Amarillo heat
This graphic from Climate Center shows the temperature increase in Amarillo, Texas, over the past few years. Amarillo is in the Northwest Texas Annual Conference. (Climate Center Graphic)
Sobering news for the end of our first week of 2022:
From The Guardian: “Covid-19 hospitalizations among children in the US are soaring, fueled by the Omicron variant and the holidays, and adding pressure to already-strained health systems and schools.” According to the online news site, an “average of 672 children are being hospitalized every day in the US as of 2 January ….”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommend that children as young as 12 receive the Pfizer COVID booster, according to NPR.
In Chicago, public school classes were shut down again Jan. 5 as administrators and the teachers’ union failed to agree on COVID-19 safety protocols, The Guardian reported. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports: “Omicron surge vexes parents of children too young for shots.”
Disaster follow-ups from UM News
Our colleagues at UM News did a fine job this week following up on recent disasters. Here verbatim are their links to ongoing stories:
Churches step up after Marshall fire
DENVER — United Methodists are stepping up after the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and businesses. Colorado Public Radio has the story of how Highlands United Methodist Church is helping the Bovens, who lost their home and all of their possessions. Mountain Sky Conference Bishop Karen P. Oliveto shared how churches are providing shelter and how others can help with prayers, financial donations and fire buckets.
Colorado Public Radio: 'What was important was life'
To donate to the United Methodist Committee on Relief
Bishop visits storm survivors
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Bishop Leonard Fairley visited storm-damaged areas in Kentucky, and children from a local church collected 95 activity boxes to help salvage Christmas for youngsters who were impacted by the deadly tornadoes. The bishop's stops included Bowling Green, Madisonville and Dawson Springs. Alan Wild reports.
Big gift for tornado recovery efforts
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The McKendree Village Foundation has donated $100,000 to the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference for disaster recovery after December tornadoes devastated the region. Nashville Area Bishop Bill McAlilly accepted the check, saying the money would have an immediate impact on many people affected by the twisters.
UMCOR worked across the globe in 2021
ATLANTA — Emergencies in the U.S., Haiti, Afghanistan and other parts of the world kept the United Methodist Committee on Relief busy in 2021. UMCOR also awarded more than 30 U.S. churches with Mustard Seed Migration Grants for one-time, community-based service projects. Christie R. House has the story.
Your church’s disaster risk
A new analysis from the Washington Post has found that 40% of Americans live in places hit by climate disasters last year. Reviewing the news briefs above shows that United Methodist churches are located in those regions, where fires, floods, hurricanes, storms and other extreme weather occurred in 2021. For example, more than 80% of Americans experienced a heat wave, and United Methodist congregations can be found in nearly all 3,000 counties in the USA.
The Post’s “The 7” newsletter writes, “What this shows: The effects of climate change are becoming more severe and widespread and will probably get worse.”
UMW monthly webinar to focus on public transit
“Women on the Move: Equity & Climate Justice in Public Transit” will be the theme for United Methodist Women’s Monthly Just Energy for All Strategy and Capacity Building Session. The next session is schedule 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. Click here to register.
New type of roofing serves as solar cells
Attention, church trustees! Here’s an encouraging piece of climate change mitigation news from the Washington Post:
“Starting Monday (Jan. 10), one of the largest roofing companies in the United States will be selling a new solar shingle product. The aim is to drive the cost of installation down and the rate of solar adoption up.
“’What we’ve done is we’ve created a shingle that has solar properties,’” said Martin DeBono, president of GAF Energy, which is a sibling company of GAF, a roofing manufacturer with a network of more than 10,000 contractors across the country. ‘While someone is getting a new roof, we can offer them a solar roof.’
“… The top half is nailed to the roof, while the bottom half overlaps the previous solar shingle and remains exposed. The outward-facing section of a solar shingle is made of photovoltaic cells, rather than asphalt. The panels collect energy and then transfer it through wires on the end of each shingle that daisy-chain together.
“Rooftop solar on small buildings could theoretically meet a quarter of electricity demand in the United States, a 2016 assessment from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found.”
If your church needs a new roof, this product could be worth checking out.
Media Mentions as of Jan. 5, 2022
Bread Shed gives away food, clothing, diapers and now bikes - Daily American Republic
Can a Christian flag fly at city hall? The Supreme Court will have to decide – The Conversation