£24,000 From British Methodists, Street Pastors on the Ground: How UK Churches Organised for Jamaica After Melissa

• The Methodist Church approved a £24,000 grant to the Jamaica Methodist District
• The URC launched an appeal with its Jamaican partner church
• The New Testament Church of God appealed for relief and long-term redevelopment
• Ascension Trust raised money for Jamaica’s street pastors’ operation

British churches moved to support Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) set out how the main denominations were responding. It noted that about 1.5 million Jamaicans had been affected by what was described as the worst climate disaster in the country’s history, with more than 4.8 million tonnes of debris blocking access to services and supplies.

“The Methodist Church in Britain and Ireland has approved a joint grant of £24,000 from the World Mission Fund to support the Jamaica Methodist District’s relief efforts,” CTBI reported, with the appeal run jointly with All We Can. The United Reformed Church launched an appeal through its Commitment for Life programme with its partner, the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, covering shelter, water, sanitation, healthcare and food. “The needs are monumental,” said the Rev Dr Gordon Cowans.

The New Testament Church of God in England and Wales ran a Hurricane Melissa appeal with partners including Jamaica National, Christian Aid and Tearfund, covering emergency supplies and longer-term redevelopment. The Church of God of Prophecy in the UK was working with partners on shelter, food, water, sanitation and medical care.

“The Ascension Trust is raising funds to support the efforts of Operation Save Jamaica (OSJ) – the operational body for Street and School Pastors in Jamaica,” CTBI said, adding that after Hurricane Beryl in 2024 OSJ had distributed nearly 1,100 care packages in the first week and helped nearly 50 business owners rebuild.

Some of these churches have deep Caribbean roots in Britain, and many have close ties to congregations in Jamaica. Their appeals move money along those ties, from UK pews to Jamaican districts that know which homes and churches need repair. For donors, channels that name a Jamaican partner and separate emergency relief from long-term rebuilding make it easier to see whether money meant for roofs and homes ends up there.