Massachusetts Conference Edition
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by Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane, Editor
October/November 2005
As the devastation and heartbreak of Hurricane Katrina unfolded on an almost hour by hour basis during the early days of September, members of the MACUCC local hurches sought ways to help the victims of the tragedy. Steve Sterner, Interim Minister and President, responded by email to the many inquiries and offerings of help:“As most of us have looked on from afar, we have been moved by the need to respond. I am grateful for the many individuals and congregations that have asked how they could help, took steps on their own to offer financial and other immediate assistance, and others who waited patiently for information.”
“In Massachusetts we are working with the Black Ministerial Alliance and the governor’s office to maintain readiness for emergency housing should that be required. As this issue goes to press, there is nothing that our congregations are being called on to do as a part of this preparation. Should that change we will notify you immediately,” wrote Sterner.
Sterner called upon members to share their treasures of funds and talents to help those in need of relief. “Church World Service is hard at work throughout the devastated areas. They ask that we continue to raise money and forward it to the United Church of Christ’s Hope Shall Bloom Hurricane Recovery Fund. These funds will be sent directly to Church World Service and our United Church of Christ South Central Conference liaisons in the areas of need. Church World Service also is requesting health kits.”
“It is important for all of us to remember that this is a long term recovery project. There will be time for more hands to help in rebuilding the homes and institutions that have been damaged or destroyed. Right now we are called to support the work of the first responders with our dollars and with our prayers. The needs six months from now might be just as great, but will likely have passed from the attention of the national media. We want to be ready to offer our support enthusiastically and fully at whatever moment our help is called for,” Sterner advised.
According to Andy Gustafson, Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship and Financial Development, part of Our Church's Wider Mission is to engage in relief efforts here and abroad even when the media has moved on to different stories. This mission, supported by OCWM Basic Support and by the One Great Hour of Sharing special annual offering, is ongoing support; so the UCC is able, through its existing staff and partnerships to apply every single cent of designated disaster relief to help those affected. “Our mission to help those in need is ongoing, and is basic to who we are as the United Church of Christ,” Gustafson explained.
Sterner’s email continued:“Your response to this tragedy is a reminder of the depth of faith and compassion that are the heart of our churches. Thank you for your care and your support....Our prayers are with all touched by this tragedy.”
Shortly after receiving the email, the Rev. Carrie Bail, Pastor of the First Congregational Church UCC in Williamstown reported that her members had already started fundraising efforts. “So far we have collected $822 for Hope Shall Bloom and we will be making Church World Service school kits. In addition, we have been in touch with folks concerning resettlement possibilities. We are trying to get in touch with the Habitat family that our youth group helped last February in Biloxi, Mississippi, to see if there is anything we can do.”
At an ad-hoc gathering of congregants
and clergy, including Tony
Kill, pastor of the Eliot Church
UCC, the Newton faith community
committed to fill a truck with food
and cleaning supplies to be driven to
the hurricane-affected area. Through
connections of a neighboring Baptist
church, contact was made with Mt.
Carmel Ministries in Hattiesburg,
Mississippi, which has been designated
an official distribution site,
and where local clergy were serving
the needs of two thousand people a day.
Dom Remick, senior pastor of the First Congregational Church
UCC of Hanover and recent Chair of
the Board of Directors of the Mass.
Conference, said that he had been in
contact with all his town’s pastors so
that they could work together to
coordinate efforts. Their first effort
to raise funds, a town-wide walk,
was scheduled for September 25th.
Remick also reported that there
were a number of MACUCC pastors
who are part of the Mass. Corp of
Fire Chaplains who were deployed
to Otis Air National Guard Base.
Fr. Larry Provenzano, the chief chaplain of the Mass. Corp of Fire Chaplains, reported to Remick that the MCFC participated in the ‘welcome’of victims of Hurricane Katrina to the Commonwealth. The work was a full 24 hour deployment. “Providing assistance to the agencies that were assigned the task of processing the guests, our chaplains were instrumental in the organization of the many local clergy and the actual assessment of people as they approached their new circumstance,” said Provenzano. “Although our presence at Otis was a long and physically straining process, the benefits to all involved outweighed the costs,” he said. “Every one of us has come away with a vision of God’s people being one in mission and service to one another.”
To share your stories about
Hurricane Relief efforts, contact
Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane at
cochranem@macucc.org.