Churches open doors to people fleeing hurricane

Southwest Texas United Methodists opened their church doors to hurricane evacuees last month for the second time in three weeks.
Hurricane Rita, which made landfall Sept. 23 near the Texas-Louisiana border, drove millions of people from the Houston area into Southwest Texas Sept. 22 and 23.
United Methodist churches along evacuation routes from Victoria and the Gulf Coast to Austin and San Antonio provided sleeping space, food and—in some cases—gasoline to weary travelers.
First UMC, Victoria, fed about 125 people Sept. 22 before city officials ordered the area evacuated.
Some 60 people had spent the night at First UMC, Seguin, Sept. 22, said the Rev. Lonnie Phillips, senior pastor. Visitors came from Bay City, Baytown, East Bernard, Victoria and other communities near the Gulf Coast.

UM churches provide shelter, food to Rita evacuees
Besides a place to sleep, the Seguin congregation was providing three meals a day. The church fed or housed about 175 people over several days, said Lay Leader Judy Johnson.
First UMC, Gonzales, sheltered 225 people Sept. 22. The Rev. Jay Brown, pastor, and Bill Meadows serenaded the crowd with “Jalisco.”
Cathedral Oaks Retreat and Conference Center near Weimar provided housing Sept. 22 to more than 75 adults, many children and several pets, reported George White, Victoria District program director.
St. Paul UMC, Columbus, housed a few evacuees, fed many others and provided gasoline to travelers running low. Church members siphoned fuel from their cars and lawnmowers to help evacuees, Pastor Charles Purnell said.
First UMC, Shiner, took in some 300 evacuees Sept. 22. That total included 89 residents of Twin Pines Nursing Home, Victoria, and more than 40 other residents and staff members from a Bay City nursing home, Pastor Joe McManus said.
“Beginning late Wednesday night, buses from the nursing home and wheelchair-accessible buses from Victoria Independent School District arrived carrying residents,” McManus said. “Two semitrailers arrived at the Shiner Nursing and Rebab, bringing food to prepare for their stay. Staff arrived with them, bringing all their medical supplies, records, bedding and other supplies.”
Seventeen members of Gethsemane Hispanic Church in Houston and their pastor spent the night Sept. 22 in their cars in the parking lot of Los Angeles Heights UMC, San Antonio. The church is near an exit on Interstate 10 west of downtown San Antonio.
When the Rev. Melanie Welsh, Los Angeles Heights pastor, discovered the group the next morning, she arranged for the visitors to stay Sept. 23 in the hostel at nearby Jefferson UMC.
First UMC, Junction—about 110 miles northwest of San Antonio along Interstate 10—welcomed 97 evacuees Sept. 22 and referred about 30 more to First Baptist Church.
Seventy-three stayed at the United Methodist church, said the Rev. Scott Bradford, pastor. Eleven others went to Department of Housing and Urban Development housing that had been available to Hurricane Katrina survivors. Four more stayed in private homes, and three were in rooms at a local hotel.
First UMC, Johnson City, sheltered four families from Pearland. They traveled 29 hours to reach Johnson City, which is about 50 miles west of Austin.