Online Archives

By Christine Kumar
UMConnection Staff

The Rev. Rose Mary Williams has faced many struggles in her life. She lost her son who had just finished college and was excited because he had just given one-tenth of his paycheck to the church from his first job. She lost her family?s funeral home business due to a fire. And then she lost her home and church, which were struck by Hurricane Katrina.

'Katrina took the back wall (of the church), but Katrina could not take the foundation. The building has been a witness of what God can do,' said Williams, pastor of Mt. Zion UMC in Delisle, Miss.

Williams led the Bible study on Friday and Saturday mornings, May 26 and 27, at the 222nd session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

When Williams went to her home after Katrina struck, she saw that most of her possessions had been swept away.

In the midst of the debris, Williams witnessed hope. 'There was a big red calla lily in bloom. I knew that the lily had gone through the same storm; that lily gave me hope from God,' she said.

To accompany her Bible study on Saturday morning, Williams chose the hymn 'Because He Lives.'

'Because he lives my congregation can face tomorrow, because he lives Mississippi can face tomorrow,' she affirmed.

She is grateful to the Baltimore-Washington Conference for the financial and moral support. 'The conference has come to our aid, the bishop was the first one to come down and see the devastation. We are happy to have the connection with the Baltimore-Washington Conference; we thank God for you,' she said.

People who went to Mississippi to help stayed at her church as a refuge; they slept wherever they could find a place. 'We saw Jesus in their faces,' she said.

Since Katrina, Williams has had a new church built. The steeple was raised first so that people could see that there is a church in the midst of chaos, she said.

She spoke of a building engineer, John, from Florida, who taught her many technical things. 'Because of John, I was able to stand in front of the contractor and talk like I knew what I was talking about,' she said. The crowd laughed and cheered.

At present there are three churches, which have taken residence at Mt. Zion UMC. Two are Baptist churches.

She encouraged people attending the Bible study to be prayer partners and start new ministries, help children, read the Bible together and share life?s joys and sorrows with one another until the next annual conference. 'Write to me and let me know the outcome,' she said.

She also gave hope to those who felt unworthy of God?s love. She told them that salvation is available to all regardless of one?s identity, sin or heritage. 'Grace is a gift from God and it?s an awesome gift.' she said.

At the end of the Bible study the crowd gave Williams a standing ovation. Bishop John R. Schol assured her that the Baltimore Washington-Conference will be sending more funds to Mississippi.

The bishop and Sandy Ferguson, associate council director at the Baltimore Washington Conference, then honored all the Volunteers in Mission with a pin made especially for them. Some shook hands and others hugged Williams as they headed back to their seats.

The bishop and Cabinet plan to go on a VIM trip to Mississippi at the end of June.