Community UCC Freinds and Members: If you are interested in providing Chaplain support to those affected by Hurricane Florence and have a background in clinical pastoral education, and/or other expertise please contact the Southern Conference UCC Disaster Ministries Coordinator, Jon Wallace at (303) 562-4272.
Read below a letter written by Mr. Wallace about Southern Conference releif efforts in our state.
"Recovery Efforts Gear Up in Southern Conference"
by Jon R. Wallace, Southern Conference UCC, Disaster Ministries Coordinator
Late last week the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Lesli Remaly-Netter made a request for chaplains, and later extended that request to include crisis counselors for staffing Disaster Recovery Centers in the Hurricane Florence affected areas of North Carolina. Due to the persistence of high water FEMA has not yet been able to identify where Disaster Recovery Centers will be placed and when they will open. The request was made on the daily conference call of the North Carolina Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster (NCVOAD) Emotional and Spiritual Care Task Force, which the UCC SOC Conference Disaster Ministries Coordinator was invited to Moderate by NCVOAD President Ann Huffman.
In response to this request, the Southern Conference put out a text request to all clergy across the Southern Conference. Conference Disaster Coordinator Jon Wallace sent an email to Fellowship Disaster Partners including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) NC Disciples, the UCC and the Presbyterian Church USA, to alert them. Notification was also sent to United Church Homes which has a number of clergy and social workers as residents. To date more than a dozen UCC and Disciples of Christ clergy have called in to volunteer, with more expected.
These efforts dovetail Rev. Edward Davis' (D.Min.) request (Southern Conference Minister) that clergy and lay people across the conference be identified who may wish to volunteer in a variety of needed areas in the months ahead. "Whether responding to requests from partner agencies or serving as chaplain support to Southern Conference clergy and lay volunteers working on rebuilding efforts and other ministries to come, the United Church of Christ Southern Conference has outstanding personnel, facilities, and skills within our own conference with capabilities to respond immediately and effectively," states Rev. Davis.
Read below a letter written by Mr. Wallace about Southern Conference releif efforts in our state.
"Recovery Efforts Gear Up in Southern Conference"
by Jon R. Wallace, Southern Conference UCC, Disaster Ministries Coordinator
Late last week the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Lesli Remaly-Netter made a request for chaplains, and later extended that request to include crisis counselors for staffing Disaster Recovery Centers in the Hurricane Florence affected areas of North Carolina. Due to the persistence of high water FEMA has not yet been able to identify where Disaster Recovery Centers will be placed and when they will open. The request was made on the daily conference call of the North Carolina Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster (NCVOAD) Emotional and Spiritual Care Task Force, which the UCC SOC Conference Disaster Ministries Coordinator was invited to Moderate by NCVOAD President Ann Huffman.
In response to this request, the Southern Conference put out a text request to all clergy across the Southern Conference. Conference Disaster Coordinator Jon Wallace sent an email to Fellowship Disaster Partners including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) NC Disciples, the UCC and the Presbyterian Church USA, to alert them. Notification was also sent to United Church Homes which has a number of clergy and social workers as residents. To date more than a dozen UCC and Disciples of Christ clergy have called in to volunteer, with more expected.
These efforts dovetail Rev. Edward Davis' (D.Min.) request (Southern Conference Minister) that clergy and lay people across the conference be identified who may wish to volunteer in a variety of needed areas in the months ahead. "Whether responding to requests from partner agencies or serving as chaplain support to Southern Conference clergy and lay volunteers working on rebuilding efforts and other ministries to come, the United Church of Christ Southern Conference has outstanding personnel, facilities, and skills within our own conference with capabilities to respond immediately and effectively," states Rev. Davis.