At the Ready: First UMC Richardson Forms Early Response Team

First UMC Richardson members participate in the hands-on portion of Early Response Team training.

When flash floods swept through Central Texas this summer, members of First UMC Richardson asked the question at the heart of their congregation: “How can we help?”

While the church regularly sends United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) teams to serve both domestically and internationally, leaders recognized a new opportunity — to form an Early Response Team (ERT) that could respond immediately in the aftermath of disasters in Texas.

ERTs are specially trained United Methodist volunteers who bring help and hope in the early days following a disaster. They provide cleanup, compassion and a ministry of presence, helping survivors begin to find stability when their world has been turned upside down.

Organizers hoped for five to 10 volunteers to sign up but were overwhelmed when nearly 50 members registered for training. On Oct. 4, 44 church members completed their ERT certification under the leadership of Jack Foreman and Gene Hileman from the Rio Texas Conference.

The hybrid training combined online teaching and hands-on practice, covering everything from safety procedures and spiritual care to practical skills such as tarping, mucking out and debris removal.

“The Holy Spirit stirred hearts to say ‘yes’ to serving those in our community and beyond,” said Rev. Sarah Marsalis-Luginbill, First UMC Richardson’s pastor of missions and community engagement. “We were preparing to send a few volunteers, but I am so proud of our congregation for responding to God’s call.”

With certification complete and UMCOR ERT badges on the way, the team now stands ready to respond when the next call comes — offering tangible expressions of Christ’s love to those in crisis.

To learn more about ERT opportunities in the Horizon Texas Conference, contact HTC Disaster Response Coordinator Rev. Jeremy Basset.

Tracy Thomas and Rev. Sarah Marsalis-Luginbill, of First UMC Richardson, contributed to this story.