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BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Filled with a spirit of discipleship, the Rev. Dennis Whitmore looked at a map, found Route 11 to carry him on his bike into the heart of Katrina-ravaged Mississippi and said, 'I can do that.'

One thousand miles, 12 days, one bear, $4,300, and countless prayers later, Whitmore, the pastor of First UMC in Laurel, Md., rolled into Laurel, Miss., July 22.

His trek, dubbed 'Riding for Roofs,' was part of a two-part mission that connected the people of the two same-named towns and the congregations of First UMC and West Laurel UMC.

Whitmore rode his 21-speed Raleigh bike through six states to raise awareness of the plight of those still hurting from Hurricane Katrina and to raise money to replace the roofs of five senior citizens who are still living in houses covered with blue tarps that mark the damaged roofs.

In addition, more than 23 members of First UMC made repairs on two houses in Laurel, installed showers at West Laurel UMC and conducted Camp Noah for 38 children. It was the first time members of the church, which was founded in 1840, had ever gone out of state to do mission.

Camp Noah, which resembled a Vacation Bible School experience, brought opportunities for healing and hope to the children affected by the storm.

When we spoke to the Rev. Roy Pearson, pastor of West Laurel UMC, Whitmore said, he told us his community?s needs were deeper than bricks and mortar. 'Pastor Roy asked us to do what only God?s people can do: ?minister to us.?'

Many of the residents, especially the children and elderly were still suffering from depression. 'It was if they had the wind knocked out of them,' Whitmore said. 'We wanted to create opportunities for God to move in the midst of tragedy and bring triumph.'

When Hurricane Katrina hit Laurel Aug. 29, 2005, the 145 mile-per-hour winds damaged or destroyed 85 percent of the town?s homes. Downed trees and power lines made contact with the 'outside world' impossible for two days. The elected officials there had only been in office 55 days.

Officials in Laurel, Md., swung into action to help their sister city, sending a police car, wood chippers and $10,000, and developing a relationship of on-going support.

'I see First UMC as Laurel?s flagship church, we are the spiritual hub of this community,' Whitmore said.

In the past Whitmore has ridden his bike for other causes, racking up more than 20,000 miles in a lifetime of riding.

When he began planning this trip Whitmore decided to make use of the United Methodist connectional system as a pipeline to connect him, stop by stop, to his destination.

Along the way he was hosted by local churches, a campus ministry in Alabama and United Methodists who shared his passion for ministry. He was joined along the way by the Holy Rollers, a group of bike-riding United Methodists; numerous dogs; at one point a bear, who caused some excitement but grew quickly bored by pedaling pastors; and at the end a police escort and the mayor of Laurel, Miss.

He also felt the presence of his road team, members of his church who traveled by vehicle with him and arranged for logistics, and the people who pledged money for each mile he pedaled, At one point on a particularly strenuous piece of road, he even refused a ride so that he could be faithful to those who had made pledges.

Asbury UMC in Washington, D.C., was one of those churches, contributing $1,000 for the ride.

Along the way, Whitmore kept a journal, in which he often reflected upon the similarities between his journey and the travels of early Methodist circuit riders who rode their horses from church to church.

He marveled at the presence of God, which greeted him in a variety of forms. Each day, and every opportunity he could, he shared his faith story with others. 'I am thankful we live in a country where people who don?t even know each other?s names can love each other,' he told the local paper in Laurel, Miss.

Whitmore also shared the story of when he was a teenager and jumped off a roof, damaging his knees. Doctors told him at age 30 he would have the knees of a 70-year-old. Today, at age 46, he rejoices in his ability to pedal more than 1,000 miles.

In his journal, Whitmore wrote, 'We got a picture of me by a church sign that said, ?Praise Him Now.? So we did. I took in the sights, the trees, the sky, the birds, etc. I?m actually riding my bike in Mississippi. Incredible!'