Carrying Christ, Offering Hope
Our friends and neighbors in Covington are hurting this morning. Folks are mourning this morning, worried about what was, what is, or what will come. In our scripture for Palm Sunday, we hear the cries of hosanna. Hosanna essentially means “save us.” People are looking for a Messiah to save them. Jesus is proclaimed as the one to save, the one to rescue, the one to heal. But we in our day read that in a different light. We can hear a different tone from our neighbors in Covington. Cries of hosanna, up the road, carry tears with them. And there are things we can do to show up, to hear those cries, and simply be there.
On April 2, after worship, about 25 youth and adults went to Covington to carry donated supplies from this congregation and to volunteer our time and hands. This congregation (in less than a day) gathered two truckloads of supplies and materials that were requested by the response team in Covington. This effort was one that spanned all generations of Munford FUMC, while adults supplied emergency supplies, our students were busy in the kitchen preparing hot dogs to take to the many volunteers who heard the call to action. This was an immediate way to offer Christ to our hurting community in Tipton County.
We know in disaster situations, aid over time that immediately shows up will slow down. It will start to withdraw. But we at Munford First United Methodist Church are just down the road! This isn't a long distance to travel. These are our neighbors. We have the opportunity to be there for others who are hurting. Our community, our congregation has an opportunity to do something. And so in the days, and weeks, and months ahead, we simply get to be the donkey in the story that carried Jesus to Jerusalem. We simply get to carry Jesus, for a little while down the road. We get to offer Christ to those who are hurting, to those who are looking for some sort of salvation. Christ, in this moment, might look more like a bottle of water, some cleaning supplies, or a helping hand to the folks who are hurting. Might we also continue to pray for those who are suffering as well.
Over the next several weeks and months, we as a congregation will continue to have many conversations about our best ways to respond and how to support ongoing recovery efforts. If you are looking for ways to give or support our neighbors who have been affected by the storms and tornadoes, we will continue to gather supplies at the Church and will remain aware of what is being asked for. You can also contribute to TWK Disaster Response online, send contributions to the Church office with UMCOR or TWK Disaster response in the memo line, or send checks to the annual conference office: TWK Disaster Response, 304 S. Perimeter Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37211.
So in this moment, let us fulfill our calling, let us hear the cries of Hosanna, cries for help, and be Jesus to our neighbors.
