Prayers, resources offered in wake of bridge collapse

By United Methodist News Service

A newspaper ad from the people of The United Methodist Church reaches out to those affected by the Aug. 1 bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Sponsored by the Minnesota Annual Conference, the half-page message ran Aug. 8 in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. A UMNS photo illustration courtesy of United Methodist Communications

MINNEAPOLIS (UMNS) - As the search for missing people continued in the Mississippi River, the people of The United Methodist Church offered up prayers, compassion and coping resources to those affected by the deadly Interstate 35W bridge collapse.

Eight people remain missing and are presumed dead from the Aug. 1 disaster that already has killed five people and injured 100 others.

A half-page advertisement ran in the Twin Cities' two largest newspapers to remind readers that the people of The United Methodist Church are praying with them. The ad was published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Aug. 8 - the one-week anniversary of the collapse - and reached an estimated 550,000 readers.

The headline "For all the days that end in why" appears against a ghosted photograph of the collapsed bridge, along with the message:

"In memory of those whose lives were lost, With compassion for those who lost loved ones, In gratitude for those who risked their lives to rescue, recover, and give care, The people of The United Methodist Church pray with their neighbors."

The ad is sponsored by the Minnesota Annual Conference in collaboration with United Methodist Communications, the denomination's communications agency. The photograph is by Russ Scheffler, an annual conference staff member.

"We felt very strongly that we needed to make a community response because this is the sort of disaster to which we can all relate," said Minnesota Bishop Sally Dyck. "We've all crossed bridges before, and most of us in Minnesota have crossed this particular bridge.

"It causes people to have a sense of vulnerability-of how fragile our lives are. We wanted to give a message to the community as a whole that the people of The United Methodist Church care and we are praying for them."

Last week, Dyck asked United Methodists to pray for those affected by the bridge collapse and urged them to spend a portion of Sunday's worship services to remember the victims, their families and friends, along with those engaged in rescue and recovery.

The annual conference also is providing worship and spiritual care resources to help those struggling to deal with the aftermath of the bridge disaster. They are available at http://www.minnesotaumc.org/.

Meanwhile, flags flew at half staff on Aug. 8 to mark the one-week anniversary of the tragedy, while church bells tolled in downtown Minneapolis the evening before as residents observed a moment of silence for the victims.

The 40-year-old, eight-lane bridge collapsed during the evening rush hour, sending people, vehicles and tons of metal and concrete into the Mississippi River. Dyck called the collapse "perhaps one of the most frightening disasters we have had to face as a state."