciling community, aim to move from saying “all are welcome” to living “all are home.”
Posted: July 9 2025 at 09:13 PM
Author: Victoria Rebeck
Catastrophic flooding of the Guadalupe River near San Antonio, TX, over the Independence Day weekend has killed more than 118 people (including at least 27 children and staff at a girls’ camp), and over 160 people are believed to be missing, reported Associated Press on July 9. The result was a historic disaster in Kerr County and other Hill Country communities outside San Antonio.
Relief workers clear debris left by flood waters in the Texas Hill Country. (Photo by Amanda Banda)
“You can just feel the heaviness in this space,” said Rio Texas Conference Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey after worshiping with grieving members of First United Methodist Church in Kerrville, TX, on July 6. The church provided shelter to those washed out of their homes by floodwaters.
“And at the same time, we know that we serve alongside a God of hope, a God of possibility, a God that never leaves us or forsakes us, a God that is always promised to be with us,” the bishop said.
Everybody at Kerrville United Methodist, she said, knows at least someone who has experienced loss or is mourning for someone dear to them.
“There are lots of friends and families, a local soccer coach, other prominent figures in town, and whole families that were lost,” said the Rev. David Payne, First UMC’s senior pastor.
Northern Illinois United Methodists can aid recovery efforts by supporting United Methodist Committee on Relief's fund for U.S. disasters. Individuals should make donations payable to their church and designate them for UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response, Advance #901670. Churches may submit donations to the Northern Illinois Conference through the process they usually use to remit apportionment payments and mission donations.
UMCOR is one of the best ways to support disaster relief. One hundred percent of donations to a specific Advance fund is used for direct response. This is because United Methodists cover the necessary administrative costs by giving to the UMCOR Sunday offering.
After other organizations have left an area that suffered a disaster, UMCOR is still on site, helping with recovery.
The first on-site workers have been professionally trained. When authorities are ready to accept volunteers, the Northern Illinois Conference will announce this in its weekly eNews.
Find a message from Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey and worship resources here. Read about a nearby UMC church’s ministry with those affected.