Disaster Response

Fire destroys Presbyterian church in Inglewood, Tennessee

Fire officials in Inglewood, Tennessee are still trying to determine the exact cause of two separate fires at the Eastminster Presbyterian Church on Sunday. The first fire was extinguished quickly, according to Pastor Gilbert Varela.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance assesses damage in Haiti

It’s been two months since Hurricane Matthew slammed into Haiti, leaving a path of death and destruction that will take years for its residents to recover. More than a thousand people are believed to have perished when the hurricane made landfall as a Category 4 storm on October 4.

Gatlinburg Presbyterian Church survives recent fires in the mountain community

For Greg Bennett, hours seemed like days last week as he awaited the approval to travel into smoke-filled Gatlinburg to see if the church he’s pastored had survived the flames. Bennett is a commissioned ruling elder with the Presbytery of East Tennessee as well as pastor of the Gatlinburg Presbyterian Church.

When leaving Syria is not an option

In a besieged corner of Aleppo, Shahe, a victim of sudden blindness lost his only source of income as a dental technician. He and his wife, Talin, struggled to stay in their home when the monthly payments became impossible. While their oldest son was excelling in school, the younger boy’s autism required special care, and the wonderful Armenian institution on which they had relied closed, another casualty of war.

Fire damages first Mexican-American Presbyterian church in Texas

Members of a historic church in San Marcos, Texas, are making alternative plans for worship this Sunday after fire broke out earlier this week. Authorities say a police officer noticed smoke coming from the Memorial Presbyterian Church on Monday afternoon.

Cleanup continues in North Carolina following Hurricane Matthew

If there is anything good that can come out of a hurricane, it is preparation for the next one. That appears to be the feeling of residents and volunteers working in New Hope and Coastal Carolina presbyteries in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.

Asylum seekers receive warm welcome in McAllen, Texas

They may have been traveling for days or even weeks, but immigrants hoping to start new lives in the U.S. are finding a bright spot in their long and difficult journey. A Catholic church in McAllen, Texas provides a rest stop for the weary travelers, giving them a place to rest, eat and fellowship with volunteers who have come to help.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance returns to the Philippines

It was November 8, 2013 when one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, slammed Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. The result: more than 6,000 dead, towns and communities were destroyed and millions of people were left homeless, with no food and little hope.