Florida United Methodist Review Online

Tragedy, ministry result from store fire
Henderson Store gutted by fire Tragedy struck the island of Utila, off the coast of Honduras, last Dec. 20 when a deadly fire destroyed the largest grocery store on the island. Several people were injured, some severely, and food prices rose across the island.
From the minute the fire started, members of the Mizpah Methodist and Cays churches have been involved in ministry to those affected.
"A lot of the response is supporting them [victims]," said the Rev. Jeff Bennett, a member of the Florida Conference serving as the churches' missionary pastor. "First and foremost, we support them in our prayers." Full Story

Board nominates lay leader

The Florida Conference's Board of Lay Ministry last month named T. Terrell Sessums as its nominee for conference lay leader to replace Mary Alice Massey, who is completing her second and final two-year term this May.
"My vision is to continue the momentum…and help the church reach more people and be active in Christian service," Sessums said. Full Story

Ministry struggles to help refugees
United Methodist Haitian Mission day-care center, Ft. Pierce

Approximately 16,000 Haitians live in Ft. Pierce, many of them refugees from the reign of dictator François "Papa Doc" Duvalier or the military coup against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Most of them work six months out of the year in the citrus groves or packinghouses, and the literacy rate is only about 20 percent.
Despite the difficulties, the Rev. Luc Dessieux and the 300 members of the United Methodist Haitian Mission have been ministering to this community for 10 years.
"Our first responsibility is to preach the gospel and save as many souls as we can," he said. "And through some difficulties, we try to see how we can do social services to keep the community moving."
Full Story

Refugees find home in Florida church
Hector Borroto spent more than seven years in a Cuban prison for speaking out against the government of President Fidel Castro. "He was charged with crimes against the power of the state," said Virginia Finale, a caseworker with Church World Services (CWS) and member of Wesley Hispanic United Methodist Church in Miami.
With those years behind him, Borroto and his family are living in Florida, and much of what they have now was achieved through help from the Hispanic American United Methodist Church in Miami, according to family members. Full Story

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Refugee ministry is first line of defense

2000 Florida Annual
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