As a Synod executive based in Texas and now Florida, Valerie Young is exceedingly familiar with Hurricanes. The striking thing about the one-two punch of Hurricanes Helene and Milton is the breadth of the area severely impacted by the storms.
Hurricane-damaged Westminster By-the-Sea Presbyterian Church in Daytona Beach Shores has been a blessing to its community and to other PC(USA) churches by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service DAYTONA BEACH… Read more »
A spirit of solidarity and hope was evident throughout a prayer service hosted by the Synod of South Atlantic last weekend to comfort those trying to rebound from recent storms — particularly Hurricane Helene and its more recent cousin, Milton — and to lift up those assisting survivors.
In the midst of organizing hurricane relief to secure the physical well-being of neighbors, PC(USA) leaders recognize the spiritual effects of trauma. With back-to-back hurricanes striking Florida within less than two weeks and disasters in general becoming more intense because of climate change, “there is so much loss of life, so much stress,” said the Rev. Dr. Kathy Riley, Associate for Emotional and Spiritual Care for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA).
