Sailing to NYC on a sea of chicken soup.
...At least, that's what Linda K. Williams, of First Church of the Brethren in San Diego, Calif., hopes and prays will happen for the youth in the Church of the Brethren.
Williams has spent more than five-and-a-half years "birthing" the new Chicken Soup for the Soul book--"Stories for a Better World"--which includes more than 101 stories of peacemaking. She now wants to get it into the hands of everyone on the planet, she says, especially Brethren youth. The new book is highlighted in the September issue of the Church of the Brethren "Messenger" magazine. Twenty percent of the stories and four of the 11 cartoons came from people with Historic Peace Church connections.
Williams felt compelled to bring stories of peacemaking into the national consciousness via the Chicken Soup for the Soul venue in response to the murder of an elderly relative, and then the Columbine High School shootings. She has already received evidence that peacemaking can be very effectively promoted by touching the hearts of readers. In one example, a friend had been outspoken about the need for retaliation and revenge after the events of 9/11. When Williams needed volunteer readers to help rate stories for the new book, she felt God urging her to ask this friend if she would be interested. After her friend read and rated several batches of the powerful stories, Williams expressed her appreciation. Her friend replied, "No, I need to thank you; by reading these stories, I've seen there are so many ways to deal with violence!"
Williams now has arranged to offer the book at a substantial discount of more than 50 percent off the $12.95 selling price so that churches and youth groups can use it as a fundraiser for National Youth Conference in 2006. Churches and other nonprofit groups may also do other fundraising using the book. An additional option exists of becoming an "Amazon Associate" with a no-effort way to earn four to 10 percent of the book's sales price by simply putting it on an organization's website and encouraging buyers to order the book from the site.
For more information about fundraising opportunities contact Williams at LKW_BetterWorld@yahoo.com or 619-583-8454.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Word is received from Church of the Brethren congregations in Rita’s path.
Word has been received from two of the three Church of the Brethren congregations that were in the path of Hurricane Rita, and whose members lived in areas of Louisiana and Texas under mandatory evacuation orders. The Roanoke (La.) Church of the Brethren considers itself “amazingly blessed” to have been in an area with little destruction from the storm, pastor James Balmer told Roy Winter, director of Emergency Response for the General Board. Similarly, the Falfurrias (Texas) Church of the Brethren sent word to district minister Joan Lowry that they are all fine. Hurricane Rita went north of the Falfurrias area.
No district or denominational staff have yet heard from members of Lake Charles (La.) Community Church of the Brethren. The town of Lake Charles is still closed, Winter said, and no access is allowed. “We don’t know anything, which is frustrating,” he said. As far as anyone knows, he said, all of the Brethren in Lake Charles evacuated before the hurricane hit.
Pastor Balmer and his family were able to return to Roanoke, which is 25 miles east of Lake Charles, on Sunday evening. The small town of about 300 people suffered only minor damage, with many large trees down but none having hit homes. But the disaster is enormous if one travels just five miles in any direction from Roanoke, the Balmers reported to an Emergency Response volunteer.
“Roanoke is certainly amidst the destruction, but amazingly most of it missed the homes,” said Winter. “Powerlines, etc., are all down and maybe out for weeks.” Emergency Response/Service Ministries is working on sending generators to help the Roanoke and Lake Charles congregations. “While generators are difficult to come by, the Western Plains District, specifically Wichita First Church of the Brethren and McPherson Church of the Brethren have been able to locate generators that will be shipped to Louisiana later this week,” reported Winter. Emergency Response also is beginning planning for a partnership with the church to look at meeting needs in the area.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Word has been received from two of the three Church of the Brethren congregations that were in the path of Hurricane Rita, and whose members lived in areas of Louisiana and Texas under mandatory evacuation orders. The Roanoke (La.) Church of the Brethren considers itself “amazingly blessed” to have been in an area with little destruction from the storm, pastor James Balmer told Roy Winter, director of Emergency Response for the General Board. Similarly, the Falfurrias (Texas) Church of the Brethren sent word to district minister Joan Lowry that they are all fine. Hurricane Rita went north of the Falfurrias area.
No district or denominational staff have yet heard from members of Lake Charles (La.) Community Church of the Brethren. The town of Lake Charles is still closed, Winter said, and no access is allowed. “We don’t know anything, which is frustrating,” he said. As far as anyone knows, he said, all of the Brethren in Lake Charles evacuated before the hurricane hit.
Pastor Balmer and his family were able to return to Roanoke, which is 25 miles east of Lake Charles, on Sunday evening. The small town of about 300 people suffered only minor damage, with many large trees down but none having hit homes. But the disaster is enormous if one travels just five miles in any direction from Roanoke, the Balmers reported to an Emergency Response volunteer.
“Roanoke is certainly amidst the destruction, but amazingly most of it missed the homes,” said Winter. “Powerlines, etc., are all down and maybe out for weeks.” Emergency Response/Service Ministries is working on sending generators to help the Roanoke and Lake Charles congregations. “While generators are difficult to come by, the Western Plains District, specifically Wichita First Church of the Brethren and McPherson Church of the Brethren have been able to locate generators that will be shipped to Louisiana later this week,” reported Winter. Emergency Response also is beginning planning for a partnership with the church to look at meeting needs in the area.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Brethren Disaster Response clean-up project expands its work.
A Brethren Disaster Response clean-up project in Citronelle, Ala., in partnership with Southeastern District and Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren, has begun adding home repairs to its clean-up work.
Work has been coming from two sources, reported disaster project director Mike Walker of Glenville, Pa. “The Cedar Creek church has created an active committee which works with us and provides a listing of both members and non-members who need help, and the Mobile VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) is providing the balance of our clients,” he said.
“We are a long way from finished with the debris problems,” Walker said of the project that covers a broad area of service across Mobile County and southern Washington County. “Presently, we are still working in the early stages of recovery, which is basically debris removal, tarps, roof repair, and more extensive repairs due to fallen trees on homes.” For example, in Chatom, a tree fell destroying a bedroom that an elderly woman had just left to be with her husband in the living room. No one was injured, but the house is having extensive repair work done.
The volunteers commuting the greatest distance begin their day by leaving at 5 a.m. in order to be on roofs before the heat of the day turns them into slippery slopes of hot tar and shingles, Walker reported. “We start early, we go strong, we are exhausted. But we are happily doing God’s work,” he said. Full volunteer crews will be needed for many months to successfully complete the work at hand, he added.
For more about Brethren Disaster Response see www.brethrendisasterresponse.org.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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A Brethren Disaster Response clean-up project in Citronelle, Ala., in partnership with Southeastern District and Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren, has begun adding home repairs to its clean-up work.
Work has been coming from two sources, reported disaster project director Mike Walker of Glenville, Pa. “The Cedar Creek church has created an active committee which works with us and provides a listing of both members and non-members who need help, and the Mobile VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) is providing the balance of our clients,” he said.
“We are a long way from finished with the debris problems,” Walker said of the project that covers a broad area of service across Mobile County and southern Washington County. “Presently, we are still working in the early stages of recovery, which is basically debris removal, tarps, roof repair, and more extensive repairs due to fallen trees on homes.” For example, in Chatom, a tree fell destroying a bedroom that an elderly woman had just left to be with her husband in the living room. No one was injured, but the house is having extensive repair work done.
The volunteers commuting the greatest distance begin their day by leaving at 5 a.m. in order to be on roofs before the heat of the day turns them into slippery slopes of hot tar and shingles, Walker reported. “We start early, we go strong, we are exhausted. But we are happily doing God’s work,” he said. Full volunteer crews will be needed for many months to successfully complete the work at hand, he added.
For more about Brethren Disaster Response see www.brethrendisasterresponse.org.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Disaster Child Care adds new site and new training opportunities.
Norfolk, Va., has been added to the sites where Disaster Child Care volunteers are caring for children evacuated from the hurricanes. The program also has announced new training opportunities.
Volunteer child-care teams have been working in Lafayette and Shreveport, La.; Kingwood, W.Va.; Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Denver, Colo.; and Los Angeles and San Bernardino, Calif. Disaster Child Care serves at the request of FEMA and the Red Cross.
The child care team that had begun work at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette before Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast, was evacuated to Shreveport along with the evacuees they were serving. The team then set up child care at the Expo Center in Shreveport. They and the evacuee group were on their way back to Lafayette today, to continue offering child care at the Cajun Dome.
Disaster Child Care has received so many requests to do additional trainings, as a result of Hurricane Katrina, that the program has appointed volunteer coordinator Wilma Ammermann to handle all the requests. Several additional trainings have been scheduled to enlist new volunteers for a response that spans more states than Disaster Child Care has ever served at any one time.
Two additional Level I training workshops have been confirmed: at La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren on Oct. 1-2; and in Norfolk, Neb., on Oct. 22-23. (The training scheduled for Reno, Nev., Oct. 7-8 has been canceled.) A registration fee of $45 is being waived because of the emergency status of these trainings. However, the program will be happy to receive any donations toward training costs. See www.disasterchildcare.org for more information about trainings and registration.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Norfolk, Va., has been added to the sites where Disaster Child Care volunteers are caring for children evacuated from the hurricanes. The program also has announced new training opportunities.
Volunteer child-care teams have been working in Lafayette and Shreveport, La.; Kingwood, W.Va.; Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Denver, Colo.; and Los Angeles and San Bernardino, Calif. Disaster Child Care serves at the request of FEMA and the Red Cross.
The child care team that had begun work at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette before Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast, was evacuated to Shreveport along with the evacuees they were serving. The team then set up child care at the Expo Center in Shreveport. They and the evacuee group were on their way back to Lafayette today, to continue offering child care at the Cajun Dome.
Disaster Child Care has received so many requests to do additional trainings, as a result of Hurricane Katrina, that the program has appointed volunteer coordinator Wilma Ammermann to handle all the requests. Several additional trainings have been scheduled to enlist new volunteers for a response that spans more states than Disaster Child Care has ever served at any one time.
Two additional Level I training workshops have been confirmed: at La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren on Oct. 1-2; and in Norfolk, Neb., on Oct. 22-23. (The training scheduled for Reno, Nev., Oct. 7-8 has been canceled.) A registration fee of $45 is being waived because of the emergency status of these trainings. However, the program will be happy to receive any donations toward training costs. See www.disasterchildcare.org for more information about trainings and registration.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Districts begin reporting collection totals.
Church of the Brethren districts have begun reporting special collections for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. In what must represent just a fraction of the donations that have been received across the denomination over the last month, Southeastern and Virlina Districts combined have contributed more than $100,000. In addition, one of the largest annual fundraisers for Church of the Brethren disaster work—the Brethren Disaster Auction in Lebanon, Pa.—brought in more than $500,000 in one weekend for disaster relief including Hurricane Katrina efforts.
As of Sept. 26 congregations and members in Virlina District have given more than $52,000 to a special offering for Hurricane Katrina relief, collected on Sunday Sept. 18. The District Office is still receiving donations to that offering.
Southeastern District collected a love offering on Sept. 25 totaling almost $35,891, with some churches still sending in offerings. Churches in the district also are purchasing items of need for a small community in Mississippi near Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren in Citronelle, Ala.
On Sept. 23-24, more than 10,000 people attended the 29th annual Brethren Disaster Auction, an event co-sponsored by Atlantic Northeast and Southern Pennsylvania Districts. Auction items have brought in more than $575,000, and organizers expect the total received by year’s end to be over $600,000, said auction co-founder Jay M. Witman. On Saturday, 450 volunteers assembled 30,000 Gift of the Heart Health Kits in just two hours and 25 minutes. In addition to the money and kits collected, a “blitz build” allowed a modular home to be completely constructed in three days. The home will go to an Ohio family as part of the rebuilding work that Brethren Disaster Response is doing around Glencoe, Ohio, following flooding from Hurricane Ivan.
“It was eye-staggering,” Witman said of the health kits assembly line. “There was not a dry eye.” The auction was put on hold at noon on Saturday for a prayer service and hymn sing, he said, as he spoke of the event as the “Lord’s work.” Witman hopes to “pull out all the stops” at next year’s auction, the 30th annual. “I never would have thought 29 years ago we would have had in excess of $10 million to give away to disaster victims. God worked,” he said.
For more stories of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts by Church of the Brethren congregations, districts, colleges, and other organizations, see www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/HurricanePosting.htm.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Church of the Brethren districts have begun reporting special collections for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. In what must represent just a fraction of the donations that have been received across the denomination over the last month, Southeastern and Virlina Districts combined have contributed more than $100,000. In addition, one of the largest annual fundraisers for Church of the Brethren disaster work—the Brethren Disaster Auction in Lebanon, Pa.—brought in more than $500,000 in one weekend for disaster relief including Hurricane Katrina efforts.
As of Sept. 26 congregations and members in Virlina District have given more than $52,000 to a special offering for Hurricane Katrina relief, collected on Sunday Sept. 18. The District Office is still receiving donations to that offering.
Southeastern District collected a love offering on Sept. 25 totaling almost $35,891, with some churches still sending in offerings. Churches in the district also are purchasing items of need for a small community in Mississippi near Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren in Citronelle, Ala.
On Sept. 23-24, more than 10,000 people attended the 29th annual Brethren Disaster Auction, an event co-sponsored by Atlantic Northeast and Southern Pennsylvania Districts. Auction items have brought in more than $575,000, and organizers expect the total received by year’s end to be over $600,000, said auction co-founder Jay M. Witman. On Saturday, 450 volunteers assembled 30,000 Gift of the Heart Health Kits in just two hours and 25 minutes. In addition to the money and kits collected, a “blitz build” allowed a modular home to be completely constructed in three days. The home will go to an Ohio family as part of the rebuilding work that Brethren Disaster Response is doing around Glencoe, Ohio, following flooding from Hurricane Ivan.
“It was eye-staggering,” Witman said of the health kits assembly line. “There was not a dry eye.” The auction was put on hold at noon on Saturday for a prayer service and hymn sing, he said, as he spoke of the event as the “Lord’s work.” Witman hopes to “pull out all the stops” at next year’s auction, the 30th annual. “I never would have thought 29 years ago we would have had in excess of $10 million to give away to disaster victims. God worked,” he said.
For more stories of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts by Church of the Brethren congregations, districts, colleges, and other organizations, see www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/HurricanePosting.htm.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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National Council of Churches creates commission on hurricane response.
Keenly aware of the spiraling effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on millions of Americans, the National Council of Churches USA (NCC) Governing Board formed a commission to work for the “just rebuilding of community” on the Gulf Coast, an NCC release reported today. Global Christian leaders also shared their empathy with US Christians in the wake of the hurricanes. Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, participated in the meeting that took place in New York on Sept. 26-27.
“Africa’s churches express our solidarity and sadness at the Katrina destruction that has visited the people of this country,” said Mvume Dandala, general secretary of the All African Council of Churches, as reported by “The Christian Post” from a press conference held in relation to the meeting. Dandala added that in Africa, “Our own Katrina is HIV/AIDS.” He said that African countries will be watching the US response to Katrina carefully. “We sense that the response to the fate of the poor, who is in majority of African descent, will reflect how this country responds to the challenges of African countries.”
“These our sister and brothers shared their empathy and concern that Christians in the US seize this moment to share with clarity that what we are doing is in response to human need,” said Noffsinger. He added that the Christian response to the disasters comes “out of a desire for a more just world, and quite simply because it is what we understand Jesus to have us do,” he said.
The NCC Governing Board passed unanimously a resolution to call on the US government to create an independent commission similar to the 9/11 Commission to investigate deficiencies in the response of rescue and relief workers following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and in other devastated areas of the Gulf.
NCC president Thomas L. Hoyt Jr., Christian Methodist Episcopal bishop of Louisiana and Mississippi, said he would appoint Church World Service (CWS) representatives and others with special expertise to the NCC commission on Katrina. Church World Service is the humanitarian and relief agency of the communions that are members of the NCC.
Hoyt said he was also mindful of the hidden human tragedy of Katrina, including the alarming number of suicides of rescue workers and “people who lost everything.” The Governing Board received for a second reading a resolution on “Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Support,” which will be passed on to the NCC General Assembly when it meets Nov. 8-10. The resolution on suicide prevention urges member communions to “study and address the issues related to suicide prevention, intervention and support for those who attempt suicide and survivors of suicide loss.”
In other actions, the Governing Board welcomed publication of the NCC's new curriculum, “For the Peace of the World, A Christian Curriculum on International Relations”; heard a report from Eileen W. Lindner, deputy general secretary for Research and Planning, on the preparation of a policy on human biotechnologies, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”; and voted to pass on to the General Assembly a resolution to reaffirm provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and a Bill of Media Rights that reaffirms that the public owns the airwaves and has a right to expect local stations will respond effectively to community needs. The board also discussed the withdrawal this summer of the Antiochian Orthodox Church from NCC membership.
The Church of the Brethren is a member denomination of the NCC, which is composed of 35 Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, historic African-American and peace communions representing 45 million Christians in 100,000 local congregations in the US. For more information about the NCC see www.ncccusa.org.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Keenly aware of the spiraling effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on millions of Americans, the National Council of Churches USA (NCC) Governing Board formed a commission to work for the “just rebuilding of community” on the Gulf Coast, an NCC release reported today. Global Christian leaders also shared their empathy with US Christians in the wake of the hurricanes. Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, participated in the meeting that took place in New York on Sept. 26-27.
“Africa’s churches express our solidarity and sadness at the Katrina destruction that has visited the people of this country,” said Mvume Dandala, general secretary of the All African Council of Churches, as reported by “The Christian Post” from a press conference held in relation to the meeting. Dandala added that in Africa, “Our own Katrina is HIV/AIDS.” He said that African countries will be watching the US response to Katrina carefully. “We sense that the response to the fate of the poor, who is in majority of African descent, will reflect how this country responds to the challenges of African countries.”
“These our sister and brothers shared their empathy and concern that Christians in the US seize this moment to share with clarity that what we are doing is in response to human need,” said Noffsinger. He added that the Christian response to the disasters comes “out of a desire for a more just world, and quite simply because it is what we understand Jesus to have us do,” he said.
The NCC Governing Board passed unanimously a resolution to call on the US government to create an independent commission similar to the 9/11 Commission to investigate deficiencies in the response of rescue and relief workers following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and in other devastated areas of the Gulf.
NCC president Thomas L. Hoyt Jr., Christian Methodist Episcopal bishop of Louisiana and Mississippi, said he would appoint Church World Service (CWS) representatives and others with special expertise to the NCC commission on Katrina. Church World Service is the humanitarian and relief agency of the communions that are members of the NCC.
Hoyt said he was also mindful of the hidden human tragedy of Katrina, including the alarming number of suicides of rescue workers and “people who lost everything.” The Governing Board received for a second reading a resolution on “Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Support,” which will be passed on to the NCC General Assembly when it meets Nov. 8-10. The resolution on suicide prevention urges member communions to “study and address the issues related to suicide prevention, intervention and support for those who attempt suicide and survivors of suicide loss.”
In other actions, the Governing Board welcomed publication of the NCC's new curriculum, “For the Peace of the World, A Christian Curriculum on International Relations”; heard a report from Eileen W. Lindner, deputy general secretary for Research and Planning, on the preparation of a policy on human biotechnologies, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”; and voted to pass on to the General Assembly a resolution to reaffirm provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and a Bill of Media Rights that reaffirms that the public owns the airwaves and has a right to expect local stations will respond effectively to community needs. The board also discussed the withdrawal this summer of the Antiochian Orthodox Church from NCC membership.
The Church of the Brethren is a member denomination of the NCC, which is composed of 35 Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, historic African-American and peace communions representing 45 million Christians in 100,000 local congregations in the US. For more information about the NCC see www.ncccusa.org.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Church World Service requests donations of Clean-Up Buckets.
Church World Service (CWS) has requested the donation of Clean-up Buckets, one of the Gift of the Heart Kits that are warehoused and shipped from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. These supplies enable people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood, hurricane, tornado, or other disaster here in the US. Because of the volatility of the contents, Clean-up Buckets are not shipped internationally. The value per bucket is $45.
Bucket contents are: one 5 gallon bucket with resealable lid; five scouring pads; seven sponges, assorted sizes; one scrub brush; eighteen cleaning towels (reusable, like Easy Wipes ®); one 50-78 oz. box dry laundry detergent; one 12 oz. bottle of liquid concentrated household cleaner (like Lysol ®); one 25 oz. bottle liquid disinfectant dish soap (like Dawn ®); fifty clothespins; clothesline, two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.; five dust masks; two pairs latex gloves; one pair work gloves; one 22-27 count box heavy-duty trash bags (33-45 gallon); one 6-14 oz. bottle of insect repellant (drops or lotion, not aerosol). Purchase all liquids in plastic bottles. Send only new, unopened materials. Put all items in the plastic bucket, making sure they are packed securely to avoid damage during shipment, and seal lid with packing tape. Place each bucket in a separate box. Buckets may be taken directly to the warehouse in New Windsor, Md., or shipped prepaid to Church World Service, Brethren Service Center Annex, 601 Main St., New Windsor, MD 21776-0188.
Please add $3 per Clean-Up Bucket for processing and shipping. Do not include these funds in the box but send by check, earmarked for processing/shipping, to Church World Service, 28606 Phillips St., P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Church World Service (CWS) has requested the donation of Clean-up Buckets, one of the Gift of the Heart Kits that are warehoused and shipped from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. These supplies enable people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood, hurricane, tornado, or other disaster here in the US. Because of the volatility of the contents, Clean-up Buckets are not shipped internationally. The value per bucket is $45.
Bucket contents are: one 5 gallon bucket with resealable lid; five scouring pads; seven sponges, assorted sizes; one scrub brush; eighteen cleaning towels (reusable, like Easy Wipes ®); one 50-78 oz. box dry laundry detergent; one 12 oz. bottle of liquid concentrated household cleaner (like Lysol ®); one 25 oz. bottle liquid disinfectant dish soap (like Dawn ®); fifty clothespins; clothesline, two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.; five dust masks; two pairs latex gloves; one pair work gloves; one 22-27 count box heavy-duty trash bags (33-45 gallon); one 6-14 oz. bottle of insect repellant (drops or lotion, not aerosol). Purchase all liquids in plastic bottles. Send only new, unopened materials. Put all items in the plastic bucket, making sure they are packed securely to avoid damage during shipment, and seal lid with packing tape. Place each bucket in a separate box. Buckets may be taken directly to the warehouse in New Windsor, Md., or shipped prepaid to Church World Service, Brethren Service Center Annex, 601 Main St., New Windsor, MD 21776-0188.
Please add $3 per Clean-Up Bucket for processing and shipping. Do not include these funds in the box but send by check, earmarked for processing/shipping, to Church World Service, 28606 Phillips St., P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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‘How did the ducks get out of the water?’: Stories from Disaster Child Care
Disaster Child Care volunteer Patty Henry, who served in Denver, Colo., caring for children evacuated from Hurricane Katrina, shared the following stories from her daily journal:
“I rock a four year old and sing to her. She listens to ‘Five Green and Speckled Frogs.’ Then I sing ‘Five Little Ducks.’ She interrupts, ‘How did the ducks get out of the water?’ I explain that ducks can swim out, or use their wings to fly out of the water. I begin again to sing ‘Five Little Ducks.’ Again she asks, ‘How did the ducks get out of the water?’ and it dawns on me.... I ask her, ‘Were you in the water?’
“She tells me her story: ‘I fell off the roof in the water! Mommy catched me.’ I asked how her baby brother got off the roof. ‘Mommy catched him too. Then we got in a boat and they took us to a basketball game.’ I wonder if this is the Astro Dome? But we only wonder, we don’t ask. We’re not here to interrogate.
“We have a new family here today. A nine-year-old boy’s pants keep falling down. I tell him ‘You’re sagging!’ He replies, ‘Well... my belt is DROWNING!’
“A child from Louisiana is having a difficult time. Age nine, she frequently sits in a corner with her thumb in her mouth. She fights with her siblings and has frequent melt downs, crying. We hold and rock her, sit beside her, and take walks with her. She is very, very angry, and after three days we are still concerned about her ability to cope safely with all of this.”
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Disaster Child Care volunteer Patty Henry, who served in Denver, Colo., caring for children evacuated from Hurricane Katrina, shared the following stories from her daily journal:
“I rock a four year old and sing to her. She listens to ‘Five Green and Speckled Frogs.’ Then I sing ‘Five Little Ducks.’ She interrupts, ‘How did the ducks get out of the water?’ I explain that ducks can swim out, or use their wings to fly out of the water. I begin again to sing ‘Five Little Ducks.’ Again she asks, ‘How did the ducks get out of the water?’ and it dawns on me.... I ask her, ‘Were you in the water?’
“She tells me her story: ‘I fell off the roof in the water! Mommy catched me.’ I asked how her baby brother got off the roof. ‘Mommy catched him too. Then we got in a boat and they took us to a basketball game.’ I wonder if this is the Astro Dome? But we only wonder, we don’t ask. We’re not here to interrogate.
“We have a new family here today. A nine-year-old boy’s pants keep falling down. I tell him ‘You’re sagging!’ He replies, ‘Well... my belt is DROWNING!’
“A child from Louisiana is having a difficult time. Age nine, she frequently sits in a corner with her thumb in her mouth. She fights with her siblings and has frequent melt downs, crying. We hold and rock her, sit beside her, and take walks with her. She is very, very angry, and after three days we are still concerned about her ability to cope safely with all of this.”
Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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Credits
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on every other Wednesday with other editions and updates as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Carol Bowman, Kelly Burk, Annie Clark, Mary Dulabaum, Sonja Griffith, Phillip E. Jenks, Merv Keeney, Jeri S. Kornegay, Craig Alan Myers Barbara Sayler, Helen Stonesifer, Fred Swartz, Becky Ullom, Diana R. Wheaton, Linda Williams, and Roy Winter, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on every other Wednesday with other editions and updates as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Carol Bowman, Kelly Burk, Annie Clark, Mary Dulabaum, Sonja Griffith, Phillip E. Jenks, Merv Keeney, Jeri S. Kornegay, Craig Alan Myers Barbara Sayler, Helen Stonesifer, Fred Swartz, Becky Ullom, Diana R. Wheaton, Linda Williams, and Roy Winter, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Newsline Update: Church of the Brethren Hurricane Response
- Brethren congregations are in the path of Hurricane Rita.
- Disaster Child Care volunteers are evacuated.
- Shipments of relief goods continue from Brethren Service Center.
- Brethren Disaster Response clean-up project continues in Alabama.
- Two more Brethren grants given for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
- Local food banks are another way to give to hurricane relief.
- New phone numbers are in place for volunteering.
- Web page features 'What Brethren are doing to respond to Hurricane Katrina.'
Brethren congregations are in the path of Hurricane Rita.
Three Church of the Brethren congregations in Louisiana and Texas are in the path of Hurricane Rita and are in areas under mandatory evacuation orders: Falfurrias (Texas) Church of the Brethren, Roanoke (La.) Church of the Brethren, and Lake Charles (La.) Community Church of the Brethren. The three churches have a combined membership of 197.
Southern Plains District minister A Joan Lowry encouraged the denomination to be in prayer for the Brethren who are on the road seeking places of safety. She knows where Roanoke pastor James Balmer has evacuated to, but of the rest of the three congregations, she said, "They're on the road somewhere, the church folks as well as those they are helping." The Lake Charles church had been housing four families evacuated from Hurricane Katrina, including about 17-18 people.
Lowry expressed the sadness of the situation, especially for those who are evacuating for the second time. "And now they're displaced again," she said. Each of the evacuated families had already found employment in the Lake Charles area, she said.
"God is good and faithful, and we just have to keep trucking," she said, expressing her deep faith in God to care for the people of the district during this critical time.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Three Church of the Brethren congregations in Louisiana and Texas are in the path of Hurricane Rita and are in areas under mandatory evacuation orders: Falfurrias (Texas) Church of the Brethren, Roanoke (La.) Church of the Brethren, and Lake Charles (La.) Community Church of the Brethren. The three churches have a combined membership of 197.
Southern Plains District minister A Joan Lowry encouraged the denomination to be in prayer for the Brethren who are on the road seeking places of safety. She knows where Roanoke pastor James Balmer has evacuated to, but of the rest of the three congregations, she said, "They're on the road somewhere, the church folks as well as those they are helping." The Lake Charles church had been housing four families evacuated from Hurricane Katrina, including about 17-18 people.
Lowry expressed the sadness of the situation, especially for those who are evacuating for the second time. "And now they're displaced again," she said. Each of the evacuated families had already found employment in the Lake Charles area, she said.
"God is good and faithful, and we just have to keep trucking," she said, expressing her deep faith in God to care for the people of the district during this critical time.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Disaster Child Care volunteers are evacuated.
A Disaster Child Care volunteer team has been evacuated from the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, La., in advance of Hurricane Rita. The hurricane is headed to the western Louisiana and eastern Texas coastline today, expected to make landfall tomorrow morning. The child care volunteers who were evacuated had been serving evacuees of Hurricane Katrina.
In another Disaster Child Care update, the program expects to offer new Level I trainings soon in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and in Elgin, Ill. The additional trainings have been added to the regular schedule to help meet the high demand for child care for hurricane evacuees. Wilma Ammermann has begun as volunteer coordinator of the additional trainings.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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A Disaster Child Care volunteer team has been evacuated from the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, La., in advance of Hurricane Rita. The hurricane is headed to the western Louisiana and eastern Texas coastline today, expected to make landfall tomorrow morning. The child care volunteers who were evacuated had been serving evacuees of Hurricane Katrina.
In another Disaster Child Care update, the program expects to offer new Level I trainings soon in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and in Elgin, Ill. The additional trainings have been added to the regular schedule to help meet the high demand for child care for hurricane evacuees. Wilma Ammermann has begun as volunteer coordinator of the additional trainings.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Shipments of relief goods continue from Brethren Service Center.
Church of the Brethren staff, on behalf of Church World Service (CWS), sent the first shipment of relief materials to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina on the evening of Aug. 30. The 5,000 blankets and the 5,040 Gift of the Heart Health Kits reached their destination, Baton Rouge, La., and were distributed on Aug. 31.
As of Sept. 19, 18 more shipments from the warehouses at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., have been sent to affected areas. Brethren, along with other CWS partners, are invited to celebrate this outpouring of relief.
Following are summaries of relief materials received, by state:
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Church of the Brethren staff, on behalf of Church World Service (CWS), sent the first shipment of relief materials to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina on the evening of Aug. 30. The 5,000 blankets and the 5,040 Gift of the Heart Health Kits reached their destination, Baton Rouge, La., and were distributed on Aug. 31.
As of Sept. 19, 18 more shipments from the warehouses at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., have been sent to affected areas. Brethren, along with other CWS partners, are invited to celebrate this outpouring of relief.
Following are summaries of relief materials received, by state:
- Alabama: 1,035 Health Kits and 1,020 School Kits
- Arkansas: 540 Health Kits
- Louisiana: 6,000 blankets, 22,230 Health Kits, 510 School Kits
- Michigan: 315 Health Kits
- Mississippi: 6,000 blankets, 19,545 Health Kits, 1,625 Clean-Up Buckets
- Texas: 1,000 blankets, 7,065 Health Kits, 1,020 School Kits Virginia: 720 Health Kits, 1,830 School Kits, 25 Kids Kits
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Brethren Disaster Response clean-up project continues in Alabama.
Work at a clean-up project in Citronelle, Ala., continues in cooperation between the General Board's Brethren Disaster Response, Southeastern District, and Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren.
In recent developments at the project, a decision has been made to begin repair work on a number of homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina in the Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren community.
Volunteers are scheduled for the upcoming months; however, more volunteers will be needed for this project as it expands into nearby communities in Mississippi. Please contact your district disaster coordinator of call the Emergency Response office at 800-451-4407 ext. 4.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Work at a clean-up project in Citronelle, Ala., continues in cooperation between the General Board's Brethren Disaster Response, Southeastern District, and Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren.
In recent developments at the project, a decision has been made to begin repair work on a number of homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina in the Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren community.
Volunteers are scheduled for the upcoming months; however, more volunteers will be needed for this project as it expands into nearby communities in Mississippi. Please contact your district disaster coordinator of call the Emergency Response office at 800-451-4407 ext. 4.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Two more Brethren grants given for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
The Emergency Disaster Fund has given two more grants of $50,000 and $15,000 toward the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in addition to several previous grants, bringing the total to $110,000. The fund is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The $15,000 grant supports the clean-up project in Citronelle, Ala., opened by the Brethren Disaster Response program on Sept. 13. The project is based at Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren and is a cooperative effort with the congregation and Southeastern District.
The $50,000 grant supports a greatly expanded Church World Service appeal of more than $9,500,000 related to Hurricane Katrina. The appeal includes five major areas of response: deployment of Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons; the distribution of Tools of Hope, blankets, and Gift of the Heart Kits; development and support of longterm recovery organizations; spiritual care and Care-for-Caregivers; and a relocation program for 500 displaced Americans.
To give to the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethrendisasterresponse.org or mail checks made payable to the Emergency Disaster Fund to 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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The Emergency Disaster Fund has given two more grants of $50,000 and $15,000 toward the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in addition to several previous grants, bringing the total to $110,000. The fund is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The $15,000 grant supports the clean-up project in Citronelle, Ala., opened by the Brethren Disaster Response program on Sept. 13. The project is based at Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren and is a cooperative effort with the congregation and Southeastern District.
The $50,000 grant supports a greatly expanded Church World Service appeal of more than $9,500,000 related to Hurricane Katrina. The appeal includes five major areas of response: deployment of Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons; the distribution of Tools of Hope, blankets, and Gift of the Heart Kits; development and support of longterm recovery organizations; spiritual care and Care-for-Caregivers; and a relocation program for 500 displaced Americans.
To give to the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethrendisasterresponse.org or mail checks made payable to the Emergency Disaster Fund to 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Local food banks are another way to give to hurricane relief.
Looking at the new numbers of hurricane evacuees, the Church of the Brethren director of Emergency Response has issued a call to support local food pantries as another way to support the hurricane relief efforts. Roy Winter, director of Emergency Response for the General Board, explained that many food banks across the country have contributed food to the hurricane relief effort through America's Second Harvest.
America's Second Harvest is a food bank network that serves as a coordinating organization for most local food banks, and is the largest hunger relief organization in the US (see www.secondharvest.org). Now, local food bank shelves have been depleted by the response to Katrina, and communities need to help restock them, Winter said.
He also explained that the Church of the Brethren response has coordinated with other Christian denominations and nonprofit organizations--such as America's Second Harvest, the American Red Cross, Church World Service, and others--who have developed expertise in particular areas of disaster response. "We are trying not to duplicate the services of other churches and organizations like Second Harvest, because they are doing them well," Winter said. "It helps the whole process to work together."
He and his staff have focused their efforts in areas in which the Brethren have expertise as well. The Brethren four-pronged response includes grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund; warehousing and shipping of relief materials from the Brethren Service Center by the Service Ministries program; Disaster Child Care; and repair and rebuilding efforts by the Disaster Response Program.
Winter also called on Brethren to maintain an understanding of the bigger picture and continue support for survivors of other disasters. "There are other needs out there, some other disasters that need to be responded to," he said, naming in particular the ongoing Brethren rebuilding projects in Florida and Ohio that still need volunteers. There also is a clean-up and repair project in Alabama in response to Hurricane Katrina.
"The main focus of the Disaster Response Program is longterm recovery," said disaster response coordinator Jane Yount, "and 'longterm' can mean months or even years. So, the question is not whether you can go three days after the disaster, but rather can you go three months or a year after the disaster--after the media blitz is over and the survivors start wondering whether anyone still cares."
This weekend, Winter will be at the Brethren Disaster Auction in Lebanon, Pa., where the number of Gift of the Heart Health Kits that organizers expect to assemble throughout the day Saturday has been upped to 25,000 from 20,000. That seems like a lot of health kits, Winter acknowledged. But looking at the situation in the Gulf Coast in anticipation of the arrival of Rita, he said with a sigh, "We'll probably use them all."
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Looking at the new numbers of hurricane evacuees, the Church of the Brethren director of Emergency Response has issued a call to support local food pantries as another way to support the hurricane relief efforts. Roy Winter, director of Emergency Response for the General Board, explained that many food banks across the country have contributed food to the hurricane relief effort through America's Second Harvest.
America's Second Harvest is a food bank network that serves as a coordinating organization for most local food banks, and is the largest hunger relief organization in the US (see www.secondharvest.org). Now, local food bank shelves have been depleted by the response to Katrina, and communities need to help restock them, Winter said.
He also explained that the Church of the Brethren response has coordinated with other Christian denominations and nonprofit organizations--such as America's Second Harvest, the American Red Cross, Church World Service, and others--who have developed expertise in particular areas of disaster response. "We are trying not to duplicate the services of other churches and organizations like Second Harvest, because they are doing them well," Winter said. "It helps the whole process to work together."
He and his staff have focused their efforts in areas in which the Brethren have expertise as well. The Brethren four-pronged response includes grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund; warehousing and shipping of relief materials from the Brethren Service Center by the Service Ministries program; Disaster Child Care; and repair and rebuilding efforts by the Disaster Response Program.
Winter also called on Brethren to maintain an understanding of the bigger picture and continue support for survivors of other disasters. "There are other needs out there, some other disasters that need to be responded to," he said, naming in particular the ongoing Brethren rebuilding projects in Florida and Ohio that still need volunteers. There also is a clean-up and repair project in Alabama in response to Hurricane Katrina.
"The main focus of the Disaster Response Program is longterm recovery," said disaster response coordinator Jane Yount, "and 'longterm' can mean months or even years. So, the question is not whether you can go three days after the disaster, but rather can you go three months or a year after the disaster--after the media blitz is over and the survivors start wondering whether anyone still cares."
This weekend, Winter will be at the Brethren Disaster Auction in Lebanon, Pa., where the number of Gift of the Heart Health Kits that organizers expect to assemble throughout the day Saturday has been upped to 25,000 from 20,000. That seems like a lot of health kits, Winter acknowledged. But looking at the situation in the Gulf Coast in anticipation of the arrival of Rita, he said with a sigh, "We'll probably use them all."
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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New phone numbers are in place for volunteering.
The Emergency Response/Service Ministries office of the General Board has published new telephone numbers to call to volunteer for disaster relief work.
To volunteer at the Service Ministries warehouse at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., call 800-766-1553 ext. 1.
To volunteer for the Disaster Response Program, to take part in a clean up or rebuilding project, call your district disaster coordinator or the New Windsor office at 800-451-4407 ext. 4.
For more information on Disaster Child Care, call 800-451-4407 ext 5.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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The Emergency Response/Service Ministries office of the General Board has published new telephone numbers to call to volunteer for disaster relief work.
To volunteer at the Service Ministries warehouse at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., call 800-766-1553 ext. 1.
To volunteer for the Disaster Response Program, to take part in a clean up or rebuilding project, call your district disaster coordinator or the New Windsor office at 800-451-4407 ext. 4.
For more information on Disaster Child Care, call 800-451-4407 ext 5.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Web page features 'What Brethren are doing to respond to Hurricane Katrina.'
A new web page has been created to feature stories of what Brethren across the country are doing in response to Hurricane Katrina. Go to www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/HurricanePosting.htm, where news and photos of hurricane relief efforts by Church of the Brethren congregations, districts, colleges, homes, and other organizations will be posted.
Stories and photos will be added to this page regularly. Send news, stories, and photos to cobnews@aol.com. Please note that sending news and photos for use on this page also gives permission for the Church of the Brethren General Board to use any of these stories and images.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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A new web page has been created to feature stories of what Brethren across the country are doing in response to Hurricane Katrina. Go to www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/HurricanePosting.htm, where news and photos of hurricane relief efforts by Church of the Brethren congregations, districts, colleges, homes, and other organizations will be posted.
Stories and photos will be added to this page regularly. Send news, stories, and photos to cobnews@aol.com. Please note that sending news and photos for use on this page also gives permission for the Church of the Brethren General Board to use any of these stories and images.
Source: 9/23/2005 Newsline
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Credits
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on every other Wednesday with other editions and updates as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Kathleen Campanella, Helen Stonesifer, Becky Ullom, Roy Winter, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on every other Wednesday with other editions and updates as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Kathleen Campanella, Helen Stonesifer, Becky Ullom, Roy Winter, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.
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