Clay Whitaker - Here's an urgent update on needs.

Greetings in the name of Christ. Here's an urgent update on needs.

First, many thanks to those who have so quickly responded by bringing bottled water to Vidor. Two deliveries will be made. The first load leaves early Saturday morning for Baton Rouge. The second goes Sunday afternoon and will be taken by our D.S., Dr. Richard Burnham, and me. He felt it important, since we are in this for the long haul, that we establish some face-to-face contact with our UMCOR crew who are already on site.

Here's an update on Astrodome needs, which by now, also includes the George R. Brown Center, and perhaps one or two other sites. The vast majority of these displaced thousands are babies, preschoolers, the elderly, and the disabled. They are desperate for these supplies:

Similac baby, nipples, diapers ,baby wipe,s towels, socks
underwear, bottled water, femine hygiene, supplies adult depends,

Pastors, we need you to publish and call attention to these lists for this Sunday, Sept. 4. Early contributors, please get your supplies to Vidor first by 2 PM Monday afternoon. Dr. Burnham himself will take them to Houston. For those who can't meet that deadline, please help collect these items anyway. Subsequent runs to Houston will gladly be made, and the needs for these items will be ongoing.

One last item: our Bishop is requesting that all communion offerings be given to the Conference for Katrina relief. The Texas Conference has committed, for the period of Sept. 14 - 20, to provide meals and volunteers.

The 5 Houston Districts will each be responsible for one day. The remaining two days will be covered by the congregations of St. Luke's UMC and Windsor Village UMC. The best way for the remaining districts to help is with money...one million dollars ballpark!

May God's blessings by yours in abundance! Clay Whitaker