Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Changes Coming!!!!!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Special Report on PDA efforts along the Gull Coast
The Presbyterian News Service has put out a special report about the ongoing relief efforts along the Gulf Coast. The videos included in the report are powerful. You can access the information by clicking the links below.
This story and photo located at:
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2007/07115.htm
07115
February 28, 2007
Special report: Gulf Coast relief efforts
Extensive coverage includes stories, video and photo albums
by Jerry Van Marter
LOUISVILLE - The Presbyterian News Service - in partnership with Media Services and Internet Services - has released a special multi-media report detailing progress in Gulf Coast relief efforts since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in August 2005.
Reporters from PNS and crews from Media Services have spent much time in recent months along the Mississippi coast and in New Orleans, documenting the efforts of Presbyterians to help with the rebuilding.
The special report includes news and feature stories, interviews, still photographs and more extensive photo albums, and video features.
Coverage includes stories on Lakeview Presbyterian Church's efforts to rebuild its ministry and facilities in one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in New Orleans; one volunteer crew's "house-gutting" work under the leadership of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA); the struggle to rebuild New Orleans' fishing industry and food distribution networks; the work of Presbyterians and others to minister to the thousands of children traumatized by the storm and its aftermath; the rebuilding of homes along the Mississippi coast; and an unlikely partnership between a black church, a Jewish synagogue and PDA working together to rebuild homes.
Video features allow viewers to see and hear relief workers tell their stories in their own words, as well as to see the catastrophic destruction the storm wreaked in New Orleans.
Photo albums offer a close-up, detailed look at the destruction and Presbyterian efforts to overcome it.
See the Special Report at
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/gulfrelief/index.htm.
Workers Needed in Springfield MO are for Clean-Up
I received this from our area coordinator for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. If anyone is interested in helping out please let me know as soon as possible.
Hi folks:
I am sending this email out to numerous Presbyterian-types who have in the past expressed an interest in disaster response work. There is a great need for volunteers to help with debris removal due to the ice storms in Southwest Missouri (Springfield area). The Americorps volunteers who are coordinating the effort are seeking groups of any size (and shape) over the next few weeks and for any length of time. This is an ideal opportunity for unskilled folk as well as those able to use chainsaws, etc. A group could drive down one evening, work all day the next day, and drive home that evening.
Americorps is able to assist with housing and work assignments.
In Lawrence County alone, just southwest of Springfield, 568 households still need assistance. Over 600 have already received help from local groups. But the local groups are getting tapped out.
I promised that I would pass along word of this need anywhere and everywhere. Please pass the word along to anyone who might be interested.
Feel free to call me with further questions or for information (cell 314-616-7896, church 314-726-6677)
OR call directly the Americorps emergency response team for that region at 573-446-3336.
A specific contact for Lawrence County (headquartered in Mount Vernon, MO) is 417-461-5560.
I would love to know if you or anyone in your churches or scout troops or whomever, does end up going!
Yours in Christ,
Kelly Allen, Pastor, First Pres. of St. Louis and representative, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Missouri Interfaith Disaster Response Organization.
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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Upcoming Events at 1st Pres.
Just a few of the upcoming events at First Presbyterian Church:
Monday, February 19th Cancer Support Group meets at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall.
Tuesday, February 20th the Fellowship Committee meets at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall.
Wednesday, February 21st the Session meets at 6pm in the library and choir practice is at 5pm.
Sunday, March 4th the Deacons will meet after worship.
The Sunday School is challenging the adults to fill more coin banks for the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. On Palm Sunday we'll weigh the banks and see who wins!!!
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Minute for Mission on Disaster Prep Team
This may be simplistic but I am going to try to explain a bit further concerning the MUP Disaster Preparedness and Awareness Committee. In retrospect, I should have taken Andy O'Dowd and Mike Lewton's lead for last week's Presbytery meeting and just said the committee met, will continue to meet, and is doing lots and lots and lots of research. Much of this is what I attempted to get across at the Mission Committee meeting Monday night but time did not allow. There is some repetition for some folks but other may not have heard it at past Mission meetings.
The MUP Disaster Response Mission Team committee finally formed with FPC Columbia joining up with Old Auxvasse/9 Mile PC and Bowling Green PC. The ministers, Jim Cruickshank and Andy O'Dowd respectively, were the folks with vision, determination, and the push. It took more than several months and Presbytery meetings for a third interested church (which became FPC-Columbia) to join. Mike Lewton, also a minister and the interim Camp Covenant Point Director, became the person for the MUP mission disaster position almost by default. Some of his position's purpose is to seek out needs and ways to respond to local disasters, as well as regional and national disasters when asked/invited. This position is the Presbytery's helpline. Due to MUP budgetary restraint and the formation of this committee the position Mike holds will probably vanish.
Jim, a CLP, and Andy, an ordained minister live and have lived in areas where disaster assistance was either needed and/or given and have participated or spear-headed relief or recovery. Their areas, as are many of the areas of MUP, are not necessarily where emergency agencies or organizations "live." These gents along with Mike live out and away from larger cities/communities and serve large rural areas. Not wanting to put words in anyone's mouth, but I believe this folks feel this is part of their "day job" working, if you will. And, to be honest with you, I can appreciate this thought, if this is true. (This folks are as busy as Dick and Kathie, especially for evening meetings and activities for us, and there is only one of them.)
This being a formalized Presbytery Committee Presbyterian protocol is in place. As I believe we know this can be time consuming and burdening. A mission statement for the committee is being worked on, a definition of disaster has been penned, and a vision statement may be written in the near future. Accountability of finances and goods is in place in the hopes of funding and donations.
This committee is trying to compile a data base for MUP of emergency agencies/organizations and their contacts --- names, telephone, street and email addresses, etc. --- that are pertinent for the MUP churches, their own counties, and cities/towns.
Along with the compilation of the above, the committee is going to establish a data base of what each church in MUP has to offer in disaster relief and/or recovery --- building composition, amount of folks, food, supplies, equipment, feeding, shelter, relief efforts, recovery efforts, professional help, financial, etc.
The committee is to formulate and form a MUP emergency response pyramid for local, regional, and national disasters, inclusive of names of folks and what they can/will do/have to offer. There is intent to be able to assist in disasters outside of MUP.
The committee is also to begin a guideline for an emergency pyramid and information for the churches in MUP --- assistance for congregation, church officers, church records, etc.
Churches in the counties of the Presbytery will be contacted for assistance in acquiring the above information. Hopefully there will be a 100% response with full and correct information.
There are very few guidelines for a Presbytery, Synod, or Presbyterian group to follow when it comes to disaster --- response, relief, recovery, mitigation, aid. PDA became formal in the mid 1990's with many roots coming from the Presbyterian Church World Service and its responses to disasters in the world. As a result, each Presbytery that has chosen or decided to take on this task of formalizing a plan of action has started from the beginning.
Dynamics of the group/committee formed varies from Presbytery to Presbytery. Disaster preparedness and awareness decisions, implementation protocol, supervision, and maintenance are specific and pertinent for those Presbytery areas and regions of the country or world.
There was money, $5,000, budgeted for disaster relief in the 2006 MUP budget. Less than $4,000 remains and cannot be carried over to 2007. It was the committee's sincere and thought-out thoughts that a trailer be purchased containing equipment, supplies, tools, etc. for emergency response, relief, recovery, mitigation. Cases were sighted where these men had been to areas needing assistance and there not being much of anything with which to work. Cell phones were used to round up tools and people.
There were also the sighted unfortunate pre-cell phone cases.
The possible need for a finished equipment/supply trailer and its uses were identified by the committee in September. The need was seen as necessary at the October meeting. Bruce Berry, MUP General Presbyter, supported the use and need of such a trailer due to his experience with our church's mission trip to New Orleans. The committee feels that such an item is not extreme and could/should be used in the attempts to help others --- whether locally, regionally, or nationally. This may well be assistance to help others to "step out and in" --- out with faith and into action.
Mike, John (because of the day and the ride to Covenant Point), and myself sat and worked a budget proposal for the committee for the 2007 MUP budget about three weeks ago. Money is being requested for mission trip expenses, supplies, and further costs on finishing out the response trailer, if you will. It was strongly suggested by Bruce that this budget request is made so the committee cannot only proceed but to have substance within the Presbytery.
Mike has personally initiated the writing of a grant to PDA for funding to help with the establishment of this committee --- the training programs which the committee knows will need to happen; for equipment, supplies, materials, etc.; instructional materials; and whatever else there may be.
Mike having also been a school superintendent felt the call to write the grant. John and I gave some input. I have contacted three PDAT members for input and insight. Their response is PDA has not done such a thing in the area of helping in the "let's get ready for ?" approach. All three don't believe PDA has adverse thoughts concerning this approach because it hasn't thought of this, YET. They have encouraged this action.
I have made numerous inquiries and contacts trying to obtain material from other Presbyteries. The response has been fair. I have also discovered not many Presbyteries have formulated a disaster plan or protocol. I was to attend the Peace River Presbyterian Preparedness and Response Committee meeting November 14 and 15 in Florida but received word right before leaving home for Monday night's Mission meeting it has been cancelled due to lack of quorum. (I now eat the cheap fares and rates on air travel, car rental, and lodging!). An FYI This committee has just come into being within the last two years, mainly in response to the 2004 hurricane season's devastation. I will again make attempts to attend the meeting in January, if there is to be a quorum then.
It is easily and readily recognized that MUP's Disaster Response team will identify itself and what it has to offer to all Presbyterian, other denominations, and emergency powers-that-be --- Synod, GA, PDA, the respective counties and towns/cities in MUP, ARC, Salvation Army, the MO VOAD, etc.; so it's aid, assistance, relief, recovery, etc. can be appropriately used.
Everyone on our Mission Committee, in our congregation, the MUP Disaster team, the Presbytery need to understand that when a disaster happens all folks dedicated and willing and wanting to render assistance, unless it is their profession or paid job, will not be able to do so--- even if emergency trained. There are many factors here that detour folks --- their own personal jobs/professions, family, health, skills, or just plain life circumstances. Kind of like participation on a mission trip of our church or participation in or at the local missions our church does.
Nationally recognized emergency agencies/organizations do not always respond to or delve into each and every disaster, especially immediately.
This is inclusive of the ARC. If you doubt me ask the folks in Southeast MO and Northeast MO with help with the tornadoes and folks in Virginia with the present flooding. Also, everyone needs to understand that just because an agency or organization states it responds to disasters that the organization or everyone responding from that organization is able or capable of rendering medical or psychological aid. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THIS IS EVEN A THOUGHT BY THIS COMMITTEE. It is an FYI.
Many and most of the emergency agencies/organizations --- whether federal, state, regional, government or not, have started reorganization and the redo of what they do, how they do, what they can and should offer, etc. due to the several calamities of 2004 and 2005 --- mainly due to hurricanes. They are in a state of reflux. This happened with the earthquake out in San Francisco years ago.
I ask that our Mission Committee and church give prayerful support in this committee's commitment, willingness, and desire to help others in need and folks be able to serve. Folks on this committee realize decisions, plans of action, implementation, etc will not meet everyone's approval (such as the trailer for Gordon and meeting times with Grace and Joy), but this happens in our own church with its committees' actions. Please know the intentions, endeavors, efforts, desires, works, and commitment are prayerfully and thoughtfully considered just as the justice, feasibility, practicality, uses, likelihood, and costs by folks on the committee. Pretty much as our church works, too.
I will take to the November 21st meeting the issue of addressing the scheduling of the quarterly meeting for a Saturday meeting for either December or January. Please be aware of the likelihood of travel. We presently meet at the Old Auxvasse/Nine Mile Church in Williamsburg.
FYI from E to W travel time is 2 1/2 to 3 hours; N to S it is 4 to 4 1/2 hours. This is approximate time and is probably longer. (Thank goodness for interstates and some nicer state roads now.) There are some 78 or so churches (number derived from consolidation of some of the smaller and not necessarily closer churches --- many being rural). I am still working on the number of counties served and I won't even venture to guess the
Emergency agencies/organizations in MUP, or if they even work or not.
Bruce could probably answer this quickly.
Email contact addresses for the MUP Disaster Mission Team are:
"Andy O'Dowd" <pastor@1stbgmo.presbytery.org> "Jim Cruickshank"
<jcnuick@ktis.net> "Mike Lewton" <m.lewton@earthlink.net> "Randall Cone"
<drcone@big-river.net> "Bruce Berry" <bruce@mupresbytery.org> "Phillip Foreman" (retired surgeon, has attended one meeting) <pbforeman1@hotmail.com> Buck Green is a retired but coaches football
around Williamsburg and I have no contact for him. And there is myself.
This is being sent to the MUP Disaster Committee/Team so they will know why anyone from our committee would be contacting them.
Thanks and Hugs and Smiles to everyone,
Kathy
Now wouldn't it be just more than wonderful for everything to come into place for emergency response and it never need to be used?
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Friday, November 03, 2006
Work Trip to Gulf Coast
The cost of the trip for each volunteer will be $125.00. That will cover the $$20.00 per night charge for accommodations and meals at the PDA camp. The other $5.00 will assist with the cost of gas. Each volunteer will be responsible for their meals en route to and from the camp. PDA has established a minimum age of 18 for volunteers.
Persons who are interested or who want more information may contact one of the following:
Mike Lewton at the numbers below,
Kathy Montgomery at 573-639-0378 or jomontgomery@hotmail.com or jomontgomery@gmail.com
Crissy Jones at FPC Columbia 573-442-1164
The PDA website may be found at http://www.pcusa.org/pda/
I have had numerous inquiries about when we might make another trip. Please communicate this opportunity to your congregations.
Peace,
Mike
Rev. Michael D. Lewton, Camp Director
and Disaster Assistance Coordinator
Saturday, September 23, 2006
What's Happening at 1st Pres.
What’s Happening at 1st Presbyterian Church
This is a summary of a few of the happenings at 1st Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green.
Saturday, September 23, 2006 – Worship at 6pm
Sunday, September 24, 2006 - Sunday School for all ages at 9:30am. I wonder what the story is about this week? Worship at 10:45am.
Cub Scout Pack 107 has den meetings in the church on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday mornings. A more detailed schedule will be available soon.
Friday, September 29 – September 30 – Pike County Relay for Life at the County Fairgrounds. We are running the food stand from 4pm-midnight. Come out and help in the fight against cancer. The relay officially starts at 7pm and continues until 6am on Saturday!
Saturday, September 30, 2006 - Worship at 6pm. We will be serving the Lord’s Supper
Sunday, October 1, 2006 – World Communion Sunday! The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated. The Peace Making offering will be collected. This year 25% of the Peace Making offering is going to benefit AVENUES in its fight against domestic and sexual violence. The Deacon’s Mile of Pennies offering will be received. Sunday School begins at 9:30am and worship starts at 10:45am.
Saturday, October 7, 2006 – Worship at 6pm.
Sunday, October 8, 2006 – Sunday School at 9:30am and Worship at 10:45am. The JAMPAC Ingathering and Hayride begins at 4pm at Providence-Concord Church. Items for the Festival of Sharing will be dedicated and their will be a mission program from Jan & Janet Heim who were on the work trip to Mississippi last February.
Monday, October 9, 2006 – The Sunday School Teachers training event is scheduled for 6pm.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - The Disaster Preparedness and Response Mission Team meets at the Old Auxvasse/Nine Mile Church in Williamsburg at 10am.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006 – Session meets at 6pm.
