Iowa Derecho Damage
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa, AUG. 11 – A field of flattened corn stands in front of damaged grain bins at the Key Cooperative grain elevator. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said that early estimates indicate that 10 million acres, or nearly a third of the state's crop land was damaged in a powerful storm that battered the region a day earlier. The Iowa Annual Conference is preparing assessments for disaster response. The extreme storms, called an "inland hurricane" by meterologists, are the result of the global climate crisis. (Photo by Daniel Acker/Getty Images)
This lead paragraph from the Climate Beat newsletter tells today’s tale:
“Today, a wildfire is raging in Colorado, forcing home evacuations and closing part of the Interstate near Grand Junction. In the Midwest on Monday, powerful ‘Derecho’ storms ripped through several states, with 100-mile-an-hour winds downing power lines, depriving 1 million people of electricity, and flattening one third of Iowa’s corn. On the East Coast, Hurricane Isaias killed power in communities up and down the seaboard last week and whipped up dozens of tornadoes in its wake. In China, there have been floods; in Sudan, also floods; and in Russia, Siberia continues to burn.”
In addition to these events, Climate Beat overlooked the collapse of a large portion of Canada’s last ice shelf, a result of the Arctic heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world. United Methodists are linked to all these events and more in many ways.
A weekly publication of Covering Climate Now, Climate Beat continues:
“In 2020, there is simply no excuse for [media] continuing to make this basic mistake [of not reporting severe weather events’ links to the climate crisis], a mistake that has plagued media coverage of extreme weather for many years. The effects of climate change are too obvious. The stakes are too high. When we cover these events and only note the damage done, we might serve audiences’ curiosity. But if we really mean to serve the public, we need to tell the whole story.”
Covering Climate Logo
United Methodist Insight is one of some 400-plus media outlets worldwide collaborating to “tell the whole story” through the Covering Climate Now initiative, founded by the Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation. Our participation means we agree editorially with CCNow’s purpose: “At CCNow, we believe climate change is a defining issue in this fall’s elections, at all levels of government.”
Insight is seeking faith-based creation care articles for CCNow’s “joint coverage week,” Sept. 21 to 28. In particular we’re looking for youths and young adults, especially first-time voters, to speak to their views and visions on the climate crisis. If you or a climate advocate you know would like to contribute to the coverage in text, video, or photos, please email me. I know that the crises are overwhelming, but as writer James Baldwin said, we can’t change what we don’t face.
Women are leading the way
While the United States flutters and flusters over the historic naming of Sen. Kamala Harris, a Black/South Asian American woman, as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, a broader view shows that in this time of global crises, women around the world are taking to the streets to protest injustice and advocate on behalf of human welfare.
The Lily newsletter, affiliated with the Washington Post, published a photo essay Aug. 12, 7 images of protest from 7 countries. The photos are an encouraging look at the ways that women are demonstrating together about crisis issues such as:
- better pay and health protections for COVID-19 contact tracers in India;
- femicide and domestic violence in Turkey;
- solidarity with Beirut in the aftermath of two explosions that have devastated part of the city in Lebanon;
- more financial support in Germany for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic;
- the third postponement of the upcoming presidential election in Bolivia;
- Black Lives Matter in the United States and countries around the world.
Besides subscribing to women-focused newsletters such as The Lily, United Methodists need only look to the denomination’s own organization, United Methodist Women, for inspiration and education as we continue to address the systemic sins that the coronavirus pandemic has uncovered.
UMW has been at the forefront of advocating for women, children and youths for more than 150 years. The organization began when a group of Methodist women in Boston raised money to send a female physician, Dr. Clara Swain, to India to treat women there. At that time, Indian law forbade women to see male physicians, effectively cutting them off from health care. The Boston women’s missionary society became the forerunner of today’s United Methodist Women.
With its long history of effective advocacy, UMW has been able to pivot successfully to the twin crises of COVID-19 and systemic U.S. racism. For example, its latest Action Alert urges UMW members to contact their senators to consider the urgent needs of families, women and children as the new economic stimulus package is debated. In addition, building on its anti-racist heritage, UMW was one of the first agencies to sign on to the Council of Bishops’ Dismantling Racism initiative.
If your congregation lacks a UMW unit, consider starting one soon. Meanwhile, check out the plethora of resources offered on the UMW website, and take a look at how the organization works in the report on recent UMW elections.
When the story is told of how the world responded to the crises of 2020 and beyond, United Methodist Women will be among the foremost organizations that proved ready for the challenge.
UMCOR offering help in Beirut
The Northern Illinois Conference newsletter reports: “A blast that has killed more than 150 people and injured another 5,000 to-date has also left an estimated 300,000 displaced from their homes in Beirut, according to Reuters. Longtime ministry partners who live and work in Lebanon are being offered assistance by UMCOR to help meet the most immediate and basic needs of those affected by the explosion. … Click to donate.”
Pew survey: Some more open to in-person worship
A new survey from the Pew Research Center shows that Republicans and Democrats differ in their responses to the coronavirus pandemic, with Republicans more open to in-person worship, but most oppose religious exemptions from COVID restrictions. Adherents of both parties say religious institutions should be made to follow the same public health rules as the rest of the population (see graphic).
Another new Pew Research Center survey finds that “U.S. adults overwhelmingly say houses of worship should be required to follow the same rules about social distancing and large gatherings as other organizations or businesses in their local area. About eight-in-ten Americans (79%) take this position, four times the share who think houses of worship should be allowed more flexibility than other kinds of establishments when it comes to rules about social distancing (19%).”
Media Mentions as of Aug. 12, 2020
Giving up on God: The global decline of religion – Foreign Affairs
8 Steps for Moving from Protest Moment to Social Action Movement – Leading Ideas, Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Seeing removal of statues as “doing no harm” – UM News
AU health care grads on COVID-19 front lines – UM News
AU Health Workers
Allen S.D. Zomonway (right), a registered nurse and Ganta United Methodist Hospital administrator, reviews drug stocks with staff in the hospital pharmacy. During the pandemic, the Africa University graduate ensures that all hospital employees wear masks and take other necessary precautions. (Photo courtesy of Africa University via UM News).