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by Linda Green
United Methodist News Service

United Methodist Communications has produced a new resource to help individuals, study groups and congregations address some of the hard questions surrounding the issue of how God is present in difficult times. The resource, 'God, Why? Teachings from the Tsunamis,' offers insights from bishops, theologians, pastors and others in a two-session, small-group study format.

The communications agency, in cooperation with the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, developed the resource as a DVD/CD package that includes video, a study gbwc_superusere, worship materials and other resources. It is available for pre-purchase at www.umc.org, the denomination's official Web site.

The resource will give people practical, spiritual answers to questions about God's activity when disasters occur, said the Rev. Larry Hollon, top executive at United Methodist Communications.

Through the video, the church is making a prophetic statement, Hollon said. 'At a time of great loss and great instability, I believe it's very important for the church to be heard. The church speaks a word of hope. It helps to say that with God's help, we will get through this trauma, and that is a very important word that we deliver to the people not only in the church but to people in the world.'

In the video, Bishop Gregory Palmer of the Iowa Area notes that 'there is danger in trying to lay claim to certain hard fixed answers, particularly in the face of tragedy.' If any lesson can be learned from the tsunami and other tragedies, it is that humans live in a fragile world ? and a world that is awesome,' Palmer said.

'And so more than trying to fix an answer as to, 'OK, why did this happen, God?' I've tried to bow myself before the majesty of God and to say, I acknowledge and I honor and I humble myself before the reality of nature, and accept the fact that we don't have all the answers and that maybe I'm not destined to know all of the answers specifically.'

The DVD/CD resource contains:

• Short video stories of hope amid tragedy;
• A musical PowerPoint presentation of images from South Asia;
• Eighty free-to-use images of the damage caused in Indonesia;
• A collection of news feature stories for use in the local church;
• Bulletin inserts to help raise awareness and funds for
  United Methodist relief efforts;
• Graphics for church Web sites;
• Worship resources;
• A study gbwc_superusere;
• A three-minute inspirational message
  (from the 'be there' UMCOR project);
• Seven-minute highlights of UMCOR's work
  (from the 'be there' UMCOR project).

The tsunami highlighted humanity's vulnerability to the forces of nature, but that vulnerability can be unifying, Hollon said. 'If we can respond to each other at a personal level in a human way, so we provide to each other a source of strength and a source of hope, then somehow we build a better community and we make the world a better place.'

The Rev. Lilanthi Ward, a native of Sri Lanka and pastor of Anderson Hill United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, stresses the importance of Christians showing God's love to those affected by the tsunami.

'In the worst of times, in the best of times, God's promised never to leave us,' she said. 'And even though we may not feel God's presence, that doesn't mean that God's not there.'

For information about the project or to preorder copies of the $19.95 DVD and CD, call customer service at United Methodist Communications at (888) 346-3862 or visit the denomination's Website at www.umc.org.