Through connectionalism, quick work, volunteers and a generator, the food pantry at Transformation Community UMC in Harvey was able to stay open after loosing power.

The work of God through our United Methodist’s Connectionalism was in full effect the week of July 15^th when the thunderstorm stuck through Transformation Community United Methodist Church (TCUMC) in Harvey, Illinois. TCUMC is at the center and heart of the community in location and with missions and ministry. Those in the community are reliant on the resources we bring for spiritual needs, prayers, resources for social change, economic relief, community improvement, and revitalization. We are at the core of serving the impoverished neighborhood of Harvey.

On Monday, July 15th, the storm brought down the post and the powerline across the church’s parking lot, causing the church, along with many of its neighbors, to be without electricity. As unsafe and problematic as it was to lose the power and to have a potentially live power line on the ground already, we faced the additional problem of many of our neighbors who are reliant on our Food Pantry going without food for the week.

At TCUMC, we receive over 6,000 pounds of perishable and non-perishable food each week from Greater Chicago Food Depository and serve over one hundred twenty families who are in great need. Many rely on our food pantry for sustenance and household needs we provide, serving with dignity and respect. This is also the church many who come to the Food Pantry come to worship and are coming a part of the ministries in the recent months. With the concern of the safety in operation and the challenge of keeping the food safe, we immediately went to work finding a solution.

NIC Disaster Response Coordinator Colin Monk and TCUMC volunteers ensured the generator was working to provide power for the much-needed food pantry.

Jesus quelled this storm with support from our Northern Illinois Conference. NIC’s support staff, Dwayne Jackson, Director of Risk Management & Ministry Protection (Insurance) and Rev.  Fabiola Grandon-Mayer, Director of Connectional Ministries,  responded quickly and procured the funds through Solidarity Grant from UMCOR for the purchase of the power generators. Our Northern Illinois Conference’s Disaster Relief team, headed by Colin Monk, was dispatched to TCUMC immediately. Our dedicated Food Pantry coordinator, Donna Owens, and TCUMC volunteers moved swiftly to work through the challenges through generators, flood lights, and many adjustments.

With everyone’s swift response and coordination, we did not miss a beat in caring for and serving those who are in need. We are grateful for all who diligently, passionately, and compassionately seek to serve all God’s people with the resources that we have. We were without electricity but were not without Power. This is God providing through all God’s passionate and compassionate people.

This is Connectionalism.