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Disaster Response
Controlled chaos. That’s how Joan Stewart, executive director of the West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps—the long-term recovery response arm of the Presbytery of West Virginia—describes flood-damaged communities nearly two weeks after record flooding. The water has receded, but the clean up is just ramping up.
The Rev. Dr. Laurie Kraus, coordinator for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, offered prayers for those killed and injured in a massive car bombing that rocked the busy Karada market in central Baghdad yesterday. The blast occurred after sundown as young people and families filled the streets, breaking their daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
The Rev. Dr. Laurie Kraus, coordinator of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, has written the following prayer expressing “sorrow and horror” in response to the attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport has left at least 41 people dead and injured 239 more, and calling on the hope of faithful people to overcome all-too-common instances of violence in the world.
The floodwaters are receding in West Virginia and families have begun the massive task of cleaning up following last week’s record flooding in parts of the state. As many as 23 people are known to have died in the flooding, while hundreds of homes and businesses have been damaged or completely destroyed.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.—Song of Songs 8:7 Our hearts, prayers and thoughts go out to the people of West Virginia in the wake of… Read more »
A year and a half ago, ten people gathered in Jeanie Shaw’s living room in Sacramento, California to worship. Before long, they moved to her backyard. This past Easter, more than 100 people gathered at Eventide Community to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and three adult baptisms.
As Orlando continues to reel from Sunday’s mass shootings, Presbyterian Church leaders are lifting families, the LGBTQ community and the entire community in prayer. As many as 49 people were killed and dozens wounded in the early morning hours yesterday at the Pulse Orlando Club. The lone suspect, identified as Omar Mateen, 29, of Fort Pierce, Florida, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the killings, trying to determine if it was an act of terrorism.
It has been a year of endless flooding for parts of Texas, keeping volunteers from making headway in clean up efforts. The last three months have been described by state and federal authorities as the wettest in Texas history.
Presbyterians attending the 222nd General Assembly in Portland, Oregon, will have an opportunity to recognize refugees seeking to start a new life. Monday, June 20th is World Refugee Day, established by the United Nations to recognize the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide, forced to leave their homes because of persecution, conflict and war.
As the poisoned water crisis continues in Flint, Michigan frustration mounts. Yet one Presbyterian Pastor says she has never felt more cared for which gives her strength to minister to those in her congregation who are still without safe and clean running water.
