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Millions of Americans saw messages of hope from The United Methodist Church as they watched the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on Cable News Network and other cable channels. On CNN, a simple message appeared in the corner of the TV screen for five or 10 seconds.

'Support hurricane relief efforts at www.MethodistRelief.org. The People of the United Methodist Church.'

CNN made the spots available as part of the denomination?s national advertising and welcoming campaign that invites people to join in a journey of faith. The theme is 'Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.' A new commercial called 'The Journey' began airing Aug. 29 on 18 cable networks and continued through Sept. 18.

To view 'The Journey,' visit www.umc.org.

United Methodist Communications also developed an ad in one of the largest newspapers in the country, USA Today. The ad ran Sept. 7 with the theme 'Be the Hope.'

Part of the ad said, 'At this time of great loss, let us commit to a hopeful, compassionate community, now and for the long-term future. Give through whatever means you choose. Volunteer. Be the hope.'

'It's important for us as a church to say to the people of the Gulf Coast that we are concerned, and that we are praying with them and will be with them through the entire long recovery process,' said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive at United Methodist Communications.

'We as a church can send a message to the whole of the United States, if not to the world, at times like these that community is important, that we need each other, that sharing with each other is a healing process. It restores the brokenness,' Hollon said.

United Methodists will gain another avenue for raising money for hurricane relief with the launch soon of a new online giving feature called 'Friends Asking Friends,' as a part of www.UMC.org, the denominational Web site. It is an initiative of the United Methodist Committee on Relief and United Methodist Communications.

'Friends Asking Friends' allows organizations and individuals to create their own hurricane relief fund-raising Web pages and to invite others to give online. For example, local churches can choose photos from United Methodist News Service?s photo gallery (on the News section of www.umc.org) and write their own words for the page. They can then e-mail church members and friends, asking them to visit these new Web pages and donate online. All of the money donated will go directly to UMCOR.

'You're saying to the people you know, ?This is something I really believe in,?' said Matt Carlisle, executive producer of UMC.org.

'One of the key things that happens in emergencies such as this is the use of the Internet, and the distribution of information through the Internet has been unprecedented with this particular disaster,' Hollon said. This new online giving feature makes it 'possible for me as a friend to send you a bit of information about the church in West Palm Beach had been through hurricanes itself.

The Florida team offered help in running the distribution center and kitchen and with debris cleanup. Patti Aupperlee of West Palm Beach said she began organizing the trip as soon as she heard how hard the storm had hit. She e-mailed the Rev. Jeff Pruett, Mississippi Conference coordinator for the United Methodist Committee on Relief, asking where she could help. He suggested Laurel.

The team from Florida spent almost a week in Laurel before leaving Sept. 9.

'None of us thought about it,' Aupperlee said. 'If we had, we wouldn't have done it. It has been such a blessing to be here. God truly paved the way.'

Assistance also came to West Laurel UMC from Hollandale, Miss., in the form of Buck Furr. A member of Hollandale United Methodist Church, Furr had told his pastor, Sam Dodd, that if someone needed help, Furr would provide it. While checking on his aunt in Mobile, Ala., following the storm, Furr got a call asking him to go to Laurel. He arrived and led a group of men from First Church in Alabaster, Ala., that cut downed trees.

First Church Laurel followed a similar path. Patterson, the pastor, said his members delivered meals to those who couldn't get out (150-200 per day), acted as a distribution center, housed 50 deputies from other states who had come to assist in law enforcement, and helped set up a medical clinic for those dependent on oxygen to breathe.

The clinic and other efforts have been part of joint efforts with nearby Episcopal and Presbyterian churches. Patterson also cited churches from across the nation that have sent aid or plan to send work eams.

Not all of the aid has come from out of state. Patterson said several churches in towns that weren't hit have provided aid.

Patterson said the ordeal has brought out the best in his congregation. 'This congregation has pulled together,' he said. 'They're not just doing the gospel; they are the gospel to this community. All of the spiritual gifts have emerged.'

Kim Wheat stepped in to keep the work organized.

'Our church is downtown, so we're in the middle of every community,' she said. 'This is the first time in the seven years I've been part of this church (that) I've seen every part of our community walk through the doors.'

For example, Wheat said Hispanic families have come to the church seeking help. If language becomes a barrier, church workers take the families into the storage area and let them point at items they need.

'We can't wait for Sunday to invite our extended community,' Wheat continued. 'We're within walking distance of communities we don't serve as a church on a regular basis. Now we can do that.'